Chicago immigration raids enter third month as arrests, protests and tensions grow
TOI GLOBAL DESK | TOI GLOBAL | Nov 18, 2025, 00:21 IST
Protests, legal challenges, and widespread concern have resulted from the third month of federal immigration enforcement operations in Chicago. According to government records, only a small percentage of those arrested had a serious criminal history.
TL;DR
For three consecutive months, Chicago has been the target of intensive immigration enforcement under Operation Midway Blitz. The fact that most of the arrested individuals were not at high risk has led to legal battles, community protests, and criticism from state leaders.
The first three months of the Federal immigration raids that were conducted across the city and the suburbs of Chicago have stirred up a lot of tension among the residents and various groups like the local authorities and immigrant communities that have formed in the area. Operation Midway Blitz, a surge of enforcement, which was announced on September 8, would be focusing on individuals with serious criminal records, according to the Department of Homeland Security. Since then, the initiative has led to the detention of hundreds, the injury of several people, and large-scale demonstrations throughout the region.
According to the two government sources, including Department of Homeland Security statements, and the information released on Nov. 14, of the 614 people detained in connection with the operation, only sixteen had their criminal histories classified as significant risks to public safety. The rest of the people arrested were either of low or unknown risk. These statistics have led to the reaction of Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, who from the very beginning warned that the move by federal agents could result in random targeting of the residents.
The action has been omnipresent in the areas from Logan Square to the suburb of Mount Prospect. The incidents have involved the use of tear gas, forcible vehicle stops, and in one instance, the shooting death of Silverio Villegas Gonzalez in Franklin Park during an attempted traffic stop. According to the federal authorities, Villegas Gonzalez was a Mexican citizen living in the United States without legal status; however, they did not officially disclose more specifics.
In another highly publicized event, Chicago officials claimed that a woman in Brighton Park, after which she was shot, obstructed the work of the federal operation. Protests started immediately after the shooting, with residents confronting officers at the location.
Federal judges have been preventing these immigration agents' actions. On November 6, U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis imposed an injunction that restricted the force that could be used by immigration agents after she ruled that false testimony had been presented by the government. The judge cited the ongoing of tear gas, confrontations with demonstrators, and carrying out activities without the necessary legal authorization. In particular, Judge Ellis underscored that the fake statements about Border Patrol Cmdr. Gregory Bovino's participation in several incidents were a direct confrontation with the facts.
Businesses in the immigrant areas of Little Village and Pilsen notice a steep drop in their clientele. Restaurant owners report that customers are less likely to come to the public places since they are scared of raids, thus the owners' sales decrease and they, in turn, suffer financially.
Near-daily protests have been held at the Broadview immigration processing center and the people have been very vocal. A court order compelled federal personnel to take down an eight-foot fence that local officials said had been put up unlawfully. Another federal decision required modifications to the detainees' quarters, which a judge described as a violation of their rights since the cases are civil ones.
The discussion is whether the federal authorities will ask for the National Guard to be deployed in the Chicago region. While the state's officials are "No" to such a step, the White House is of the opinion that it might use additional means to facilitate the current operations.
FAQs
For three consecutive months, Chicago has been the target of intensive immigration enforcement under Operation Midway Blitz. The fact that most of the arrested individuals were not at high risk has led to legal battles, community protests, and criticism from state leaders.
The first three months of the Federal immigration raids that were conducted across the city and the suburbs of Chicago have stirred up a lot of tension among the residents and various groups like the local authorities and immigrant communities that have formed in the area. Operation Midway Blitz, a surge of enforcement, which was announced on September 8, would be focusing on individuals with serious criminal records, according to the Department of Homeland Security. Since then, the initiative has led to the detention of hundreds, the injury of several people, and large-scale demonstrations throughout the region.
According to the two government sources, including Department of Homeland Security statements, and the information released on Nov. 14, of the 614 people detained in connection with the operation, only sixteen had their criminal histories classified as significant risks to public safety. The rest of the people arrested were either of low or unknown risk. These statistics have led to the reaction of Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, who from the very beginning warned that the move by federal agents could result in random targeting of the residents.
The action has been omnipresent in the areas from Logan Square to the suburb of Mount Prospect. The incidents have involved the use of tear gas, forcible vehicle stops, and in one instance, the shooting death of Silverio Villegas Gonzalez in Franklin Park during an attempted traffic stop. According to the federal authorities, Villegas Gonzalez was a Mexican citizen living in the United States without legal status; however, they did not officially disclose more specifics.
In another highly publicized event, Chicago officials claimed that a woman in Brighton Park, after which she was shot, obstructed the work of the federal operation. Protests started immediately after the shooting, with residents confronting officers at the location.
Federal judges have been preventing these immigration agents' actions. On November 6, U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis imposed an injunction that restricted the force that could be used by immigration agents after she ruled that false testimony had been presented by the government. The judge cited the ongoing of tear gas, confrontations with demonstrators, and carrying out activities without the necessary legal authorization. In particular, Judge Ellis underscored that the fake statements about Border Patrol Cmdr. Gregory Bovino's participation in several incidents were a direct confrontation with the facts.
Businesses in the immigrant areas of Little Village and Pilsen notice a steep drop in their clientele. Restaurant owners report that customers are less likely to come to the public places since they are scared of raids, thus the owners' sales decrease and they, in turn, suffer financially.
Near-daily protests have been held at the Broadview immigration processing center and the people have been very vocal. A court order compelled federal personnel to take down an eight-foot fence that local officials said had been put up unlawfully. Another federal decision required modifications to the detainees' quarters, which a judge described as a violation of their rights since the cases are civil ones.
The discussion is whether the federal authorities will ask for the National Guard to be deployed in the Chicago region. While the state's officials are "No" to such a step, the White House is of the opinion that it might use additional means to facilitate the current operations.
FAQs
- What is Operation Midway Blitz?
It is a targeted immigration enforcement escalation initiated in the Chicago area on Sept. 8. - How many arrested individuals had serious criminal histories?
Government data suggests that only 16 out of 614 arrested individuals were considered as high-risk ones. - Why are community members protesting?
Local people identify the use of force, arrests on a large scale, and the great panic that dominates immigrant neighborhoods as the reasons for their protests.