Illinois AG, City of Chicago sue Trump admin over Operation Midway Blitz
CHICAGO - Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul and the City of Chicago sued the Trump administration and federal immigration officials on Monday over alleged "unlawful and dangerous tactics" used during Operation Midway Blitz last year.
What we know:
State and city officials described the tactics used by officers from ICE and Border Patrol during the enforcement campaign as illegal and even accused them of terrorizing local residents.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - NOVEMBER 01: A sticker on a utility pole, highlighting the death of Silverio Villegas Gonzalez, expresses dissatisfaction with President Donald Trump and his immigration policies on November 01, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. Gonzalez
The lawsuit makes several allegations against the Trump administration, including:
- That the Trump administration tried to "coerce" the state over policy differences by withholding federal funding because of the state’s so-called "sanctuary" laws, which limit the amount of cooperation local police can have with federal immigration enforcement.
- That since Operation Midway Blitz began in September, ICE and CBP agents have killed one person, shot another person, and conducted a "military raid" on a Chicago apartment building in which all residents, including children, were detained.
- Immigration agents have arrested hundreds of people without warrants, randomly questioned hundreds more, and used chemical weapons on law-abiding and peaceful residents. Raoul’s office described such tactics as unlawful.
- That the immigration enforcement measures were an "assault on the state’s sovereignty" and violated the Tenth Amendment and other federal laws.
The lawsuit asks a court to order federal immigration officers to stop such allegedly illegal tactics; require them to provide documentation justifying the questioning of residents for their immigration status; and for a ban on immigration enforcement near courthouses, schools, hospitals and other "sensitive locations."
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - OCTOBER 14: Residents and protesters clash with federal agents in the East Side neighborhood after tear gas was detonated on October 14, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. It was not immediately clear why federal agents were in the area b
What they're saying:
State and city officials said the lawsuit was their way of holding the Trump administration accountable.
"Border Patrol agents and ICE officers have acted as occupiers rather than officers of the law," Raoul said in a statement. "They randomly, and often violently, question residents. Without warrants or probable cause, they brutally detain citizens and non-citizens alike. They use tear gas and other chemical weapons against bystanders, injuring dozens, including children, the elderly and local police officers."
"The Trump administration has repeatedly violated the law and undermined public trust," said Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson in a statement. "These actions weren’t just unlawful; they were cruel, needlessly inflicting fear and harm on our communities.
The lawsuit names several defendants, including Homeland Security Sec. Kristi Noem, ICE Director Todd Lyons, ICE Field Director Samuel Olson, Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott, Border Patrol Chief Michael Banks, and Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino.
DHS Assistant Sec. Tricia McLaughlin responded to the lawsuit in a statement:
"It really is astounding that the Left can miraculously rediscover the Tenth Amendment when they don’t want federal law enforcement officers to enforce federal law — which is a clear federal responsibility under Article I, Article II and the Supremacy Clause — and then go right back to federalizing every state responsibility possible when they get back in power. Spare us.
"The fact is that sanctuary politicians in Illinois and Chicago released violent criminals including murderers, rapists, drug dealers, pedophiles, gang members, and terrorists, onto its streets and their dereliction of duty cost lives—just ask Katie Abraham’s father. This is a baseless lawsuit, and we look forward to proving that in court."