The arrests were made as part of Operation Midway Blitz, launched by DHS on Sept. 8, that targets criminal illegal immigrants who come to Chicago and Illinois “seeking protection under the sanctuary policies of Governor Pritzker,” said the agency.
According to the DHS, criminals who are part of the 800 arrested individuals include a Salvadoran national convicted of statutory rape and aggravated felony; an Austrian national charged with rape or sexual abuse of a minor; a Mexican convicted of battery and two pending charges of assault; and a Venezuelan who is confirmed to be part of the Tren de Aragua gang, which has been designated as a terrorist organization by the State Department.
These arrests took place amid ongoing violence against ICE officers, a terror attack at ICE’s Dallas facility, and violent rioters protesting at the ICE facility in Broadview, Illinois, DHS said.
“The Trump Administration will not allow violent criminals or repeat offenders to terrorize our neighborhoods or victimize our children and innocent Americans,” said DHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin.
“We will not allow sanctuary politicians or violent rioters to stop us from enforcing the law and arresting pedophiles, murderers, gang members, rapists, and domestic abusers from American communities.”
The Epoch Times reached out to Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker’s office for comment, but did not receive a response by publication time.
On Sept. 26, “rioters arrived with boxes of fireworks, N-95 masks, gas masks, goggles, knee and elbow protection, and large quantities of food and water. These lawless rioters began chanting ‘Arrest ICE, Shoot ICE’ and one of the rioters was apprehended with a gun,” said the agency.
“Since Operation Midway Blitz began, rioters have assaulted law enforcement, thrown tear gas cans, slashed tires of cars, blocked the entrance of the building, and trespassed on private property. Our ICE law enforcement officers are facing a more than 1,000 percent increase in assaults against them.”
Meanwhile, Democrats from Illinois wrote a letter to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, asking to end immigration operations in the state.
Constituents have reported that DHS officials are arresting people in their neighborhoods, near schools, and at bus stops, said the letter.
It accused DHS of not actually focusing on the “worst of the worst” illegal immigrants. Instead, the agency has mostly arrested “hardworking immigrants with no criminal convictions,” the lawmakers wrote.
DHS and the Department of Justice have “skirted or outright violated due process and other constitutional requirements intended to protect individuals in the United States from arbitrary arrests, detention, and deportation,” said the letter.
“We urge you to end your dangerous operations in Illinois and provide our residents with transparency into these operations.”
“Ramped-up immigration enforcement targeting the worst of the worst is removing more and more criminal illegal aliens off our streets every day and is sending a clear message to anyone else in this country illegally: Self-deport or we will arrest and deport you,” McLaughlin said.
