On Sunday afternoon (September 28th), a large number of federal troops in tactical gear appeared on Windy City’s most famous tourist shopping street to conduct patrols in coordination with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel conducting immigration checks in Chicago.
Border Patrol Special Operations Commander Gregory Bovino stated that the operation targeted illegal immigrants with the “worst” criminal records. He emphasized that “our target is always all illegal aliens.”
He released a video saying, “The green machine is racing full throttle in Chicago, protecting your community’s safety. During this operation, members of the Alagu Fire Train Gang terrorist group were arrested. Chicago, we are here to stay, never backing down.” It is currently unknown how many illegal immigrants were arrested in the operation in Chicago.
President Trump shared a video on Truth Social platform on Sunday evening showing protesters harassing federal agents, warning, “Border Patrol is not messing around with you!”
For weeks, President Trump had mentioned that he would be sending the National Guard to Chicago. He stated that Portland was “under siege by domestic terrorists like Antifa, engulfed in a conflagration,” and confirmed that he had authorized the use of “all force” to protect federal buildings.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, both Democrats, protested the presence of federal troops in Chicago.
Johnson stated in a release, “Chicago residents and visitors were enjoying a beautiful Sunday when they were needlessly intimidated by federal agents in masks carrying automatic weapons.” He added, “This is another blatant provocation by the Trump administration, not helpful in enhancing the city’s safety. We will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as we receive more information.”
Governor Pritzker posted on social media, saying, “This is purely a show of intimidation, not helpful in enhancing anyone’s safety, just spreading fear in the community and damaging business activities… Militarizing American cities and suburbs cannot become the norm.”
The White House released a list of Democratic officials’ remarks about ICE, including Pritzker comparing the U.S. to Nazi Germany and Johnson describing ICE as “secret police,” accusing them of “intimidating our communities.”
Last Wednesday, 29-year-old suspect Joshua Jahn opened fire from a roof near the Dallas ICE facility, attempting to kill ICE personnel and fatally shooting one detainee, leaving two others critically injured before taking his own life.
The bullets left at the scene by Jahn clearly bore the words “anti-ICE.” The FBI labeled the incident as a “premeditated attack” against ICE enforcement officers.
Previously, protests at the Broadview Processing Center in suburban Chicago had escalated, with over two hundred rioters shouting “arrest ICE, shoot ICE,” with at least one individual holding a firearm.
However, many citizens expressed gratitude through social media for the Trump administration’s efforts to restore law and order. “Reinforcements of law enforcement agencies, federal personnel, and the National Guard will effectively reduce crime rates, proving that a tough-on-crime approach indeed works… This is what Chicago Democrats are most concerned about,” one user wrote.
One internet user said, “Compared to my last visit, this city indeed seems to have fewer instances of violence and rampant crime. Are you unhappy about that?”
Another internet user lamented, “Chicago has been waiting for this day for 40 years! The people are grateful, not in opposition to the National Guard, truly refreshing.”
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi claimed on Saturday that the U.S. has entered a “new era of political violence.” She issued stern warnings to extreme organizations targeting federal officials and vowed to launch nationwide crackdowns with a “zero tolerance” policy towards political violence and domestic terrorism.
She announced on Friday that Justice Department agents would be deployed to ICE facilities across the U.S. to “secure federal agents’ safety, protect federal property, and immediately arrest individuals involved in federal crimes.” She emphasized that “these are not peaceful protests but radical extremists coordinating attacks. Anyone threatening or attacking federal law enforcement officers will face federal charges, not be sent to courts in sanctuary states.”
(This article referenced reporting from the New York Post)