Bounties and Escalating Federal Immigration Raids

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem warned that cartels, gangs and "known terrorist organizations" have placed bounties on individual federal immigration agents — reported at about $2,000 to kidnap and $10,000 to kill — and have doxxed officers, calling the threats "dangerous and unprecedented." Her remarks came amid large federal immigration raids in Chicago that included helicopter-backed apartment sweeps, use of chemical agents near schools, and zip-tying of residents (including some children and U.S. citizens), resulting in more than 1,000 arrests and heightened neighborhood unrest. The operations have prompted criticism from Gov. J.B. Pritzker and a lawsuit by Illinois and Chicago seeking to block National Guard deployments, and activists say the tactics have escalated tensions and daily confrontations. Noem and DHS cited violent incidents during enforcement — including agents being boxed in by vehicles and a shooting — as part of the rationale for bolstering protections and deploying additional forces, while officials say investigations remain ongoing and have not publicly identified those responsible for the bounties. Cartel violence in Mexico, including narco-banner threats tied to a Sinaloa-faction turf war and recent U.S. sanctions, has also increased, underscoring cross-border security risks linked to organized-crime conflicts.