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CHICAGO (WGN) With “Operation Midway Blitz” now underway and Chicago’s immigrant community on guard, local leaders are working to remind people of their rights.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said he thinks ICE has more than 200 agents on the ground with more than 100 vehicles standing by as the stepped-up immigration crackdown begins.
“People are frankly afraid in our communities. They’re afraid to come out of their homes, they’re afraid to go shopping, they’re afraid to take their own children to school,” Pritzker said.
On Tuesday, the Trump administration’s border czar, Tom Homan, confirmed additional boots on the ground in Chicago with President Donald Trump increasing his focus on the city in recent weeks.
“We’ve got more resources in Chicago,” Homan said. “We know they’re releasing public safety threats back into the community every day. We’ll go where the biggest problems are. The biggest problems are sanctuary cities.”
Pritzker met with the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights on Tuesday afternoon at the National Museum of Mexican Art.
“The reason that Tom Homan, the reason that Donald Trump, the reason that so many people are upset and want to attack Chicago is because we’re winning,” Pritzker said.
The nationwide legal battle, however, continues.
On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned a judge’s order prohibiting federal agents in Los Angeles from questioning people about their immigration status based solely on their ethnicity, clearing the way for federal enforcement to continue aggressive immigration sweeps.
“We know the Supreme Court decision [Monday] that frankly takes away rights from people across the United States is something that Tom Homan cheers,” Pritzker said.
Homan, however, insists his federal agents respect constitutional rights.
“ICE agents aren’t racially profiling. The law says you’ve got to establish a reasonable suspicion to detain and question somebody,” Homan said.
Pritzker said Tuesday he’s worried for Illinois and that federal agents have “terrible plans” for communities.
