The Chicago suburb of Evanston has alerted residents that federal immigration agents may arrive soon, as President Donald Trump intensifies threats of an enforcement crackdown and possible National Guard deployment in Chicago.
City officials said they were informed over the weekend about likely Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity. Evanston issued a statement urging residents to report sightings of federal agents and pledged to protect immigrant and refugee families. “In Evanston, we welcome our immigrant and refugee neighbors and protect each other. We will do all we can to safeguard our community and keep Evanston families together,” the statement said.
Trump, speaking at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C., reiterated his plans to send federal enforcement to Chicago. “You try and reason with people, like in Chicago, with the governor there, you try and reason with them, and it’s like you’re talking to a wall,” he said.
The Department of Homeland Security announced on social media the launch of “Operation Midway Blitz,” named for an Illinois woman killed in January by an undocumented Guatemalan immigrant accused of drunk driving. The DHS post invoked the World War II-era term “blitz” and included a tribute video to the victim, identified as Abraham, who died alongside 21-year-old Chloe Polzin.
Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss told Evanston Now he was informed by the governor’s office that ICE activity in the area was likely “in the coming days.” Local officials stressed that Evanston police would remain clearly identifiable in marked uniforms to distinguish themselves from federal agents.
Reports suggest federal preparations are already underway. The Chicago Sun-Times said an advance team of 30 agents received crowd-control and flash-grenade training at Naval Station Great Lakes, and 230 additional agents from Los Angeles were being sent to Chicago.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker expressed concern that ICE agents could target Mexican Independence Day celebrations in mid-September. Organizers postponed the El Grito Chicago festival due to fears of federal operations.
Trump has previously deployed troops to Los Angeles, a move a federal judge ruled illegal, and federalized the Washington, D.C., police department, an unprecedented step. Now his attention has turned to Chicago, which he has described as a “hellhole.” Despite violent crime in the city falling to its lowest levels in decades, Trump has continued to push for federal intervention, citing crime and homelessness.
On Truth Social, Trump wrote that he aims to “help the people of Chicago, not hurt them,” while blasting Democratic leaders. “The city and state have not been able to do the job,” he posted. “People of Illinois should band together and DEMAND PROTECTION. IT IS ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE!!! ACT NOW, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE!!!”
