Chicago has become ground zero in the federal government’s push to enforce immigration laws that too many local officials refuse to uphold. Operation Midway Blitz — a multi-agency ICE-led surge deployed in and around Chicago and parts of Illinois — began in early September and has been described by officials as targeting criminal illegal aliens who threaten public safety.
The Wall Street Journal’s video analysis of the operation pointed out what critics call “military-style” raids and high-risk maneuvers, and those on the ground have reported precision immobilization techniques, tactical arrests, and the use of crowd-control measures in heated clashes near detention centers. Americans who believe in law and order should not be surprised when federal agents use hardened tactics against hardened criminals; enforcement requires strength.
There has been real concern about resource reshuffling inside Washington as elite personnel from counterterrorism and other specialized units are being repurposed for immigration enforcement. Republican lawmakers and veterans of the national security community argue the administration is doing what it must to protect citizens, while critics warn of diverted priorities — a sign that the political stakes are finally being matched by federal resolve.
Predictably, the political class in Illinois has howled. Mayor Brandon Johnson and Governor J.B. Pritzker have publicly opposed federal actions, doubling down on sanctuary protections that embolden criminals and frustrate victims’ families — even as federal officials say the operation honors Americans killed by violent illegal aliens. This is the bitter fruit of years of sanctuary policies: places that shelter lawbreakers then feign moral outrage when the federal government restores order.
Legal pushback is already unfolding in the courts, with a judge ordering federal immigration officers in the Chicago area to wear body cameras after reports of tear gas and other forceful measures. No one on the right celebrates procedural missteps, but the debate should not become a cover for political obstructionists who refuse to cooperate with basic enforcement of federal laws.
The truth is simple: elected officials who choose ideology over public safety have left a vacuum, and someone has to step in to defend law-abiding residents. Conservatives must stand unapologetically with the officers enforcing the law, demand accountability when misconduct occurs, and insist that mayors and governors stop sheltering the criminals who terrorize neighborhoods. America isn’t safe when lawlessness is tolerated, and the federal government has both the right and duty to act.
