ICE In Chicago: Operation Midway Blitz

Scott Olson

ICE in Chicago: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has officially launched Operation Midway Blitz, a large-scale, multi-agency Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) initiative targeting “criminal illegal aliens” in Chicago and across Illinois.

The operation, which began on Sept. 8, was publicly announced on the DHS website and is named in honor of Katie Abraham, a 20-year-old Illinois resident, who was allegedly killed in a drunk driving hit-and-run involving an undocumented immigrant in Illinois.

DHS highlights “worst of the worst” criminals released under sanctuary policies.

Source: Anadolu / Getty

According to DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin, Operation Midway Blitz is focused on individuals the agency classifies as the “worst of the worst”—alleged gang members, drug traffickers, kidnappers, and violent offenders—who were released back onto Illinois streets despite ICE detainers and due to Governor J.B. Pritzker’s sanctuary policies in place to protect immigrants. The DHS official claimed that the laws allowed immigrants to enter cities like Chicago to carry out violent crimes. 

One of the key measures heavily criticised is the Way Forward Act, which became law in Illinois in August 2021, according to the Illinois Attorney General’s website. The legislation amended two existing state laws—the Illinois TRUST Act and the Voices of Immigrant Communities Empowering Survivors (VOICES) Act—to expand protections and set additional requirements for immigrant communities. The TRUST Act, in particular, restricts local law enforcement from participating in federal immigration enforcement efforts.

In the press release issued earlier this month, McLaughlin criticized Illinois leadership, accusing Governor Pritzker of enabling dangerous individuals to remain in Chicago and across the state through his administration’s sanctuary policies.

“For years, Governor Pritzker and his fellow sanctuary politicians released Tren de Aragua gang members, rapists, kidnappers, and drug traffickers on Chicago’s streets—putting American lives at risk and making Chicago a magnet for criminals,” McLaughlin penned. “President Trump and Secretary Noem have a clear message: no city is a safe haven for criminal illegal aliens. If you come to our country illegally and break our laws, we will hunt you down, arrest you, deport you, and you will never return.”

The DHS already has several people on its target list for deportation. Some of the highlighted individuals include Gabriel J. Valle Galvez, 47, a Mexican national and alleged Latin King gang member, with convictions including battery, aggravated assault, DUI, criminal property damage, and more. ICE says it issued 12 detainers on Valle Galvez, all reportedly ignored by Cook County. Javier Carmelo Casillas Gomez, 46, also from Mexico, reportedly has convictions for procuring prostitution, domestic violence, drug possession, and an active warrant for drug manufacturing. An ICE detainer for his arrest was also issued at Cook County Jail, but problems are already arising from the massive immigration crackdown effort. 

Here’s everything we know about Operation Midway Blitz.