Former NFL Star-Turned FBI Agent Charles Tillman Opens Up On ICE Raids & Why He Left The Bureau
This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.
Former NFL cornerback Charles Tillman has opened up on his decision to quit the FBI.
For the unaware, Tillman worked as an FBI agent after his retirement. He spent around eight years with the Bureau before becoming disenchanted amid the immigration raids and chose to walk away from law enforcement, leaving what had been a promising career.
The former NFL star, famous for his “Peanut Punch,” revolutionized the defensive back position. He has the most interceptions in Chicago Bears history and is also known for his rivalry with Detroit Lions legend Calvin Johnson.
The Walter Payton Man of the Year in 2013, Tillman was a two-time Pro Bowler. He was also an All-Pro selection in 2012, when he led the league in forced fumbles.
The 44-year-old is listed among the 100 Greatest Bears of All Time.
He joined the FBI after leaving football and was mostly attached to a safe streets task force. Whilst there, he researched drug trafficking, human trafficking, robberies, murders, organized crime, racketeering and more.
He also made multiple arrests as a field agent while learning the patterns of suspects. One rapper claimed the former NFL star was part of a team that raided his house a few years ago.
Tillman worked as a firearms and tactical instructor in his final year.
Charles Tillman Lashes Out At ICE Raids As “Political”
In a recent interview with The Athletic, Tillman says he enjoyed everything about his job… until last January, when the government launched an initiative to crack down on illegal immigration.
“Tillman and the other FBI agents in Chicago received word that White House border czar Tom Homan and TV personality “Dr. Phil” McGraw were coming to town with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to lead a crackdown on illegal immigration. There would be targeted arrests; participation from the FBI, the DEA, the ATF, the Border Patrol and the U.S. Marshals was expected.”
Tillman says he believed the U.S. had a longstanding immigration problem. However, harassing people just because they looked a certain way did not sit well with him.
“It was, ‘We need everybody outside, and we want everyone standing guard,’” he told the publication. “And they wanted us to make arrests. It wasn’t just about going after the violent individuals. It was, ‘There’s some guys working on a house outside. Let’s go swap them up, and it will count for the quota system.’ To me, it felt political.”
“And the way he understood it, investigations were supposed to take months, not minutes,” The Athletic notes.
He chose to attend his daughter’s basketball game rather than join the raid.
He resigned soon after.
