Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has arrested nearly 550 illegal aliens in Illinois as part of an enforcement campaign named “Operation Midway Blitz.” The operation, launched in honor of Katie Abraham—a 20-year-old woman killed in a drunk driving crash by an illegal alien—has focused on detaining individuals with serious criminal records.
According to DHS, the operation is targeting illegal immigrants with prior convictions for crimes including murder, sexual assault, drug trafficking, and gang activity. ICE reports that many of those arrested had prior removal orders and were previously released by local jurisdictions due to Illinois’ sanctuary policies.
Among those detained are individuals with convictions or charges for statutory rape, child sexual abuse, armed carjacking, drug possession, domestic violence, and illegal firearm possession. ICE also identified gang members, including at least one confirmed member of the Venezuelan-based Tren de Aragua gang.
Federal officials say sanctuary laws in Illinois have hindered their ability to apprehend and remove dangerous individuals. Illinois’ Trust Act prevents state and local law enforcement from cooperating with ICE unless a judicial warrant is presented. As a result, ICE has conducted more independent operations without the support of local agencies.
The enforcement actions have drawn sharp criticism from Governor J.B. Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, who have condemned the operation and rejected cooperation with federal immigration authorities. Civil rights groups have also raised concerns, accusing ICE of making arrests without proper warrants and detaining U.S. citizens during the raids.
Protests erupted outside ICE facilities, including the Broadview Processing Center near Chicago. Some protesters attempted to block law enforcement vehicles, leading federal agents to deploy chemical agents to disperse the crowd. Activists also rallied under slogans like “Kill ICE” and “Shoot ICE,” raising security concerns among federal personnel.
Tensions escalated further after an ICE officer shot and killed a man in a Chicago suburb during an attempted arrest. According to ICE, the suspect dragged the officer with his vehicle during the encounter. The incident is under investigation.
Despite ongoing legal challenges and political pushback, DHS officials say Operation Midway Blitz will continue. A request has also been made by the White House to deploy 100 federal troops to Illinois to support ongoing immigration enforcement efforts.
