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The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement has launched an operation in Chicago despite pushback from city and state government officials, the Department of Homeland Security announced on Monday (September 8) via NBC News reports.
"Operation Midway Blitz" will target undocumented immigrants accused of committing crimes and has blamed what it called sanctuary policies in Chicago and the state of Illinois. The DHS didn't specifically mention whether the National Guard would be deployed, though the plan had previously been mentioned by President Donald Trump.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, are among the Democratic critics who have publicly opposed the ICE operation, which they deemed to be unnecessary.
"Chicago doesn't want to see reckless, unconstitutional, militarized immigration enforcement in our city," Johnson wrote on his X account.
Pritzker said last week that he expected the ICE operation to be announced ahead of Mexican Independence Day celebrations, which are annually held in Chicago, a city with a large population of residents with Mexican origin.
"Let’s be clear: The terror and cruelty is the point, not the safety of anyone living here," Pritzker said during a news conference via NBC News.
Trump made immigration a main focus of his 2024 presidential campaign, promising the largest mass deportation in U.S. history, targeting more than 10 million undocumented migrants.