PHOTOS: ‘No Kings’ protesters pack Grant Park to protest against Trump administration
CHICAGO - Thousands of demonstrators flooded Chicago’s Grant Park on Saturday, denouncing President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown as tensions over federal raids and enforcement reached a fever pitch across the city.
What we know:
The "No Kings" protest began around noon Saturday at Butler Field in Chicago’s Grant Park.
Thousands were in attendance, including several Chicago and state officials, including Mayor Brandon Johnson, Senator Dick Durbin, Governor JB Pritzker, Lt. Gov. of Illinois Juliana Stratton and several others.
'No Kings' protest in Chicago
Protestors march through Chicago's downtown during nation-wide "No Kings" protest on Oct. 18, 2025.
Similar demonstrations were also held across several suburban communities, including Aurora, Broadview, Bolingbrook, Naperville, Joliet, Rosemont and Oak Park.
On Friday, the Trump administration asked the U.S. Supreme Court to allow the deployment of National Guard troops to the Chicago area, according to a report from The Associated Press.The emergency appeal came after a federal judge blocked, for at least two weeks, the deployment of Guard members from Illinois to Texas to assist with immigration enforcement.
'No Kings' protest in Chicago
Musicians jam at "No Kings" protest in downtown Chicago on Oct. 18, 2025.
Also on Friday, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Chicago Field Office Director Russell Hott — who helped lead Operation Midway Blitz, a sweeping enforcement campaign targeting undocumented immigrants with criminal records — stepped down, according to court documents filed by the U.S. Department of Justice.
The filing stated that Friday was Hott’s last day in the position.
What's next:
The protests follow weeks of intensified federal immigration enforcement in the Chicago area, which has led to hundreds of arrests and sparked demonstrations that have at times turned violent. The actions have drawn sharp criticism from state and local leaders.
The Supreme Court has not yet made a decision on the deployment of the Guard to the Chicago area.