Illinois Warns Rental Companies: Immigration Agents May Not Swap License Plates — Firms Could Face Penalties

Illinois state officials have formally notified at least 19 national rental-car companies that immigration enforcement agents may not swap, obscure, or otherwise alter Illinois license plates on rented vehicles, and that rental firms could be held liable if such conduct occurs.

Documents obtained through public records show the Illinois Secretary of State’s office sent letters after receiving more than 600 public complaints that agents were replacing plates on rental vehicles during Operation Midway Blitz, a large-scale immigration enforcement operation around Chicago. Companies named in the notices include Alamo, Enterprise (EAN Holdings LLC), Budget, Hertz and ACE, among others.

Findings and enforcement

The office’s review of complaints has so far resulted in a single plate revocation: the license plate for a 2026 Chevrolet Tahoe that had been rented by immigration agents. The revocation letter sent on Nov. 10 targeted EAN Holdings LLC; the company may request a hearing to contest the decision.

State legal action and warnings

In October the secretary of state sent a cease-and-desist letter to the Department of Homeland Security and to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement acting Director Todd Lyons, citing "multiple reports of federal ICE agents illegally swapping out the license plates displayed on vehicles that are registered in the State of Illinois." The letter warned that violations can carry fines, potential jail time and administrative actions such as suspension or revocation of Illinois plates.

"These violations carry penalties that include fines and potential jail time, and the Secretary of State’s Office has the authority to suspend or revoke Illinois license plates that are misused in this way," the office wrote.

Federal response

DHS responded that its personnel comply with federal law and, consistent with the Supremacy Clause, strive to follow state law except where doing so could compromise federal missions or officer safety. In its statement the agency emphasized its officers’ duties to protect public safety and said they face risks while conducting arrests.

"Our operators comply with federal law and, consistent with the Supremacy Clause, endeavor to comply with state law except where doing so could compromise or interfere with the federal mission and operations," DHS said in a statement.

Public concerns and Plate Watch

The letters have raised broader questions about the use of rental and unmarked vehicles in immigration enforcement. Public complaints describe agents wearing masks, traveling in unmarked cars and allegedly using swapped or obscured plates. Illinois launched a "Plate Watch" hotline to collect reports when law-enforcement vehicles lack valid plates, display partially masked identification, or show different plates on consecutive days.

Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias said the office received anonymous reports alleging a range of irregularities: mismatched front and rear plates, missing plates, partially masked plates, and the same vehicle carrying different plates on different days. He urged residents to report incidents to the Plate Watch hotline and said the message is clear: no one is above the law when it comes to public safety.

Wider context

The dispute is the latest instance of tension between state and federal authorities as intensified immigration operations move through cities beyond Chicago, with Border Patrol activity reported in other states. Similar controversies have arisen elsewhere, including a prior incident where a rental-truck company said it had not authorized the use of its vehicles for an enforcement raid.

The Illinois notices require rental companies to warn and prohibit customers from swapping or altering Illinois plates and remind firms they may be held accountable for facilitating illegal plate changes. The Secretary of State’s office continues to investigate complaints and pursue administrative remedies where violations are found.