Chicago federal intervention: Tracking surge in immigration enforcement operations | Updates

DHS announces "Operation Midway Blitz" in Chicago; Trump federalizing Illinois National Guard

ByABC7 Chicago Digital Team WLS logo
Last updated: Friday, October 24, 2025 4:15PM GMT
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CHICAGO (WLS) -- The Chicago area is seeing an increase in federal immigration enforcement.

President Donald Trump says the surge in immigration enforcement activity in the Chicago area is about getting dangerous criminals off the streets.

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Some 300 federal agents are using North Chicago's Naval Station Great Lakes as the logistical hub for ramped-up operations.

Protesters and federal agents have continued to clash outside an ICE Processing Center in Broadview, Illinois.

ABC7 is tracking the latest news in the city and suburbs. Here are the latest developments.

Key Headlines

Here's how the news is developing.
Sep 08, 2025, 6:08 PM GMT

ICE operation 'Midway Blitz' named for Illinois DUI crash victim; undocumented man charged in death

Katie Abraham died in an alleged drunk driving hit-and-run car wreck in Urbana, Illinois in January 2025.
Katie Abraham died in an alleged drunk driving hit-and-run car wreck in Urbana, Illinois in January 2025.

On Monday, the Department of Homeland Security announced the immigration operation "Midway Blitz" in Chicago and Illinois.

The operation is "in honor of" 20-year-old Katherine Abraham and Chloe Polzin, 21 of Deerfield.

Both died in an alleged drunk driving hit-and-run crash in Urbana, Illinois.

READ MORE | ICE operation 'Midway Blitz' named for Illinois DUI crash victim; undocumented man charged in death

Julio Cucul Bol, a 29-year-old citizen of Guatemala, is accused of being the driver of the Mitsubishi.

Cucul Bol was arrested and charged with leaving the scene of a crash resulting in death, aggravated driving under the influence resulting in death and reckless homicide

The Department of Justice charged Cucul Bol with possessing a false permanent resident card, possessing a false Social Security card, false use of a passport and making a false statement on a bank application.

Sep 08, 2025, 4:13 PM GMT

'Midway Blitz': DHS nicknames immigration operation in Chicago

On Monday, DHS announced "Operation Midway Blitz" in Chicago.

"This ICE operation will target the criminal illegal aliens who flocked to Chicago and Illinois because they knew Governor Pritzker and his sanctuary policies would protect them and allow them to roam free on American streets," a DHS spokesperson said on Monday.

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Sep 08, 2025, 4:13 PM GMT

Chicago Mayor Johnson pens New York Times op-ed on President Trump National Guard threat

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson on Monday penned a guest essay in the New York Times on President Donald Trump's threat to send the National Guard to the city.

In it, he said doubling down on strategies that made this summer the safest since the 1960s would be more beneficial.

"For much of the last six decades, Chicago's leaders have pursued various 'tough on crime' strategies targeting guns, drugs and gangs. Despite the significant resources devoted to these strategies, sustained reductions in crime proved elusive," he said. "My administration has managed to make progress in crime reduction with three interconnected strategies: effective and law-abiding policing, violence prevention and addressing the root causes of crime."

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Sep 08, 2025, 3:47 PM GMT

Gov. Pritzker reacts to President Trump social media post criticizing gun violence over weekend

Gov. JB Pritzker is reacting to a recent President Donald Trump post on social media, in which the president criticized violence in Chicago over the weekend.

"'I want to help people, not hurt them,' says the guy who just threatened an American city with the Department of War," Pritzker said on X Monday morning.

In a social media post, Trump criticized Pritzker for not requesting federal help for the state of Illinois.

"I want to help the people of Chicago, not hurt them," Trump said in the post. "Only Criminals will be hurt!"