Several individuals were arrested during an early morning Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raid in an Elgin, Illinois, neighborhood on Tuesday, September 16, 2025. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem shared footage and details of the operation on social media, noting that offenses associated with ICE’s broader efforts in the region include DUI, felony stalking, and assault. The raid in Elgin, which occurred shortly before 6 a.m., involved agents in tactical gear, with witness accounts and social media videos depicting armed officers and sounds of activity, including one neighbor reporting the drone of a helicopter overhead. One video showed individuals being led away in handcuffs. A contractor called to a home in the affected neighborhood reported that both the front and back doors had been forced open.
Operation Midway Blitz Intensifies Enforcement
The Elgin raid is part of a larger, intensified immigration enforcement operation dubbed “Operation Midway Blitz” by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). This operation, which began on September 6, 2025, targets individuals described by DHS as “criminal illegal aliens” and is reportedly intended to extend beyond Chicago to encompass the entire state of Illinois and parts of Indiana. U.S. Representative Lauren Underwood stated that ICE had taken 250 individuals into custody since the operation’s commencement. DHS claims the operation honors Katie Abraham, a Chicago woman killed in a drunk driving hit-and-run earlier this year, with the driver identified as an undocumented immigrant from Guatemala.
DHS Secretary’s Involvement and Unrelated Incidents
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem was present in the Chicago area this week, posting a video of the Elgin raid to her social media. Her post also referenced a separate, unrelated incident in Franklin Park, Illinois, where an ICE agent was dragged by a car during a fatal shooting involving an undocumented driver. The ICE agent involved in the Franklin Park incident was later released from the hospital, having sustained severe back injuries.
Local Reactions and Concerns
The increased ICE activity in the Chicago area has drawn criticism from local and state officials. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has stated that the administration provided no notice of the enhanced immigration actions and questioned the necessity of such operations. Mayor Brandon Johnson of Chicago also noted the city received no advance notification. Immigrant rights advocates and community groups have expressed concerns, with some reporting that agents sometimes wear masks and operate without presenting judicial warrants, raising questions about civil liberties and due process. The Elgin City Council has previously urged Congress to pass legislation prohibiting federal agents from wearing face masks during operations, although no such law has been enacted.
Targeting and Legal Scrutiny
“Operation Midway Blitz” is characterized by DHS as targeting “the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens,” including individuals with alleged offenses such as pedophilia, rape, and assault. However, concerns have been raised regarding the potential for racial bias in enforcement decisions, with some officials questioning whether stops and arrests are based on legitimate law enforcement reasons or unconstitutional racial profiling. It has also been noted that many individuals taken into custody during immigration enforcement actions may not have criminal records.
Broader Context of Enforcement
The scope and duration of “Operation Midway Blitz” have not been fully disclosed by the Department of Homeland Security. The operation involves personnel from ICE and the U.S. Department of Justice, including the U.S. Marshals and DEA. This heightened enforcement follows earlier reports of increased ICE activity in Elgin throughout the year, with community groups actively monitoring and documenting such events. The Illinois Trust Act, signed in 2017, generally prohibits local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration enforcement.
The news of the Elgin raid and the broader operation in the Chicago area underscores ongoing national debates surrounding immigration policy and enforcement tactics.
