Plans for immigration raids in Chicago, set to roll out shortly after Donald Trump assumes the presidency, are being reconsidered following a leak of information about the operation targeting 300 illegal immigrants. The leak has sparked a review of the planned actions, raising safety concerns for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers involved. According to Tom Homan, designated as the Border Czar, such leaks jeopardize officer safety during law enforcement operations.
Homan emphasizes that ICE will prioritize arresting individuals who pose public safety and national security threats from day one of the new administration. These arrests will occur nationwide, free from previous administrative restrictions. Although Chicago was highlighted in the plans, Homan expressed uncertainty about the specific focus on the city.
During a recent speech at a local Republican Christmas Party in Chicago, Homan hinted at the impending mass deportations, specifically mentioning Chicago as a starting point. He also criticized the city’s leadership, including Mayor Brandon Johnson, attributing Chicago’s troubles to its political figures. Homan even suggested the possibility of arresting Mayor Johnson should he attempt to obstruct the enforcement actions.
The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees agencies like Enforcement and Removal Operations and Homeland Security Investigations, has prepared for the incoming administration’s directives. Federal agents in the region were reportedly instructed to ready their cases and operations, although specific details remain undisclosed.
Media outlets, including the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times, have reported on the plans for a large-scale immigration raid in Chicago. However, conflicting reports have surfaced regarding the raid’s status. Some sources indicate it’s still on, while others suggest it’s been called off. This ambiguity may be a strategic move by law enforcement to induce fear among illegal immigrants, motivating them to self-deport.
The impact of this psychological pressure is evident, as border crossings have decreased. In the past month, arrests for illegal crossings have dropped dramatically compared to the previous December. Mexican immigration official Enrique Serrano Escobar noted a decline in migration from southern Mexico towards the U.S. border, claiming there is no current crisis in places like Ciudad Juárez.
Homan remains committed to targeting criminal illegal aliens and freeing ICE to efficiently perform its duties. Some local politicians in Chicago are open to cooperating with ICE, believing that focused raids on criminal illegals could prevent unnecessary detentions of legal residents and citizens.
Chicago City Council members Raymond Lopez and Silvana Tabares, both Democrats, attempted to pass a measure allowing police to collaborate with ICE in deporting criminals. Lopez has publicly stated that assisting federal agents in detaining criminals could protect other undocumented immigrants from collateral detention.
“Chicago’s in trouble because your mayor sucks and your governor sucks,” Homan said to cheers.
Homan threatened to arrest Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson if he interfered with the enforcement action. Nothing would give more pleasure to Johnson, who needs a political boost given he’s the most unpopular mayor in Chicago’s history. Johnson would love to be able to portray himself as an anti-Trump martyr.
Agencies that fall under the Department of Homeland Security umbrella, such as Enforcement and Removal Operations, which handles deportations, and Homeland Security Investigations, have been put on “alert” by the incoming administration, officials with knowledge of the plan told ABC News.
Although field teams have not been given specific details about what next week will hold, federal agents assigned to the region were asked to prepare cases and operations that were “ready to go,” the officials said.
The immigration raid plans were first reported by the Wall Street Journal, who cited multiple sources that say the incoming administration is planning a “large-scale immigration raid” in Chicago next week.