The Trump administration has launched a major immigration enforcement operation in Chicago, escalating tensions with Illinois leaders.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the crackdown on Monday under the codename “Operation Midway Blitz,” saying it targets the “worst of the worst criminals.”
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin accused Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and other Democratic officials of allowing violent offenders, including gang members and drug traffickers, back onto Chicago’s streets.
“For years, Governor Pritzker and his fellow sanctuary politicians released Tren de Aragua gang members, rapists, kidnappers, and drug traffickers on Chicago’s streets — putting American lives at risk,” McLaughlin said in a statement.
Pritzker fired back, calling the raids politically motivated. He wrote on X that the operation “isn’t about fighting crime” and accused Washington of failing to coordinate with state and city authorities. “The Trump administration is focused on scaring Illinoisians,” he said.
The DHS release included photos and details of 11 individuals it described as “criminal illegal aliens” now being sought for arrest.
President Donald Trump has repeatedly clashed with Chicago, labeling it a “hell-hole” plagued by gun crime. He has also floated the deployment of National Guard troops, drawing criticism from local leaders and sparking protests.
Illinois Senator Dick Durbin said the raids were wasteful and dangerous: “They don’t make us safer. They are a waste of money, stoke fear, and represent another failed attempt at distraction.”
Over the weekend, Trump shared memes and edited images online, including one depicting himself as a military officer from Apocalypse Now, with the tagline “I love the smell of deportations in the morning.”
Governor Pritzker dismissed Trump’s rhetoric as authoritarian. “This is not a joke. This is not normal. Illinois won’t be intimidated by a wannabe dictator,” he said. He also urged residents to know their rights if confronted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.
The raids follow similar federal operations in Los Angeles and Washington, where the White House claimed success despite widespread public backlash.
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