The Department of Homeland Security announced Monday it had launched "Operation Midway Blitz," an Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation in Chicago aimed at targeting criminal undocumented immigrants, saying the action was being undertaken in honor of a woman killed in a hit-and-run.
DHS said in a tweet that the operation was launched "in honor of Katie Abraham who was killed in a drunk driving hit-and-run car wreck caused by criminal illegal alien Julio Cucul-Bol in Illinois." The department said the effort will focus on "the criminal illegal aliens who flocked to Chicago and Illinois because they knew [Democratic] Governor [JB] Pritzker and his sanctuary policies would protect them and allow them to roam free on American streets," and accused Governor Pritzker of siding with "criminal illegal aliens." The tweet also included a statement that "President Trump and Secretary Noem stand with the victims of illegal alien crime while Governor Pritzker stands with criminal illegal aliens."
Federal officials said ICE had been positioning staff in the Chicago area for more than a week, and sources said the presence signaled a crackdown was imminent. DHS and ICE characterized the mission as an operation targeting individuals with criminal records, and officials framed it as distinct from a broader surge of federal law enforcement agents into the city.
President Donald Trump, who has said at times he would order a larger surge of federal agents into Chicago to address violent crime, said Monday he was waiting for an invitation from Illinois officials. "We'd love to go into Chicago," Trump said in a speech in Washington. "We're waiting for a call from Chicago." Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Governor J.B. Pritzker, both Democrats, have not issued such an invitation, and local elected officials and activists held protests over the weekend objecting to a federal law enforcement presence.
City and state leaders have disputed federal characterizations of sanctuary policies and their role in crime. Pritzker and Chicago officials have previously defended local practices intended to limit cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities, saying those policies promote community trust and public safety. Local Democrats said weekend demonstrations were intended to oppose what they described as an escalation of federal law enforcement tactics in the city.
The operation comes amid heightened debate over immigration enforcement and public safety in major U.S. cities. Administration officials framed the action as protecting victims of crimes allegedly committed by undocumented immigrants, while critics argued federal intervention without local consent raises questions about jurisdiction, civil liberties and the practical impact on community policing.
DHS and ICE have not released detailed public figures on the scope of the operation, and the agency's tweet framed much of its rationale in politically charged terms. Law enforcement officials in Illinois and Chicago did not immediately provide a detailed account of arrests or enforcement actions tied to Operation Midway Blitz.
Legal experts and civil rights groups have in past instances warned that targeted immigration enforcement operations can result in disruptions to communities and may deter immigrant residents from cooperating with local police. The administration's move is likely to intensify a broader national conversation about federal-state relations on immigration enforcement and the appropriate use of federal law enforcement resources in cities.
Officials on both sides of the dispute said the situation could evolve depending on additional requests or cooperation from state and local authorities. As of Monday, the White House and DHS said the operation would proceed, while also indicating any larger, sustained federal surge would depend on invitations or agreements with state and city officials.