As Operation Midway Blitz continues in Illinois, federal authorities say dozens of violent offenders living in the country illegally have been taken into custody. The crackdown has sparked renewed debate over sanctuary policies in Chicago and across the state, with former Border Patrol chief Chris Clem warning that local political rhetoric is undermining public safety.
The enforcement sweep, named in honor of Katie Abraham, a Glenview woman killed by an undocumented immigrant in a drunk driving crash, has led to arrests of individuals charged or convicted of crimes ranging from sexual assault to rape and domestic violence. Homeland Security officials said the focus was clear: removing dangerous individuals who pose a threat to communities.
Governor J.B. Pritzker and other Illinois officials, however, have condemned ICE operations in the past, framing them as indiscriminate raids that target law-abiding immigrants. Clem rejected those claims, calling them “progressive rhetoric” that misrepresents the reality of targeted enforcement. “It’s actually racist to lump everyone together as Latino or Hispanic,” Clem argued, stressing that individuals from more than 170 countries cross the southern border illegally. “ICE is arresting criminals—pedophiles, rapists, abusers—not families at parades.”
Clem also addressed reports that some Illinois law enforcement agencies have instructed officers not to assist ICE agents if they are attacked. “I’ve never heard of a sheriff refusing to back up federal officers in danger. That’s disheartening and reckless,” he said. He added that such directives make it necessary for the National Guard to be deployed when state and local leaders withhold support.
The dangers are not limited to policy disputes. A Downers Grove man was recently arrested for threatening ICE online, writing that agents should be “shot down like dogs.” Clem said such rhetoric mirrors the tone set by political leaders. “When governors describe ICE as terrorists, unstable people believe it and act on it. That’s how tragedies happen,” he said, linking the climate of hostility to the recent assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Despite criticism from local leaders, Clem insisted federal officers remain committed to their mission. “These are husbands, wives, brothers, sisters—people risking their lives to keep communities safe. They deserve respect, not vilification,” he said.