Days after sources said multiple federal agencies would “surge manpower” to Chicago and step up immigration enforcement, the Department of Homeland Security announced “Operation Midway Blitz,” an effort to target “criminal illegal aliens.”
DHS posted about the operation on social media, referencing the death of Katie Abraham, a 20-year-old Glenview woman who was killed in January in Urbana, Illinois, along with a friend by a suspected drunk driver who was believed to be an illegal immigrant and fled the scene of the crash. A Guatemalan national was later arrested and charged in connection with the crash.
didn’t provide details on timing nor potential locations that could be targeted.
Trump, in a post on his Truth Social platform Saturday, used a parody meme referencing the 1979 film “Apocalypse Now” to threaten deportations and the use of the Department of War to combat crime in Chicago.
‘”I love the smell of deportations in the morning…Chicago about to find out why it’s called the Department of WAR,'” the post read.
The dramatic meme shows Trump in front of the city’s skyline with helicopters above, along with flames and a cloud of smoke.
“We’re not going to war,” the president said Sunday when asked about Chicago. “We’re going to clean up our cities. We’re going to clean them up so they don’t kill five people every weekend. That’s not war. That’s common sense.”
As ICE increases enforcement across the city, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin said “these are crazy times.”
“The president of the USA essentially declared war on an American city, one I love and honored to represent … no joke,” he said. Unprecedented threat against American people”
NBC has obtained images of ICE arrests Monday in Chicago, including a photo of a man from Mexico who was wanted for aggravated sexual assault of a child.
Tom Homan, Trump’s “border czar,” said agents don’t target people based on race.
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Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, meanwhile, said the city just experienced record low homicide numbers, making this summer the safest since the 1960s.
However, not all aldermen feel the same.
“Our city needs as much help as we can possibly get,” said Ald. Anthony Napolitano of the city’s 41st Ward.
As of Monday morning, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s office said there had been no communication or coordination from the White House to the governor’s office directly.
In response to a DHS post, Pritzker said, “Once again, this isn’t about fighting crime. That requires support and coordination — yet we’ve experienced nothing like that over the past several weeks. Instead of taking steps to work with us on public safety, the Trump Administration’s focused on scaring Illinoisians.”
Once again, this isn't about fighting crime. That requires support and coordination — yet we've experienced nothing like that over the past several weeks.Instead of taking steps to work with us on public safety, the Trump Administration's focused on scaring Illinoisians. t.co/LoFPM0E4PF
— Governor JB Pritzker (@GovPritzker) September 8, 2025Trump on Monday said trying and reasoning with people like Pritzker and Johnson is like “taking to a wall.”
“…It’s just, doesn’t I assume it’s just a political ideology, he stated, in part. “They’re not stupid. People must be an ideology that’s just buried in their head, and you can’t do a damn thing about it. And we’d love to go into Chicago and straighten it out.”
Naval Station Great Lakes in suburban North Chicago is serving as the center of enhanced operations, with at least 300 agents expected at the naval base.
“The base will provide parking office space and storage for non lethal ammunitions for the Department of Homeland Security through October 5th,” Durbin said. “Most important, service members will not aid in these raids.”
On Monday, a conservative Supreme Court majority loosened restrictions on ICE operations in Los Angeles, dealing the Trump administration a legal victory.
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