Katie Abraham's father speaks out on DHS' operation 'Midway Blitz' in Chicago area

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Joe Abraham told ABC7 someone from the Department of Homeland Security called him on Sunday, asking if it was OK to use his daughter's name in their announcement. He said yes, hoping that whatever comes as a result of operation "Midway Blitz" will prevent another family from experiencing his pain.

Speaking to ABC7 from his Glenview home, in a room set up to honor Katie Abraham's memory, her father, Joe, spoke of the girl who, at 20 years old, was most at home in the water.

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"She had this unique personality and sense of humor. She had this wit about her. It's almost incredible," Joe said.

Katie died in Urbana on Jan. 19, when police say an undocumented and allegedly drunk driver slammed an SUV into the vehicle she and her friends were riding in. The crash happened at about 1:55 a.m., according to Urbana police.

A second woman, 21-year-old Chloe Polzin of Deerfield, died the next day.

The alleged DUI driver, Joe says, had already been deported from the U.S. once before.

"Julio Cucul Bol. I'm sure he will see the light of day again. I have a life sentence now, without my daughter," Joe said.

Cucul Bol was allegedly on a bus heading to Matamoros, Mexico when he was arrested on Jan. 22 near Dallas, Texas. At the time, officials said, he had fake Mexican papers under the name Juan JaHaziel Saenz-Suarez.

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

The Department of Justice also 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.

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In June, when a Congressional Oversight Committee called upon Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and two other "sanctuary city" governors to testify, Katie's story was put forth.

"We were at the Oversight Committee hearing, and he couldn't muster up a word or even sort of acknowledge us," Joe said.

It was that lack of compassion, Joe said, along with what he believes is an unsustainable approach toward immigration in Illinois, which led him to agree to have Katie's name used during Monday's announcement of operation "Midway Blitz."

"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.

"If their purpose is to remove illegal criminal aliens from the streets, I guess I'm all for that," Joe said.

On Monday, White House border czar Tom Homan remained vague about what this newly named operation will entail, even as reports are already surfacing of arrests throughout the city. Late Monday, Immigration and Customs Enforcement said agents arrested at least four people in the Chicago area on Sunday.

"We've increased resources in Chicago. As far as a massive operation, we'll see what happens," Homan said.

Advocacy groups and elected officials denounced the immigration roundups on Monday.

"Operation 'Midway Blitz' is not public safety. It's a declaration of war on Mexicans and Latinos in Chicago," said state Rep. Aaron Ortiz, who represents the 1st District.

But as a child of immigrants himself, Joe rejects that notion.

"I don't like the false choice of saying, 'Oh it's either, it's a free-for-all, Wild West, unfettered, or you're a racist.' That doesn't comprehend. To me, there needs to be a rational in-between," Joe said.

A White House spokesperson, in a statement provided to ABC News, said that operation "Midway Blitz" will "make Illinois communities safer" and is consistent with the Trump administration's commitment to arresting and deporting "dangerous criminal illegal aliens."

The White House's statement did not address ABC's question to them for clarification on whether National Guard or other military troops being ordered to Chicago by the administration. The statement only acknowledges immigration enforcement as part of the operation.

"For years, Democrat politicians looked the other way while criminal illegal aliens terrorized American communities - even embracing 'sanctuary' policies to protect these sick criminals. No more. The Trump Administration is committed to arresting and deporting these dangerous criminal illegal aliens and Operation Midway Blitz, honoring Katie Abraham who was killed by a criminal illegal alien, will make Illinois communities safer." said Abigail Jackson, a White House spokeswoman, in a statement.

The operation comes as some 300 federal agents are using North Chicago's Naval Station Great Lakes as the logistical hub for ramped-up operations. Homan says the use of National Guard troops to protect and support immigration enforcement operations is "on the table."

Meanwhile, a protest and a march against the operation are set to get underway in the Loop late Tuesday afternoon.

A spokesperson for Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, issued a statement, saying, "The Governor's Office has received no formal communication or information from the Trump Administration. Like the public and press, we are learning of their operations through their social media as they attempt to produce a reality television show. As Trump has said himself, this is not about seriously fighting crime or reforming immigration - it's about Trump's plan to go to war with America's third-largest city. If he cared about delivering real solutions for Illinois, then we would have heard from him. Unlike Trump's reality show, we don't like keeping people in the dark. Since we have learned of the Trump Administration's plans to deploy federal agents and active-duty military to Illinois, Gov. Pritzker has shared information with the public and the Governor's Office has remained in regular contact with leaders and partners at the City of Chicago, Cook County, the Illinois congressional delegation, state legislature, and mayors and representatives from the collar counties."

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson also issued a statement, saying, "We have received no notice of any enhanced immigration action by the Trump administration. We are concerned about potential militarized immigration enforcement without due process because of ICE's track record of detaining and deporting American citizens and violating the human rights of hundreds of detainees. ICE sent a 4-year-old boy with stage 4 kidney cancer to Honduras, even though the child was an American citizen. There are more than 500 documented incidents of human rights abuses at detention facilities since Trump took office, including deaths of detainees and alleged cases of sexual abuse of minors by federal immigration agents. Because of these incidents and more, we remain opposed to militarized immigration enforcement that runs afoul of the Constitution in our city. We encourage residents to visit www.Chicago.gov/KYR to stay informed on their rights."

ABC News contributed to this report.