On Chicago’s Morning Answer, host Dan Proft interviewed Marcos Charles, acting executive associate director for ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations, about the progress of Operation Midway Blitz. The initiative has become a flashpoint in Cook County politics, with Board President Toni Preckwinkle and other Illinois leaders criticizing the effort as sowing fear and mistrust in immigrant communities.
Operation Results and Targets
Charles reported that since the launch of the operation last weekend, ICE agents have arrested more than 400 individuals in the Chicago area. He emphasized that the majority of those detained were people with prior arrests or convictions for serious crimes, including sexual assault, kidnapping, weapons offenses, drug trafficking, human trafficking, and in some cases, terrorism ties.
Charles stressed that the operation focuses on what he called “the worst of the worst,” and said that contrary to claims from local officials, ICE officers are clearly identified when conducting enforcement. Both marked and unmarked vehicles are used, but he stated that all officers display proper identification and are often accompanied by Border Patrol units in visibly marked vehicles.
Tensions With Local Leaders
Preckwinkle and other officials have accused ICE of using intimidation tactics, citing plainclothes officers and unmarked cars as examples. Proft countered that activists in neighborhoods such as Little Village have been able to identify ICE agents quickly enough to trigger whistle alerts warning residents, undermining the argument that federal agents are operating covertly.
Charles criticized Illinois’ sanctuary laws that prevent local police from cooperating with ICE, calling them “ludicrous” and warning they make operations less safe. He argued that the most effective way to remove dangerous individuals would be direct handoffs inside secure jails, rather than arrests in neighborhoods.
Recent Incident in Franklin Park
The discussion also touched on a deadly confrontation in Franklin Park, where a Mexican national allegedly attempted to flee an ICE arrest, using his car as a weapon and injuring an officer before being fatally shot. Charles confirmed the officer acted in self-defense but noted that body cameras were not in use during the incident, as ICE is still phasing in its body camera program. The case remains under FBI investigation.
Daily Enforcement Process
Charles described a typical day for ICE officers assigned to the operation: officers review intelligence and target lists early in the morning, locate suspects based on addresses or vehicle information, and carry out arrests. Detainees are then processed by separate teams, with cases moving through immigration courts unless a final removal order is already in place. The operation is open-ended, with no set expiration date.
Addressing Unaccompanied Minors
Proft also asked about ICE’s role in locating unaccompanied migrant children who entered the U.S. during the Biden administration. Charles said ICE works with the Department of Health and Human Services and other agencies to track down children placed with questionable sponsors and to reunite them with parents or ensure safe placements. He acknowledged the scale of the challenge, saying the total number of minors affected likely reaches into the tens of thousands.
Ongoing Debate
Operation Midway Blitz underscores the clash between federal enforcement priorities and Illinois’ sanctuary policies. Supporters argue the operation removes dangerous offenders, while critics say it undermines trust in law enforcement and puts immigrant communities at risk. With more arrests expected, the debate over how immigration enforcement should be carried out in Chicago is unlikely to subside.