On Monday, September 8th 2025,  the Department of Homeland Security launched an ICE operation to crack down on immigration in the cities of Chicago. This effort to enforce immigration laws was dubbed “Operation Midway Blitz” by the department.

In the beginning of September, the Department of Homeland Security announced a new enforcement campaign called the “Operation Midway Blitz.” It’s goal was to arrest immigrants that weren’t documented with a criminal record. An ambassador stated, “This ICE operation will target the criminal illegal aliens who flocked Chicago and Illinois because they knew Governor (JB) and his sanctuary policies would protect them and allow them to roam free on American Streets” (Tareen, Sept 8th,2025). This explains that the government had differences with the local communities for Chicago and did not agree with everything that’s going on.

 The Trump Administration first started in Illinois where the ICE raids started targeting immigrants that have serious issues, involved with criminal records. This was needed due to Chicago and Illinois having laws that seriously protect the immigrants from local authorities. The DHS said this was aimed at “convicted gang members, rapists, kidnappers  and drug traffickers who she called “the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens in Chicago” (Polansek & Hesson, Sept, 9th 2025). This explains that the government was targeting illegal immigrants who were accused of doing illegal activities and making a sacred life for their family.

The raids in Chicago show differences with the federal government and the local city of Chicago. The government believes this could be good for the state of Illinois and for the people of the United States, but most people don’t believe this could be beneficial. This is still going on today.