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Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Monday began an enforcement operation in Chicago targeting undocumented immigrants with criminal records, the Department of Homeland Security announced, escalating tensions between the Trump administration and Democratic officials in Illinois.
The effort, called “Operation Midway Blitz,” comes after weeks of speculation and pushback from local leaders. DHS linked the operation to Illinois’ and Chicago’s “sanctuary” policies, which limit cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration agents.
“This ICE operation will target the criminal illegal aliens who flocked to Chicago and Illinois because they knew Governor Pritzker and his sanctuary policies would protect them and allow them to roam free on American streets,” DHS said in a statement.
The operation is named after Katie Abraham, a 20-year-old Illinois woman killed in January in Urbana, allegedly by a Guatemalan man living in the country illegally who was charged in a DUI crash.
Local Leaders Push Back
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson blasted the announcement, calling it reckless and unconstitutional.
“Chicago doesn’t want to see reckless, unconstitutional, militarized immigration enforcement in our city,” Johnson wrote on X.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker suggested last week that the timing of the operation was political, noting it was expected during the city’s annual Mexican Independence Day celebrations.
“Let’s be clear: The terror and cruelty is the point, not the safety of anyone living here,” Pritzker said at a news conference.
Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) also condemned President Trump’s rhetoric. Over the weekend, Trump posted an edited image on Truth Social of himself as a character from the film Apocalypse Now, superimposed over Chicago with the caption: “Chicago about to find out why it’s called the Department of WAR.”
“President Trump attempted to walk back his comments yesterday, but let’s be clear: the president of the United States essentially declared war on an American city, a city I’m honored to represent,” Durbin said on the Senate floor. He accused Trump of targeting Democratic-led communities for “political theater.”
Pattern of Crackdowns
The Chicago operation follows similar enforcement actions in Los Angeles, where ICE raids in June sparked protests. Despite resistance from Mayor Karen Bass and Gov. Gavin Newsom, the administration deployed the National Guard and some active-duty Marines to aid immigration authorities.
That crackdown triggered a lawsuit that temporarily restricted immigration agents from stopping individuals solely based on race, Spanish language use, or congregating in certain areas. On Monday, the Supreme Court blocked the lower court’s ruling, handing Trump a victory.
Broader Context
Trump has repeatedly pledged mass deportations and has sought to punish “sanctuary cities” by restricting federal funding. Advocates of sanctuary policies argue they protect community trust by ensuring immigrants can report crimes without fear of deportation.
The White House has not said whether Trump will follow through on earlier threats to send the National Guard to Chicago.
For now, “Operation Midway Blitz” appears to be proceeding without military involvement, but the political battle over immigration enforcement in America’s third-largest city is only just beginning.
