DHS Raids Net 800–1,000 in Illinois; Shooting Reported

DHS’s Operation Midway Blitz, launched Sept. 8, has led to the arrest of an estimated 800–1,000 undocumented immigrants across Illinois, with officials saying many arrested are violent criminals including gang members, sex offenders, child abusers and repeat deportees. Administration and DHS officials — including Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem — defended the raids and said operations will continue despite the government shutdown and local resistance. Large protests and confrontations erupted at the Broadview ICE processing center and elsewhere, with reports of rioters confronting agents, slashed vehicle tires, use of tear gas, reports of snipers on roofs and officers in camouflage. Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker condemned the tactics as intimidation. Separately, the International Union of Police Associations said an ICE agent fatally shot Silvio Gonzalez after the vehicle dragged the agent during a traffic stop, saying the encounter was captured on surveillance and body-worn cameras and accusing Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García of making false, inflammatory statements about the incident. The events highlight a sharp clash between federal enforcement framed as a public-safety effort and strong local opposition raising concerns about tactics, accountability and political rhetoric.