Border Patrol agents, ICE officers patrol Chicago in immigration crackdown operation, make arrests

"I would say the majority are actually glad we’re here," said commander-at-large of Border Patrol, Gregory Bovino

Published: September 29, 2025 9:55am

Border Patrol agents and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers patrolled downtown Chicago in an immigration crackdown operation, resulting in arrests.

The Border Patrol agents were armed, masked, and camouflaged, while ICE said that it had hundreds of officers downtown as part of its “Midway Blitz” operation in Chicago, which began on Sept. 8, NewsNation reported.

Multiple arrests were made downtown, including in the River North neighborhood on Sunday morning, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

The Department of Homeland Security posted on X on Sunday, "11 violent rioters were arrested last night in Chicago outside the ICE detention facility: These are two guns that were taken off rioters in Chicago right against the fence at our ICE detention facility. An investigation is underway into what appears to be some sort of explosive device found last night near the ICE Chicago detention facility."

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D) posted on X on Sunday, "The Trump Administration's DHS officers appear to be carrying large weapons around downtown Chicago in camouflage and masks. This is not making anybody safer — it’s a show of intimidation, instilling fear in our communities and hurting our businesses.

"We cannot normalize militarizing American cities and suburbs. Make sure you know your rights and stay alert."

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson (D) posted on X on Sunday, the city's residents “are being intimidated and threatened by masked federal agents flaunting automatic weapons for no apparent reason.”

Gregory Bovino, commander-at-large of Border Patrol, told NewsNation, “I would say the majority are actually glad we’re here. They are congratulating us, saying, ‘It’s about time you’re here.’ Especially those inner-city residents here in Chicago are very glad we're here, because oftentimes they’re up against that vast illegal migration that took place over the past four years. They’re the ones dealing with the violence perpetrated by illegal aliens.”