Operation Midway Blitz is an operation by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducted in Chicago, Illinois, starting on September 9, 2025. [1] The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stated that the operation will arrest undocumented immigrants with criminal records. [1] Religious organizations in Chicago have coordinated to schedule gatherings and make resources available for immigrants. [1] [2] Governor JB Pritzker's office has stated that the Trump administration did not communicate with his office about the operation. [1] Hundreds of DHS agents used a nearby naval base as a staging area. [1] The legality of the operation was questioned by some legal experts, [1] and Pritzker is planning legal action. [3] The operation caused anxiety among certain Chicago residents such as Latinos. [1] A hotline set up to report ICE sightings was very busy on the first day of the operation, confirming that enforcement actions increased. [3] DHS stated the operation is to crack down on sanctuary policies. [4]
On September 8, 2025, DHS announced that ICE would lead Operation Midway Blitz, a multi-agency surge aimed at “criminal illegal aliens” in Illinois. According to U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood, however, the operation began on September 6, 2025. [5] According to DHS, the mission honors Katie Abraham, a Chicago woman killed earlier in the year by an undocumented driver in Urbana. [6]
While announced as a Chicago crackdown, the operation's jurisdiction covers the entire state of Illinois and neighboring Lake County, Indiana. [7] In addition to ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), personnel from the U.S. Marshals Service, Drug Enforcement Administration and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were included. [8] ABC 7 Chicago reported that more than 250 people had been taken into custody during the first nine days, with detainees transferred to immigration detention centers in Indiana and Wisconsin. [9] 13 days after the operation began, DHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin stated that officials had arrested almost 550 people. [10]
Mayor Brandon Johnson said Chicago received “no notice of any enhanced immigration action,” calling the operation “militarized immigration enforcement.” [11] [12] Governor JB Pritzker accused federal officials of undermining the authority of local officials and suggested the possibility of taking legal action to challenge the surge. [13] [14] Representative Lauren Underwood said she learned about the arrest counts at a meeting with ICE leadership. [15] [16]
Local advocacy organizations organized protests outside the suburban ICE facilities while distributing "Know Your Rights" flyers in English and Spanish. [17] Community hotlines reported a surge in calls from community members looking for advice and reporting sightings of federal agents. [18]
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