September 2025
In September 2025, the administration announced and launched “Operation Midway Blitz” in the city of Chicago and the surrounding area. DHS explicitly stated that this Operation was being launched due to Illinois and Chicago’s strong sanctuary policies and non-cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.
This enforcement operation involved hundreds of border patrol agents engaged in brutal and ferocious tactics, including the nighttime raid of an apartment building allegedly targeting Tren de Aragua, but actually just designed to terrorize the residents of the building. DHS agents also killed Silverio Villegas Gonzalez during a traffic stop, and shot Miramar Martinez seven times. Federal agents threatened and attacked protestors and media who were covering the enforcement actions. In addition to the deluge of DHS agents sweeping through the city, the administration ordered in the National Guard, but this deployment was blocked in federal court.
A coalition of media organizations also brought suit against the Trump administration for violating the First Amendment rin the Midway Blitz operation by forcefully suppressing free speech and lawful protests. They won a preliminary injunction and restraining order on November 20, 2025, which is on appeal at the Seventh Circuit.