U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced Monday that it had launched “Operation Midway Blitz,” a targeted enforcement action in Chicago aimed at detaining immigrants with criminal histories, a move the Department of Homeland Security tied to a recent fatal hit-and-run.
DHS said the operation follows the death of Katie Abraham, who police say was killed in a drunk-driving hit-and-run by a Guatemalan migrant believed to be in the United States illegally. In a post on X, the department criticized Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and said the operation would go after "criminal illegal aliens who flocked to Chicago and Illinois because they knew Governor Pritzker and his sanctuary policies would protect them. President Trump and Secretary Noem stand with the victims of illegal alien crime while Governor Pritzker stands with criminal illegal aliens," the post said.
The announcement comes as President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to deploy the National Guard to Chicago as part of a broader crackdown on crime. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Gov. Pritzker have both pushed back against sending armed federal or National Guard forces into the city and Pritzker said he would contest any federal actions in court.
Local reporting suggested the scope of the operation on Monday was limited. The New York Times reported that only a few arrests had been made by ICE as of Monday morning, even as DHS described the operation as underway. ICE officials have said that, since Mr. Trump took office nine months ago, the agency has made roughly 1,400 arrests nationwide; The Times reported that more than 1,000 arrests have been recorded in the Chicago area so far this year.
Estimates cited by The Times indicate roughly 150,000 undocumented immigrants live in Chicago, a number the report said accounts for about 8 percent of households in the city. DHS officials told reporters the operation would concentrate on migrants with prior criminal convictions.
Officials said the operation was expected to be launched from a naval base outside Chicago. Media accounts and local officials gave conflicting depictions of the early activity, with federal authorities framing the action as part of a broader mass-deportation strategy and local officials characterizing it as limited so far.
The enforcement effort follows a recent Supreme Court ruling that cleared the way for broader federal immigration raids after the court reversed a lower court order that had blocked sweeping enforcement action in Los Angeles. The decision provided the White House with a legal pathway to resume larger-scale operations in major cities, administration officials said.
Chicago leaders have signaled legal and political resistance. Pritzker and Mayor Johnson have said federal officials should coordinate with local law enforcement and adhere to constitutional and public-safety protocols. Pritzker reiterated his intent to challenge aspects of the administration’s enforcement approach in court.
Immigration enforcement has been a central component of the Trump administration’s domestic policy since the president returned to office. Officials said the new phase in Chicago was intended to remove migrants with criminal records from the streets, while critics argue that mass enforcement actions can erode trust between immigrant communities and local police and can strain local resources.
Federal authorities declined to provide immediate additional details about the number of arrests planned or the specific charges against those detained Monday. Local law enforcement agencies said they would continue to handle public-safety matters within the city and coordinate with federal partners as required by law.