Since the Trump administration launched the so-called Operation Midway Blitz on September 8, federal immigration agents have been carrying out arrests across Illinois, targeting individuals described by the Department of Homeland Security as "pedophiles, abusers, rapists, and other violent thugs."
On September 16, DHS and several news outlets reported that Secretary Kristi Noem had joined Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers during a raid in Elgin, Illinois, where several people were detained, including two U.S. citizens who were briefly held before being released.
The Chicago Sun-Times reported that five people were detained at a single home, including Joe Botello, a U.S. citizen from Texas. Two were released after showing proof of citizenship. "I told them I was a U.S. citizen, that my ID was in my wallet," Botello told the outlet.
According to the Sun-Times, ICE agents forced their way into Botello's home shortly before 5:30 a.m., leading him and his roommates out in handcuffs. They
In a statement following the operation, DHS said the raid resulted in the arrests of five undocumented immigrants, including one convicted of driving under the influence with a child passenger, another with a violent assault conviction, and one facing charges related to domestic violence, harassment, obstruction, and felony stalking.
"President Trump has been clear: If politicians will not put the safety of their citizens first, this administration will," Noem said in a statement. "Just this morning, DHS took violent offenders off the streets with arrests for assault, DUI, and felony stalking. Our work is only beginning."
When asked about the temporary detention of the two U.S. citizens, DHS confirmed both were held briefly. "No U.S. citizen was arrested. They were briefly held for their and officers' safety while the operation in the house was under way. This is standard protocol," a DHS spokesperson told Newsweek.
Noem later posted a video of the raid on social media, showing five individuals being detained. The footage also revealed a large presence of federal agents, which raised concerns among local residents.
This week, a brave @ICEgov officer was dragged many yards by a car after a criminal illegal alien resisted arrest. His life was put at risk and he sustained serious injuries.
— Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) September 16, 2025
President Trump has been clear: if politicians will not put the safety of their citizens first, this… pic.twitter.com/2BSUg4a7U6
"The amount of presence—helicopters, drones, a spotlight, the vehicles, the armored vehicles—it looked like it was a military orchestration that was coming down," neighbor Nick Hurst told CBS News. "Was that necessary for this kind of standard little neighborhood?"
As immigration enforcement actions escalate under Operation Midway Blitz, local immigrant rights organizations have increased efforts to protect and inform residents.
Ismael Cordová-Clough, a member of the nonprofit Casa DuPage, said community advocates have been patrolling neighborhoods as early as 4 a.m. to alert residents of ICE activity and help them prepare for possible encounters.
DHS has said Operation Midway Blitz will continue for several weeks across the greater Chicago area. The agency stated the operation was launched in honor of Katie Abraham, a 20-year-old who was killed in a drunk driving hit-and-run in January. The driver, Julio Cucul-Bol, is an undocumented immigrant from Guatemala.
"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," DHS said in its announcement.
Originally published on Latin Times
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