Park Ridge, Illinois (AP) – Immigration enforcement officers have arrested more than 400 people as part of Business in the Chicago area It was released a little while ago two weeks ago, a top immigrant and customs enforcement officer said Friday.
Marcos Charles, representative director of Ice Enforcement and Removal Operations, gave the numbers in an interview with the Associated Press. This unreported figure provides an early measure of what is being formed as a major enforcement effort coming after similar businesses are launched in Los Angeles and Washington, DC
When asked if he thought the arrest amount at this point in the surgery was positive, Charles added that the 400 was a “solid number,” and that figure includes arrests by other federal agencies supporting the campaign.
“We’re going to do this until we feel successful,” he said. “The end date is not visible.”
Ice began operating the Chicago area, known as “Midway Blitz,” on September 8th, drawing concerns from activists and immigrant communities who say there has been a significant increase in immigration enforcement agents. It’s already deepening fear in communities that are fearing massive arrests. Aggressive tactics Used in other cities President Donald Trump targeted The strong immigration policy.
The operation brought allegations of excessive force and severe dragnet that seduced American citizens, satisfying Trump supporters who say he is offering a promise to expel a massive deportation.
The Trump administration has pledged to send an influx of immigration agents and National Guard troops to Chicago over the highly objectionable. Local leader and residents. Military deployment to Chicago has not yet been realized despite continued immigration enforcement efforts.
Chicago area officials and activists were opposed to the surge in enforcement. This approach claims to be dangerous and inaccurate; Two US citizens temporarily detained this week By federal officers focused on immigration enforcement. Supporters also protested the man’s death Shot by the Ice Officer on September 12th He dragged officers after authorities said they tried to escape during a traffic stop.
Charles said about 50% to 60% of Chicago’s operational arrests were targeted arrests. This means they were certain people that ICE was trying to find because they committed a crime, received a final removal order, or did something to put on the ice radar.
The rest was often referred to as “collateral arrests.” This means not the people they are looking for, but the people who come across ice during operations that are illegally in the country.
Though collateral arrests were not permitted during the Biden administration, the Trump administration abandoned those restrictions shortly after he took office as part of Trump’s efforts to strengthen deportation.
“That doesn’t mean that collateral arrests are non-criminal. Some of our collateral arrests are… criminal convictions and arrests too. They weren’t the people we were looking for at the time,” Charles said.
The Department of Homeland Security launched “Midway Blitz” after months of criticism from the Trump administration of Chicago and Illinois over state and local policies restricting cooperation with law enforcement with ice.
According to ICE, these policies mean that immigrants who commit crimes in the United States and can consequently deportees will be released into the community instead. Ice says it needs to go out into the community and track them down and remove them.
Many local officials and activists say immigration enforcement is federal responsibility and working with the ice makes it less likely that immigrants who are victims or witnesses of crimes will move forward in working with the police.
