In the heart of one of America’s most vibrant cities, the echoes of helicopters and the sight of federal agents in tactical gear have become an unwelcome new normal.
President Donald Trump’s aggressive immigration enforcement operation, dubbed Operation Midway Blitz, is ramping up in Chicago, with visible displays of federal power drawing sharp rebukes from state and city officials even as a government shutdown looms large.
For weeks, U.S. Border Patrol teams have been fanning out across the greater Chicago area, but the operation’s footprint exploded into public view last week.
Agents patrolled iconic spots like Michigan Avenue, the bustling artery of downtown’s Magnificent Mile, under the command of Gregory Bovino, the operation’s point man.
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) tallies show hundreds of arrests already, zeroing in on what the administration dubs the “worst of the worst“—undocumented individuals with alleged ties to crime or national security threats.
NewsNation reporters embedded with federal teams witnessed the intensity firsthand during a predawn raid in the South Shore neighborhood on Chicago’s South Side.
In a coordinated sweep, 37 migrants accused of illegal entry were apprehended, including several suspected members of the notorious Tren de Aragua gang, Venezuelan nationals linked to cross-border violence.
Military Black Hawk helicopters thrummed overhead, while armored trucks and surveillance drones cordoned off a five-story apartment building, turning a quiet residential block into a scene straight out of a blockbuster thriller.
The pace hasn’t slowed.
Just last Thursday, three migrants—flagged by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) as being in the U.S. illegally—bolted from a federal vehicle near a homeless shelter in the Bronzeville neighborhood.
Officers detained them without entering the facility, according to a CBP spokesperson, underscoring the operation’s focus on swift, targeted stops rather than broad sweeps.
Local Leaders Fire Back
As federal boots hit the pavement, Chicago’s Democratic leadership is pushing back hard.
Mayor Brandon Johnson, in a fiery press conference this week, lambasted the Trump administration’s portrayal of his city as a “dangerous” hotspot.
“Business owners are telling me they’re scared to send their kids to school because of these agents swarming the streets,” Johnson said.
He recounted harrowing anecdotes: a mother “thrown to the floor” in a desperate bid to reunite with her children, and a 79-year-old American business owner “body-slammed” while trying to show employee papers.
Johnson didn’t mince words. Nor has he ever been one to do so.
“This isn’t tough or patriotic. It’s not even about law and order. This is the Trump administration’s war on the poor, plain and simple.”
His criticisms come amid reports of heightened community tensions, with some residents describing the federal presence as an occupying force.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker echoed the sentiment, warning that the operation smacks of authoritarian overreach.
“He’s copying Vladimir Putin’s playbook,” Pritzker charged, pointing to Trump’s recent comments floating Chicago as a “training ground” for the U.S. military and National Guard in “dangerous” Democratic strongholds.
Johnson called the idea “appalling,” branding the president an “unstable, unhinged individual” and insisting, “American cities aren’t military playgrounds.”
Shutdown Looms, But the Raids Roll On
Complicating matters is the impending government shutdown, which threatens to furlough thousands of federal workers.
Yet DHS Secretary Kristi Noem vowed on social media that essential operations would persist.
Up to 200,000 officers and military personnel—immigration agents, Border Patrol, FBI, DEA, and more—will stay on duty without paychecks, she announced.
Pritzker, anticipating no letup, noted the president’s authority to keep “emergency personnel and military” engaged under executive powers.
At the epicenter of the storm is ICE’s processing center in suburban Broadview, a nondescript facility now besieged by protests.
Anti-ICE demonstrators have clashed repeatedly with officers, who responded with tear gas, pepper balls, and other crowd-control measures.
The incidents have sparked three criminal probes by Broadview village authorities into potential ICE overreach, highlighting the operation’s volatile edge.
A DHS memo obtained by sources reveals a fresh request: 100 members of the Illinois National Guard to safeguard ICE officers and the Broadview site.
Trump has offered no firm timeline for their arrival or an end date for the Chicago focus, leaving local leaders bracing for an indefinite siege.
Amid the uproar, Bovino remains unflinching.
Speaking exclusively to NewsNation after a briefing, the commander-at-large delivered a stark assurance: “We’re not going anywhere.”
His words underscore the administration’s determination to reshape immigration enforcement, even if it means turning urban centers into flashpoints.
Also Read: Economists Now Warn Trump’s Immigration Policies Will Slow US Economy
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