Trump Administration Launches Immigration Enforcement Blitz in Chicago, Including “Collateral” Arrests
The Trump administration has launched an immigration enforcement blitz in Chicago, aimed at targeting public safety and national security threats, with federal agents joining forces from multiple Department of Justice agencies.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents are expected to be joined by officials from multiple federal agencies, including the FBI, ATF, DEA, and U.S. Marshals Service, in the multiday operation. The action is part of a broader effort to ramp up arrests nationwide and add manpower to ICE, which has limited resources and agents.
The operation was confirmed by ICE in a statement, which announced the “enhanced targeted operations” began in Chicago on Sunday. The operation aims to preserve public safety and national security by keeping “potentially dangerous criminal aliens” out of communities.
ICE field offices have been directed to meet a quota of 75 arrests per day, while sources say there is no shortage of targets with an estimated 310 arrests taking place daily nationwide in the previous fiscal year. The increased manpower will allow officials to surpass those numbers while pressuring ICE officers to meet their quota.
White House border czar Tom Homan and acting Homeland Security Secretary Benjamin Huffman are said to be supervising the operations. Homan stated that meeting Trump’s goal of mass deportations is no longer dependent on the number of arrests, claiming “every public safety threat removed from this country is a success.”
Meanwhile, immigrant advocacy groups have filed a lawsuit against the administration, citing targeting of sanctuary jurisdictions like Chicago as a violation of First and Fourth Amendment protections.
Local concerns about the administration’s actions were heightened as local migrants began experiencing increased anxiety, with some family members choosing not to leave home due to the perceived threat. The Chicago Mayor launched a “Know Your Rights” campaign across the city to support those potentially affected by immigration actions.
Democrat Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker shared his concerns regarding the administration’s operations, specifically focusing on families who are lawful citizens, including those who hold down jobs, have families in the country for years, but may still face deportation. The issue has piqued further concerns about immigrant detention and immigration reform in general.