Protesters gather for 12-hour demo outside Chicago ICE facility during ‘Operation Midway Blitz’

Early on the morning of Friday 12 September, activists gathered outside of an ICE (US Immigration and Customs Enforcement) facility in Broadview, Illinois. They were looking to impede the ‘immigration enforcement’ operation that the Trump administration is currently carrying out in Chicago.

The protest comes amidst the so-called ‘Operation Midway Blitz’. The name refers to the sudden massive increase of ICE activity in Chicago. It was announced by the Department of Homeland Security on Monday 8 September. Chicago mayor Brandon Johnson stated that he received “no notice of any enhanced immigration action” before Midway Blitz began.

Broadview protest

The protest at the Broadview facility was set to last for 12 hours. It was originally planned to begin at 7am, but activists began arriving as early as 5am. WGN-TV crews on the scene reported that, by 7am, the protesters had already been confronted by possible law-enforcement agents.

The 12 potential agents wore masks over their faces and full camouflage. They are difficult to identify positively as law enforcement, but ICE agents are notorious for their use of masks and lack of identifying credentials. WGN-TV stated that the agents removed protesters who had previously been sitting on a driveway, blocking ICE transport vans from leaving. Police also present on the scene merely watched as the events unfolded.

A  protester told CBS News Chicago:

I just think it’s really important that those of us who see the injustices speak up and get other citizens to understand what’s going on right now.

Protest organizers have said the the Broadview facility is being used as a detention centre illegally. Lead organizer Julia Rohan talked about the value of delaying tactics in a press release:

This facility is the heart of ICE operations in Chicago. It is the primary location people are taken to when they are arrested by ICE in Chicago. For the next 6 weeks, federal officials plan for it to be in near-constant operation. Every minute ICE cannot access this facility to facilitate their disappearances is a minute well spent.

Midway Blitz

The Department of Homeland Security said of Midway Blitz that:

This ICE operation will target the criminal illegal aliens who flocked to Chicago and Illinois because they knew Governor Pritzker and his sanctuary policies would protect them and allow them to roam free on American Streets.

These ‘sanctuary policies’ are part of .Chicago’s Welcoming City Ordinance. This means that the city won’t deny services based on immigration status, won’t ask about immigration status, and won’t disclose that information to any other authorities. This perceived lack of hostility towards immigrants has made Chicago – and other cities like it – key targets for the Trump regime.

Despite the administration’s claims that Midway Blitz will target the “worst criminal illegal aliens in Chicago”, ICE has a reputation for the indiscriminate use of extrajudicial force. According to CNN, ICE has taken aim at children and families. They’ve detained people outside courtroom hearings, during traffic stops and in their workplaces. There are multiple accounts of people who entered the US legally being detained and deported by ICE, and of people being deported without access to legal counsel.

Illinois governor JB Pritzker posted on social media about the presence of ICE in his state:

Once again, this isn’t about fighting crime. That requires support and coordination — yet we’ve experienced nothing like that over the past several weeks. Instead of taking steps to work with us on public safety, the Trump administration’s focused on scaring Illinoisians.

‘Wannabe dictator’

On Tuesday 2 September, a federal judge ruled that Trump’s deployment of national guard forces in Los Angeles was illegal. The military action was nominally intended for immigration enforcement. However, it was found to be in violation of the Posse Comitatus Act, which prevents the use of the military for domestic policing.

However, last week’s ruling applies solely to California. For over a month, the president has been threatening to send National Guard troops into Democrat-led cities. These include Chicago, Baltimore, and New Orleans. He indicated that he still intended to send troops into Chicago as recently as 2 September, the same date as the LA ruling.

Thus far, it remains unclear whether Trump will follow through with this escalation of hostilities against the sanctuary city. However, on 6 September, the president posted an AI-generated image of himself referencing the film ‘Apocalypse Now’ on his social media. Its tagline read:

I love the smell of deportations in the morning…’ Chicago is about to find out why it’s called the Department of WAR.

The illegality of Trump’s actions has done little to deter him before. Now, Chicago citizens are being left in fear of their own government threatening military action against their city.

Governor Pritzker reportedly fears that Trump will renew his attack on Mexican Independence Day, 16 September. He replied defiantly to Trump’s post:

The President of the United States is threatening to go to war with an American city. This is not a joke. This is not normal. Donald Trump isn’t a strongman, he’s a scared man. Illinois won’t be intimidated by a wannabe dictator.

Featured image via YouTube screenshot/ABC 7 Chicago