Ongoing Immigration Crackdown in Chicago Sparks Major Backlash Across the Country
Immigration raids in Chicago are intensifying. Chicago residents are capturing videos of immigration officers targeting individuals in the streets, and they are physically pushing back. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents are increasingly becoming more aggressive in their arrests, sparking outrage. Here’s a recap of what federal immigration officers have been doing in Chicago.
Chicago is experiencing widespread immigration raids
President Donald Trump campaigned on mass deportations, and his administration is following through. Residents in cities like LA, New York, Miami, Portland, and Chicago are pushing back against federal immigration agents raiding neighborhoods. Chicago is the latest target of the Trump administration’s harsh immigration crackdown.
The latest viral video shows men claiming to be ICE agents attacking another man in the middle of the street. Community members, witnessing the violent arrest attempt, confronted the two men, one of whom was in plainclothes. The video shows Chicago residents making the arrest an uncomfortable ordeal for the two agents.
After several failed attempts, the agents gave up and left in their vehicle. The video is sparking outrage as people demand to know why authorities detained the man in the first place. Netizens are also questioning why officials released him so suddenly if he truly faced a legitimate arrest.
“Along the way, in trying to take him into custody they discovered they didn’t have the basis to do it – somebody may have been challenging them at the scene,” Dr. Arthur Lurigio, a criminology professor at Loyola University, told CBS News.
One immigration raid stunned Americans
Immigration authorities swarmed an apartment building in the South Shore neighborhood of Chicago. Agents arrested every tenant, regardless of immigration status, and escorted them outside the five-story building. They zip-tied children and separated them from their parents while searching each tenant’s immigration status and checking for outstanding warrants.
The most jarring part of the raid was the use of a Blackhawk helicopter that hovered over the building. Some agents rappelled from the helicopter, breaking through windows to gain access. Commentators have compared the raid to an invasion operation typically seen in a war zone.
“ICE acted like an invading army in our neighborhoods,” Illinois state Rep. Lilian Jiménez told PBS News. “Helicopters hovered above our homes, terrifying families and disturbing the peace of our community. These shameful and lawless actions are not only a violation of constitutional rights but of our most basic liberty: the right to live free from persecution and fear.”
Reports from the city paint a picture of both Black and Brown residents of Chicago being rounded up by immigration agents. The Trump administration is already working to rewrite the narrative and plant the idea that the Black community is celebrating the cruelty against Brown people.
When pressed about the raids on CNN, Stephen Miller shouted back to Boris Sanchez that Black people are “thrilled” that federal immigration agents are in Chicago. He claimed that undocumented immigrants are the reason for the hardships faced by some Chicagoans. The Trump administration has leaned on divisive rhetoric to pit communities against each other.
The mayor of Chicago is fighting back for residents
Mayor Brandon Johnson responded to the increasing federal law enforcement presence in Chicago. To protect residents, Mayor Johnson signed the “ICE Free Zone” order, which explicitly prohibits federal immigration authorities from using city property as part of their immigration raids.
“We will not tolerate ICE agents violating our residents’ constitutional rights nor will we allow the federal government to disregard our local authority. ICE agents are detaining elected officials, tear-gassing protestors, children, and Chicago police officers, and abusing Chicago residents. We will not stand for that in our city, Mayor Johnson said in a statement. “With this Executive Order, Chicago stands firm in protecting the Constitutional rights of our residents and immigrant communities and upholding our democracy.”
