Federal immigration enforcement surged in Illinois under ICE’s “Operation Midway Blitz,” announced September 8, 2025, with large-scale arrests focused on people ICE describes as “criminal illegal aliens.” Tensions spiked in Chicago on October 4 after DHS said Border Patrol agents were boxed in by multiple vehicles near the Broadview processing site; agents opened fire and wounded a female driver. By September 19, officials said nearly 550 people had been arrested statewide, with higher totals reported into early October as raids expanded. In parallel, the White House authorized National Guard support to protect federal facilities, though portions of those plans immediately met court and state pushback. Portland, Oregon became a second flashpoint, with nightly protest activity outside the ICE facility and a federal judge temporarily blocking deployment of Oregon’s Guard.
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Chicago Raids
ICE operations under “Operation Midway Blitz” concentrated on Chicago’s South and West Sides and around the Broadview processing center, named after a fatal crash earlier in 2025 blamed on an undocumented driver. Local officials said they received no advance notice of the surge as federal teams targeted gang affiliates, fugitives, and repeat offenders released under sanctuary laws. On October 4, Border Patrol agents opened fire on a woman who rammed vehicles near the Broadview site after agents were boxed in; DHS alleged at least one driver displayed a firearm. By September 19, ICE reported nearly 550 arrests statewide, with more continuing into October as raids expanded beyond city limits. In response, President Trump federalized 300 Illinois National Guard troops to secure federal property despite Governor JB Pritzker’s objections, while Mayor Brandon Johnson’s “ICE-free zone” order and ensuing lawsuits failed to halt operations continuing from federal grounds.
Portland Protests
In Portland, small but persistent nightly demonstrations outside the South Portland ICE facility grew increasingly confrontational, leading to sporadic arrests and federal crowd-control actions. Protesters blocked gates, chained themselves to entrances, and hurled objects at agents to disrupt detainee transports, prompting officers to deploy tear gas and nonlethal munitions to maintain access. Governor Tina Kotek refused to activate Oregon’s National Guard, calling the protests “contained,” but DHS cited credible threats against staff and operations. On October 5, a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order blocking Trump’s attempt to federalize Oregon’s Guard under Title 10, prompting DHS to bring in federally controlled Guard units from Texas and California to secure the site and convoy routes. While local police downplayed the scale of unrest, DHS classified the activity as a coordinated effort to obstruct federal enforcement, and litigation over troop authority remains active as of October 7, 2025.
Federal Response
By October 6, roughly 400 National Guard troops operating under federal orders had been stationed in both cities, securing ICE facilities, escorting detainee transports, and supporting DHS logistics. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s “ICE-free zone” directive barring city resources from aiding federal agents was dismissed by DHS as symbolic and unenforceable. In Portland, U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut issued a temporary injunction questioning the legality of out-of-state troop use under Posse Comitatus, but enforcement operations continued while the Justice Department appealed. The administration framed the deployments as a necessary stand against lawlessness and the failure of sanctuary policies, citing record-high reentry and fugitive apprehension numbers in 2025.
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