Chicago federal intervention: Tracking surge in immigration enforcement operations

Legal battle continues over federal judge's injunction against immigration agents' use of force

ByABC7 Chicago Digital Team WLS logo
Last updated: Tuesday, November 18, 2025 8:47PM 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 a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Processing Center in Broadview, Illinois.

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

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Nov 15, 2025, 10:14 PM GMT

Texas National Guardsmen leaving Chicago area, US officials say

The 200 federalized Texas National Guardsmen sent to the Chicago area will return to their home state, two U.S. officials told ABC News.

The federalized Guardsmen arrived to the Naval Station Great Lakes in North Chicago in early October, but they never deployed operationally because of legal challenges that continue playing out in court.

Late Friday night, U.S. Northern Command hinted that changes were coming to the federalized troop mission in those cities but provided no details when it it posted on X that "in the coming days, the Department will be shifting and/or rightsizing our Title 10 footprint in Portland, Los Angeles, and Chicago to ensure a constant, enduring, and long-term presence in each city."

The 200 Illinois National Guardsmen who had also been federalized by President Trump to operate in the Chicago will remain on active duty, an official said.

Eric Horng Image
Nov 15, 2025, 3:36 AM GMT

Protest held in East Side month after clash between immigration agents, residents

Residents were shoulder-to-shoulder in Chicago's East Side neighborhood Friday, marching in the streets in a call for solidarity.

"It's not a Democratic or Republican issue. It's a non-partisan," said Frank Corona with the Steelworkers Organization of Active Retirees. "This is about us, the people. We the people."

Neighbors lit candles on the same corner at 105th Street and Avenue N, where exactly one month ago, Oct. 14, neighbors confronted federal immigration agents after a 30-minute pursuit around the neighborhood of alleged undocumented suspects led to a crash in the community of working families.

"It made people realize that, you know, we've seen a lot of things going on in the news, and right then it was right at their front door," said Samuel Corona with Bridges // Puentes: Justice Collective of the Southeast.

Eggs and rocks were thrown at agents, who then deployed tear-gas that was exposed to residents and more than a dozen CPD officers

Agents detained two teens, who were later released, officials said. Both said they were U.S. citizens.

"I saw a community come together," 10th Ward Ald. Peter Chico said. "I am extremely proud of what I saw that day and what has happened since then.

ByBarb Markoff, Christine Tressel and Tom Jones WLS logo
Nov 15, 2025, 3:31 AM GMT

I-Team obtains details on DHS list of over 600 migrants judge ordered to be released by next Friday

The ABC7 I-Team has obtained new details on the list submitted by the Department of Homeland Security of the more than 600 migrants that a judge has ordered to be released by next Friday.

The judge had ruled that those 614 people should not be in custody while it's determined whether they were arrested in violation of a previous consent decree - unless they posed a "high public safety risk."

According to the list from DHS that ABC7 obtained from a court filing, 42 people were categorized as posing a "high" risk, and 101 people on the list are no longer in custody.

That leaves at least 471 people who could be eligible for release by next Friday - pending an appeal by the government.

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Nov 14, 2025, 6:41 PM GMT

21 arrested outside Broadview ICE detention center as protesters clash with police; 4 officers hurt

Twenty one people were arrested and four police officers were injured Friday as protesters clashed with police outside a Broadview ICE facility.

Broadview Mayor Katrina Thompson said in a statement that two Broadview police officers, one state trooper and a Cook County sheriff's deputy were injured.

"I have repeatedly pleaded to protesters to raise their voices, not their fists. They have chosen their fists. These out-of-towners have chosen to brutalize police officers who have been protecting their free speech and protecting them against assaults by ICE agents. We will see them in court," the statement said.