Liberals in Chicago are up in arms over the return of Border Patrol Chief Greg Bovino and other federal agents, many of whom are sporting masks, who have resumed immigration enforcement operations in the area weeks after he and hundreds of agents left at the start of winter. Officials in Illinois confirmed that a large number of federal agents are back in town and, according to Illinois Rep. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia, “terrorizing the community.”
Garcia lamented the presence of Border Patrol agents in the area, stating that families should be spending the holidays celebrating together in peace and safety instead of worrying about whether they will be deported for being in the country illegally. He then went on to accuse Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents of targeting illegal immigrants without criminal records.
“At a time when families should be celebrating the holidays in safety and peace, these agents are instead carrying out operations to separate families, sow panic, and intimidate hardworking people,” García went on to say in a statement concerning the operations. “Investigative reporting has made it clear that these ICE raids are targeting individuals with no criminal records.”
According to WTTW, the Berwyn Cicero Rapid Response team also confirmed ICE agents were popping up in the Little Village neighborhood, which is primarily composed of Hispanic families and individuals. The response team revealed that agents were traveling in a group of seven vehicles and were “targeting people through alleys.”
As of this writing, the Department of Homeland Security did not say how many arrests were made. The Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights is claiming that over a dozen people in the Cicero, Little Village, Brighton Park, and Back of the Yards were, in their words, “abducted” so far.
“Today we have witnessed a violent escalation by ICE and CBP against communities across Chicagoland,” ICIRR senior director for deportation defense Rey Wences stated. “While Trump orders his minions to attack our communities to distract from his hateful, horrific, and increasingly fascist agenda, the harm on our families and neighbors is real.”
Marcela Rodriguez, top dog for Enlace Chicago, a community organization based in Little Village, revealed that staffers told her that Bovino and ICE agents came to their offices, smiling and waving. “As if causing fear in our community brought him joy,” she went on to say during a press conference on December 17. “It was creepy, unsettling and honestly heartbreaking to witness someone take pleasure in intimidation and terror.”
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Several videos have made their way onto social media showing Bovino, who left the Chicago area several weeks ago to continue operations in both North Carolina and New Orleans, back in the Windy City. Bovino was put in charge of the administration’s “Midway Blitz” operation that first kicked off in September.
Many Democrats in the area have expressed horror at some of the tactics employed by ICE agents during raids, such as tear gas, pepper balls, and other “weapons” against local protesters. In November, a federal judge ruled that Bovino and agents under his command lied about the threat posed by protesters.
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker has also confirmed Bovino is back in town, stating he was not given prior notice of the federal agents coming back to resume operations. “They call it enforcement, we call it harassment,” Pritzker said of the agents’ return. “So, I encourage everyone who can hear me to do as you have because frankly, I’m very proud of the way that Illinoisans have reacted to CBP and ICE and that’s in pulling out your whistles and your phones. Video everything, post it online.”
While it may have appeared that immigration operations were wrapping up in Chicago, federal authorities have repeatedly said that “Operation Midway Blitz” is still active. “As we said a month ago, we aren’t leaving Chicago and operations are ongoing,” DHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin revealed in a statement Tuesday. “Operation Midway Blitz is achieving what Chicago’s sanctuary politicians have refused to do for decades: decrease crime and remove the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens who put the American people in danger.”
Featured Image: screenshot from embedded video