Agents from ICE have taken position at Naval Station Great Lakes, located just outside of Chicago.
WASHINTON—The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) kicked off a new immigration enforcement initiative in Chicago on September 8.
“DHS is rolling out Operation Midway Blitz to commemorate Katie Abraham, who tragically lost her life in a hit-and-run accident caused by illegal alien Julio Cucul-Bol in Illinois,” the DHS announced on X.
In typical fashion, DHS directed criticism at Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker for what they labeled as lenient immigration policies.
“This ICE mission will specifically target the criminal illegal immigrants who have flocked to Chicago, fully aware that Governor Pritzker’s sanctuary policies would offer them protection, allowing them unrestricted movement on American streets,” the agency stated.
In response, Governor Pritzker stated in a post on X that the announcement “isn’t fundamentally about addressing crime.”
“Combatting crime requires collaboration and assistance; something we haven’t witnessed recently. Instead of taking genuine steps to partner with us on public safety, the Trump Administration has focused on instilling fear in the people of Illinois,” he commented.
ICE agents are now stationed at Naval Station Great Lakes, a site 35 miles north of Chicago, for “limited logistical support, encompassing facilities and infrastructure to assist DHS operations,” explained Matt Mogle, a spokesperson for the base on August 27.
White House Border Czar Tom Homan remarked on August 28 that ICE operations are expected to intensify in Chicago. “While operations ramp up across the United States, expect an increase particularly in metropolitan areas like Chicago,” he stated.
Operation Midway Blitz emerges as President Donald Trump has threatened to dispatch the National Guard to Chicago to tackle crime.
“Looking at Chicago, we see a governor who claims all is well in terms of crime. Yet last weekend alone, 11 people were killed and 68 were shot,” Trump pointed out on September 5. “The previous week, five were killed and 28 were injured. The week prior to that, six were dead and 19 were severely hurt.”
“Many of the injured may not survive. And yet he asserts, ‘Oh, we have a safe city.’ These individuals are misguided. There’s an underlying problem, but we will make some different decisions shortly.”
Although he had initially threatened unilateral action with the National Guard, Trump subsequently toned down his rhetoric. “We’re not declaring war. We aim to restore law and order to our cities,” he informed reporters on September 7. “Our goal is to clean them up so that tragic weekly fatalities cease. That’s not war; it’s common sense.”
Pritzker has actively resisted Trump’s threats, advising the National Guard to steer clear of Chicago. “I will not allow fear-mongering to jeopardize fundamental Constitutional rights under the false pretense of crime-fighting,” he declared in a post on X here.
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