Federal authorities arrest hundreds during the weekend while the White House intensifies immigration measures
ICE conducted nearly 1,000 arrests.
TroibNews 
Over the weekend, the Justice Department collaborated with immigration and other federal agency officials in Chicago to implement a deportation operation indicative of a broader crackdown promoted by the Trump administration during the 2024 presidential campaign.
Residents began contacting immigration advocates as early as 6 a.m. on Sunday, reporting the presence of individuals they believed to be ICE agents in their neighborhoods, as noted by the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights. “There are a lot of folks who are scared. But people also know not to open their doors. They know to call a lawyer. And they know to call the hotline. Knowing their rights is empowering,” said spokesperson Brandon Lee.
According to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the operation aims to target “potentially dangerous criminal aliens.” The agency has recruited assistance from various federal bodies, including the FBI, DEA, and Customs and Border Patrol, signaling the urgency of the White House's directives.
Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove, present in Chicago alongside White House border czar Tom Homan, described the initiative as a “critical mission to take back our communities.” He encouraged local officials to cooperate, which reiterates a warning from a recent memorandum: “We will use all available tools to address obstruction and other unlawful impediments to our efforts to protect the homeland,” he stated.
Democratic Illinois Governor JB Pritzker criticized such rhetoric as intimidation tactics. “They’re just putting that out because they want to threaten everybody,” he expressed during an appearance on CNN’s “State of the Union.” While Pritzker reaffirmed his support for federal deportation actions against violent criminals, he voiced concern over the targeting of individuals who are law-abiding: “What I find quite disturbing is they’re going after people who are law-abiding, who are holding down jobs, who have families here, who may have been here for a decade or two decades, and they’re often our neighbors and our friends.”
Illinois abides by the Trust Act, which, similar to Chicago’s sanctuary city status, restricts law enforcement from assisting in deportations while also prohibiting them from obstructing such efforts.
On Sunday, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson confirmed his office had “received reports of ICE enforcement activity” in the city, clarifying that “Chicago police were not involved.” He directed residents to the city’s resource guide for assistance in understanding their rights.
The Associated Press reported that ICE conducted 956 arrests nationwide on Sunday and 286 on Saturday, although it remains unclear how many of those occurred in Chicago. Operations also took place in Los Angeles, Austin, Texas, Colorado, and Puerto Rico, as reported by CNN.
In an interview on ABC’s “This Week,” Homan acknowledged the challenges his team faces, stating that they cannot detain the estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants that former President Donald Trump advocated for due to funding limitations.
Illinois Democratic Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth expressed support for the deportation of dangerous individuals but raised concerns about the risk of targeting vulnerable populations. They stated they “agree” on the need to remove dangerous individuals but worry about “the potential to sweep up dreamers who came to the United States as children, veterans who have served our nation, and essential workers who care for our family members, build our homes and ensure we have food on our tables.”
The weekend's operations followed a confusing incident on Friday, where Chicago Public Schools mistakenly believed ICE agents had visited an elementary school in the Back of the Yards neighborhood. In reality, U.S. Secret Service agents were present, investigating a threat against a government official. Reports indicated that “agents were looking for an 11-year-old who posted an anti-Trump video.”
Max Fischer contributed to this report for TROIB News
Residents began contacting immigration advocates as early as 6 a.m. on Sunday, reporting the presence of individuals they believed to be ICE agents in their neighborhoods, as noted by the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights. “There are a lot of folks who are scared. But people also know not to open their doors. They know to call a lawyer. And they know to call the hotline. Knowing their rights is empowering,” said spokesperson Brandon Lee.
According to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the operation aims to target “potentially dangerous criminal aliens.” The agency has recruited assistance from various federal bodies, including the FBI, DEA, and Customs and Border Patrol, signaling the urgency of the White House's directives.
Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove, present in Chicago alongside White House border czar Tom Homan, described the initiative as a “critical mission to take back our communities.” He encouraged local officials to cooperate, which reiterates a warning from a recent memorandum: “We will use all available tools to address obstruction and other unlawful impediments to our efforts to protect the homeland,” he stated.
Democratic Illinois Governor JB Pritzker criticized such rhetoric as intimidation tactics. “They’re just putting that out because they want to threaten everybody,” he expressed during an appearance on CNN’s “State of the Union.” While Pritzker reaffirmed his support for federal deportation actions against violent criminals, he voiced concern over the targeting of individuals who are law-abiding: “What I find quite disturbing is they’re going after people who are law-abiding, who are holding down jobs, who have families here, who may have been here for a decade or two decades, and they’re often our neighbors and our friends.”
Illinois abides by the Trust Act, which, similar to Chicago’s sanctuary city status, restricts law enforcement from assisting in deportations while also prohibiting them from obstructing such efforts.
On Sunday, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson confirmed his office had “received reports of ICE enforcement activity” in the city, clarifying that “Chicago police were not involved.” He directed residents to the city’s resource guide for assistance in understanding their rights.
The Associated Press reported that ICE conducted 956 arrests nationwide on Sunday and 286 on Saturday, although it remains unclear how many of those occurred in Chicago. Operations also took place in Los Angeles, Austin, Texas, Colorado, and Puerto Rico, as reported by CNN.
In an interview on ABC’s “This Week,” Homan acknowledged the challenges his team faces, stating that they cannot detain the estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants that former President Donald Trump advocated for due to funding limitations.
Illinois Democratic Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth expressed support for the deportation of dangerous individuals but raised concerns about the risk of targeting vulnerable populations. They stated they “agree” on the need to remove dangerous individuals but worry about “the potential to sweep up dreamers who came to the United States as children, veterans who have served our nation, and essential workers who care for our family members, build our homes and ensure we have food on our tables.”
The weekend's operations followed a confusing incident on Friday, where Chicago Public Schools mistakenly believed ICE agents had visited an elementary school in the Back of the Yards neighborhood. In reality, U.S. Secret Service agents were present, investigating a threat against a government official. Reports indicated that “agents were looking for an 11-year-old who posted an anti-Trump video.”
Max Fischer contributed to this report for TROIB News
