On September 8, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the "Midway Blitz" operation aimed at cracking down on illegal immigrants in Chicago, following President Donald Trump's repeated threats to deploy the National Guard to Illinois.
"For years, Governor JB Pritzker and pro-immigration politicians have released members of the Tren de Aragua gang, rapists, kidnappers, and drug traffickers back onto the streets of Chicago. This endangers American lives and turns Chicago into a haven for crime," said DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin.
On the same day, DHS released a list of 11 "illegal immigrant criminals," with names, photos, and criminal records, who they claim have been released in Illinois and are now wanted. Governor Pritzker, a Democrat, responded to these accusations, stating that the federal crackdown "is not about fighting crime" and "is only meant to intimidate the people of Illinois."
U.S. Senator Dick Durbin criticized the Trump administration's actions, saying they "don’t make us safer," but rather "waste money, stoke fear, and distract public attention."
"While President Trump remains fixated on deploying military forces to Chicago, his administration is ramping up efforts to arrest hardworking immigrants with no criminal history," Senator Durbin stated.
The President is looking to deploy National Guard troops to Democrat-led cities, including Chicago, where he accuses local officials of failing to control crime. Last weekend, Trump declared he would make Chicago understand the Pentagon’s role in this matter.