The Trump administration has launched an aggressive immigration enforcement operation across multiple U.S. cities, including Chicago, as part of its broader crackdown on illegal immigration.
Federal agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), participated in the coordinated effort, which resulted in hundreds of arrests over the weekend.
While officials have not disclosed the full scope of the operations, reports indicate that nearly 1,242 arrests were made nationwide.
The large-scale involvement of federal agencies signals President Donald Trump’s intent to escalate immigration enforcement beyond traditional DHS-led efforts, raising concerns among immigrant communities and local officials.
Federal Immigration Raids Begin in Chicago
On Sunday, senior Trump administration officials, including acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove and border czar Tom Homan, were in Chicago to witness the start of intensified immigration enforcement efforts.
Though ICE has not released specific details regarding the number of arrests in Chicago, the agency confirmed that “enhanced targeted operations” were underway. Bove emphasized the administration’s commitment to using all federal resources to remove individuals deemed unlawfully present in the U.S.
“We will support everyone at the federal, state, and local levels who joins this critical mission to take back our communities,” Bove stated, adding that federal agencies would investigate any attempts to obstruct immigration enforcement.
The DEA’s Chicago office posted images of Bove and Homan alongside agents from the ATF and Customs and Border Protection (CBP), highlighting the multi-agency coordination.
Chicago’s Response to the Raids
Chicago, a self-declared sanctuary city, has some of the strongest protections against immigration enforcement, barring local police from cooperating with ICE.
City officials and immigrant advocacy groups have mobilized in response to the raids, providing information to residents about their legal rights.
Reports of immigration agents at a local elementary school on Friday sparked fear among parents and community members. Though it was later clarified that the agents were from the Secret Service, the incident underscored growing anxieties.
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker condemned the aggressive enforcement tactics, warning of the chilling effect on law-abiding immigrants. “We need to get rid of the violent criminals. But we also need to protect people who are contributing to their communities,” he stated.
DEA and ICE Target Venezuelan Gang in Colorado
In a separate operation, DEA and ICE agents in Colorado conducted a raid on members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, detaining nearly 50 individuals in the Denver area.
According to DEA special agent Jonathan Pullen, the raid targeted a drug trafficking network linked to the gang. Around 100 federal agents executed a search warrant early Sunday morning at a gathering where gang members were reportedly present.
Authorities seized cocaine, firearms, and cash, further linking the gang to organized crime activities in the U.S. While some U.S. citizens were present at the scene, the majority of those detained were undocumented immigrants.
The raid aligns with a new Trump administration policy that paves the way for criminal organizations like Tren de Aragua to be designated as “foreign terrorist organizations,” potentially leading to more aggressive enforcement measures against suspected members.
Nationwide Immigration Arrests and Expansion of Enforcement
ICE reported a total of 1,242 arrests over the weekend, with 286 arrests on Saturday and 956 on Sunday. While some operations were routine, the coordinated efforts in cities such as Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Nebraska, Texas, and Illinois suggest an expanded approach under Trump’s leadership.
New Trump Policies Grant DOJ Agencies Immigration Authority
In a significant shift, the Trump administration recently expanded immigration enforcement powers to agencies within the Department of Justice (DOJ), including the DEA and ATF.
This move allows non-DHS federal agents to detain individuals for immigration violations, further broadening the scope of enforcement.
Critics argue that this policy could lead to civil rights violations, with law enforcement agencies prioritizing immigration status over criminal investigations. However, supporters claim that enhanced coordination will help target individuals involved in serious crimes.
Legal Challenges and Sanctuary City Pushback
Immigrant rights organizations in Chicago have already taken legal action against ICE, seeking an injunction to block specific types of immigration raids.
“Immigrant communities who have called Chicago their home for decades are scared,” said Antonio Gutierrez of Organized Communities Against Deportation. “We refuse to live in fear and will fight any attempts to roll back the work we’ve done to keep families together.”
Beyond lawsuits, advocacy groups have launched public awareness campaigns to educate undocumented residents on their rights if confronted by immigration agents.
Last week, Bove issued a memo directing federal prosecutors to investigate state or local officials suspected of obstructing Trump’s immigration policies. This appears to be a direct warning to sanctuary cities like Chicago, where local law enforcement refuses to cooperate with ICE.
The Trump administration’s latest immigration enforcement efforts mark a significant expansion of federal involvement, with multiple agencies working together to carry out mass arrests.
The high-profile nature of the operations, particularly in cities with strong sanctuary protections, has heightened tensions between federal authorities and local governments.
With ongoing legal challenges and public resistance, the battle over immigration enforcement is likely to intensify in the coming months.
As President Trump continues his hardline approach, both immigrant communities and advocacy groups remain on high alert, preparing for further actions that could reshape immigration policy in the U.S.