Trump Launches 'Op Midway Blitz' To Target 'Worst Of The Worst Illegal Aliens' In Chicago

Last Updated:September 09, 2025, 09:47 IST

The US Department of Homeland Security on Monday announced 'Operation Midway Blitz' to target "criminal illegal aliens who flocked to Chicago and Illinois."

Trump's repeated threats to send National Guard troops to Chicago have sparked protests. (AFP)

The US Department of Homeland Security on Monday launched a fresh immigration enforcement operation in Chicago after President Donald Trump repeatedly threatened to deploy National Guard troops in the city, saying the federal crackdown would target the “worst of the worst criminals."

The DHS announced ‘Operation Midway Blitz’ to target “criminal illegal aliens who flocked to Chicago and Illinois because they knew (Illinois) Governor (JB) Pritzker and his sanctuary policies would protect them and allow them to roam free on American streets."

“For years, Governor Pritzker and his fellow sanctuary politicians released Tren de Aragua gang members, rapists, kidnappers, and drug traffickers on Chicago’s streets—putting American lives at risk and making Chicago a magnet for criminals. President Trump and Secretary Noem have a clear message: no city is a safe haven for criminal illegal aliens. If you come to our country illegally and break our laws, we will hunt you down, arrest you, deport you, and you will never return," said Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin.

The DHS statement included a list of names, images and rap sheets for 11 “criminal illegal aliens" it said had been released back onto Illinois streets and are now sought for arrest. “Operation Midway Blitz will surge DHS law enforcement to Chicago to target the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens," said McLaughlin.

Pritzker hit back at the operation, saying it was not about fighting crime. “That requires support and coordination — yet we’ve experienced nothing like that over the past several weeks. Instead of taking steps to work with us on public safety, the Trump Administration’s focused on scaring Illinoisians," he said on X.

Trump On Chicago Takeover

After his unpopular federal takeover and deportation raids in Washington and Los Angeles, Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to target the Democratic-run Chicago as part of his aggressive anti-immigrant policy. Trump has repeatedly criticised Chicago’s crime levels throughout his presidency, describing the city as a crime-ridden “hellhole" and “the worst and most dangerous city in the World, by far."

Democrats have criticised his plans, accusing him of destabilising public safety and abusing power. Trump had also suggested the possibility of deploying troops to Democratic-run Baltimore in Maryland, criticising Governor Wes Moore over crime levels in the city.

Although the president has unilateral authority to deploy the National Guard in Washington, DC, his power to do so in states like Illinois is limited without the consent of the governor. This has raised concerns about a potential overreach of executive authority and the use of military force on domestic soil.

However, Governor Pritzker swiftly rejected the suggestion. He criticised Trump’s remarks as “unhinged" and stated that he would pursue legal action should there be any attempt to deploy troops without state approval, as Trump’s move sparked public protests on Chicago’s streets.

Trump attempted to dial back his provocative tone on Monday, saying, “I want to help the people of Chicago, not hurt them. Only the Criminals will be hurt!" while sharing sketchy memes and cable news clips.

Prior to this, Trump had shared an AI-generated image of himself costumed as bloodthirsty Lieutenant Colonel Bill Kilgore of “Apocalypse Now," saying, “Chicago about to find out why it’s called the Department of WAR." Pritzker responded by saying, “This is not a joke. This is not normal… Illinois won’t be intimidated by a wannabe dictator."

(with agency inputs)

Aveek Banerjee

Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international...Read More

Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international...

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News world Trump Launches 'Op Midway Blitz' To Target 'Worst Of The Worst Illegal Aliens' In Chicago

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