When Donald Trump returned to the White House, one of his first moves was to deploy federal forces in American cities. In the summer, troops were sent to Washington, followed by Portland, where mass protests against the administration’s policies led to clashes with masked agents using tear gas and rubber bullets. These actions drew criticism from rights groups and mayors of major cities, who warned of the risks of militarizing daily life. Now, after the deployment in Portland, federal agents have also appeared in downtown Chicago.
Federal immigration agents patrolled downtown Chicago on Sunday as Donald Trump’s administration expanded its crackdown in major cities across the country.
According to NewsNation, border patrol agents were armed, masked, and dressed in camouflage. ICE said that hundreds of its officers were involved in Operation “Midway Blitz,” which began in Chicago on September 8.
As reported by the Chicago Sun-Times, arrests were made downtown, including in the River North area, on Sunday morning. The Department of Homeland Security added on social media that the day before, during a major protest outside the ICE center in Broadview, Illinois, 11 people were detained. Two handguns were seized, and an investigation was launched into a “suspected explosive device” near the building.
Trump Sends Federal Troops to Portland Under the Pretext of Protecting the ICE Facility
Local Authorities Say the City Is Calm, While Opponents Accuse Him of Abuse of Power and Lack of Legal Grounds
Trump Ready to Declare State of Emergency in Washington
After Mayor Muriel Bowser Refuses to Assist in Migrant Deportations, White House Threatens to Take Direct Control of City Police and National Guard
The raids sparked fear among immigrants and outrage among Democrats. Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker called the operation a “show of intimidation” that “sows fear in our communities and harms business.” “We cannot allow the militarization of America’s cities and suburbs to become normalized,” he wrote in a separate statement, urging residents to know their rights and remain vigilant.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said residents were facing pressure and threats from “masked federal agents brandishing automatic weapons without any apparent reason.”
The Trump administration, however, defended the operation. Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino told NewsNation that “most people welcome our presence” and thank the agents. According to him, the strongest support comes from downtown Chicago residents who “are facing violence committed by illegal migrants.”
Johnson had previously criticized the White House for threatening to send the National Guard into the city. Last month, the president deployed troops to Washington and placed the capital’s police under federal control. Six Republican-led states—Louisiana, Mississippi, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, and West Virginia—also sent their units to the capital.
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee said on Friday that federal agents would also arrive in Memphis this week. The announcement came after Trump signed an executive order on September 15 establishing the “Memphis Safe Task Force.”
On Saturday, the president also announced the deployment of troops to Portland and suggested Chicago could be next. “This is yet another reckless provocation by the Trump administration that does nothing to make our city safer,” Johnson stressed.