
Immigration officers may be making their way to Chicago in the coming days. It follows a campaign promise from incoming President Donald Trump to begin mass deportations across the country.
Published January 20, 2025 10:16pm CST
The Brief
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- President Donald Trump is preparing for a large-scale deportation operation, including possible ICE raids in Chicago, and plans to reinstate the “Remain in Mexico” policy while invoking the Alien Enemies Act of 1798.
- Local organizations, including Latinos Progresando and the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, are mobilizing resources and offering guidance to help individuals understand their rights and prepare for potential enforcement actions.
- The CPD reaffirmed its adherence to the city’s Welcoming City Ordinance, ensuring it will not assist federal immigration authorities in enforcing civil immigration laws.
CHICAGO – As President Donald Trump returns to the White House, he is vowing to execute the largest deportation operation in U.S. history.
What we know:
There are reports of large-scale Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids possible in Chicago as early as this week.
In response, immigration support networks are ramping up resources, attorneys have been busy, and experts are encouraging employers to have I-9 forms ready.
In the hours since Trump took the oath, some Chicagoans are bracing for the possibility of ICE agents showing up at their doors.
“The talk has been of trying to catch people who have outstanding deportation orders, quite a number of which could result from just having missed a court date, or people who have some kind of criminal record or criminal history that would bring them to the attention of ICE,” said Fred Tsao, senior policy counsel, Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR).
Still, Tsao says exactly when and where raids could happen is unknown.
“Folks certainly are within their rights not to answer any questions or even to identify themselves. If ICE agents show up to their homes, they have the right to not answer the door, not open the door,” Tsao said.
Michael LeRoy, a professor in the School of Labor and Employment Relations at the University of Illinois, shares that workplace raids, for example, are possible.
“ICE raids are typically unannounced,” LeRoy said. “The high frequency ones are restaurants, construction sites, meat processing plants.”
LeRoy says employers should take measures now to prepare for unplanned visits from federal immigration officers.
“It’s always been important, but it’s more important than ever that you check the I-9 filings of every employee in your workplace,” LeRoy explained. “Employers face civil liability typically in cases where employers intentionally evade regulations—they can face criminal enforcement, and that has happened in the past.”
Trump says he will invoke the Alien Enemies Act of 1798.
Alien Enemies Act of 1798 & Migrant Protection Protocols
The backstory:
It came into existence when the U.S. was on the brink of war with France.
“The last time it was invoked was during World War II to incarcerate tens of thousands of American residents of Japanese descent and residents of German and Italian descent,” said Tsao.
Trump says he’ll also re-introduce the ‘Migrant Protection Protocols’ otherwise known as the ‘Remain in Mexico’ policy.
“‘Remain in Mexico’ was in place for a couple of years. What ended up happening, unfortunately, is that people were not able to avail themselves of the legal assistance that they may need to put their best case forward,” Tsao said. “People ended up in really squalid camps just on the other side of the border.”
Preparing for potential ICE raids in Chicago
What we know:
Local nonprofit organizations, like Latinos Progresando, are working overtime to ensure that resources are at the ready.
“Our legal team, especially, was really concerned. We were busy over the weekend, as well with this idea of when the raids could happen, how we can prepare folks,” said Latinos Progresando Chief Programs Officer Nubia Willman.
Willman says the nonprofit, based in Little Village, has been focused on assisting community members who are concerned about what could happen next.
“I think what’s important is that whether or not raids happen, folks should know that we all have rights living in the United States,” said Willman. “If your case is already processing and you’re in the pathway to citizenship or you’re about to get your green card or some other type of status, it’s important to talk to your representative, your legal representative, so they can tell you specifically about your case.”
The Little Village Community Council is also sharing guidance with the community by circulating an online bulletin with ‘Know Your Rights’ information.
What they’re saying:
On Monday afternoon, the Chicago Police Department released the following statement:
“In accordance with the City of Chicago’s Municipal Code, which includes the Welcoming City Ordinance, the Chicago Police Department does not assist federal immigration authorities with enforcement action solely based on immigration status. Additionally, CPD does not document immigration status and does not share such information with federal authorities.
“CPD is prohibited by the Welcoming City Ordinance from participating in civil immigration enforcement operations or assisting in the civil enforcement of federal immigration law. CPD’s Responding to Incidents Involving Citizenship Status policy also states that if the Department receives a request from an immigration agency to provide assistance with a civil immigration enforcement operation, a supervisor will respond to the scene. If the request is to assist in the enforcement of civil immigration law, the supervisor will decline the request. If the request is unrelated to civil immigration law, appropriate police action will be taken. Read More AT Fox 32 Chicago
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