On Sunday, federal agents, joined by top Trump administration officials and TV personality Dr. Phil McGraw, conducted targeted immigration arrests in Chicago. This operation was part of a larger effort to enforce the president’s promise of mass deportations. The goal, according to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) spokesperson, was to remove dangerous criminals from communities, preserving public safety and national security.
Among the officials involved were border czar Tom Homan, Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove, and members from other federal agencies like the FBI, DEA, and ATF. These agencies were given additional authority by the Department of Homeland Security to carry out these raids. Homan emphasized the commitment to “take back our communities” and address any obstruction to the operation. In total, 956 arrests were made nationwide on Sunday, with 286 arrests the day before.
Reports on social media suggested some of the Chicago neighborhoods impacted by the raids included South Deering, Logan Square, Albany Park, and Hermosa. These areas experienced a rise in tension, with some residents refusing to open their doors to ICE officers. Immigrant rights group, Organized Communities Against Deportations, reported arrests in the city and suburbs, including East Chicago and Bolingbrook. They continue to inform people about their rights, with some successfully preventing detentions by requesting judicial warrants.
Dr. Phil McGraw joined the operations with a film crew and livestreamed the raids on his Merit TV platform. He followed officials, including Homan, during some arrests. One video showed McGraw asking a man if he was a U.S. citizen, to which the man responded that his mother was a citizen, but not him.
In response to the raids, the group Organized Communities Against Deportations filed a lawsuit, seeking an emergency order to halt the operations. However, the court denied the request, stating the situation did not require immediate action.
Local leaders, including Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth, expressed concerns about the raids targeting law-abiding immigrants, not just criminals. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker also spoke out, highlighting the importance of distinguishing between violent criminals and regular immigrants who contribute to society. He called for a pathway to citizenship for those who are law-abiding and not a threat to the country.
