A Border Patrol agent who led a controversial immigration crackdown in Los Angeles arrived in Chicago on Tuesday as federal officials began a highly visible enforcement push in the nation’s third-largest city.
Gregory Bovino announced his arrival on social media, posting a stylized video of Customs and Border Protection vehicles driving into the city and agents walking through downtown. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem also traveled to Chicago and posted videos showing armed agents in camouflage, military-style gear escorting people in handcuffs from a residence. "Our work is only beginning," Noem said on X.
Federal officials offered limited details about the operation, which Bovino called "Operation At Large." Bovino told The Associated Press that "teams have spread across Chicago to go after targets," and he said Noem observed a 5:30 a.m. raid that resulted in five arrests. Chicago news outlets reported that one of those detained is a U.S. citizen. Illinois and local officials, and immigrant rights groups, said the increased enforcement has stoked fear in immigrant communities and disrupted daily life.
Numbers provided by federal and state officials varied. The Department of Homeland Security noted roughly two dozen arrests since U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement began an operation earlier this month, while U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood, D-Ill., said ICE has taken about 250 people into custody since it began what she called its "Operation Midway Blitz" on Sept. 6. Immigration activists said the true number of detentions in the Chicago area was higher than federal counts.
Joe Botello, 37, told the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times he was briefly detained after agents arrived at his Elgin home early Tuesday and he showed identification asserting his U.S. citizenship. Brandon Lee, a spokesman for the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, said the raids "put the cruelty of ICE on full display, forcibly removing people from their home and disrupting daily life for citizens and noncitizens alike."
Local leaders criticized the federal operation and said they would not cooperate with immigration agents. Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker called the tactics "violent and discriminatory" and accused the administration of sending federal agents to inflame tensions as a pretext for a military deployment. "It's hard to believe anything he says," Pritzker said in response to President Donald Trump's repeated vows to send troops and National Guard forces to the city.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said he had not had direct conversations with federal officials and reiterated that Chicago police would not collaborate with immigration agents. He signed an executive order aimed at protecting the right to protest and said the city would safeguard constitutional rights if federal actions "trample on the Constitution." Johnson and Pritzker said they planned legal action challenging federal moves.
The deployment follows weeks of public promises by President Trump to send heightened immigration enforcement and troops to predominantly Democratic cities, including Chicago, despite objections from local leaders. The president has at times suggested a military deployment and at other times indicated he would focus on other cities, creating uncertainty about the scope and duration of federal activity in Chicago.
Bovino drew national attention in June when he led a rapid enforcement campaign in Los Angeles that officials described as a "turn and burn" operation. The Los Angeles operation, which began June 6 without prior public notice, resulted in thousands of arrests, according to federal tallies, and included tactics such as breaking car windows, forcing open doors and mounted patrols in public parks. The Los Angeles surge drew criticism from immigrant advocates and local officials.
Tensions in the Chicago area were already elevated after an ICE officer fatally shot a man who was allegedly evading arrest last week. The recent spike in enforcement prompted the cancellation and delay of some Mexican Independence Day celebrations and raised alarm among community groups about the potential for broader sweeps.
Federal officials declined to answer detailed questions about the focus, size and targets of the Chicago operation. A spokesman for a military base outside Chicago that has agreed to provide limited logistical support to federal agents did not respond to inquiries. ICE officials did not return messages seeking comment Tuesday.
Noem said DHS would continue its work in Chicago. State and city officials pledged continued resistance, including legal challenges, and immigrant advocates urged communities to seek legal help and remain vigilant about their rights as enforcement activity expands.
Associated Press reporting contributed to this article.