ICE is here and the press is playing it as if everyone in Chicago has something to fear
Well, it's begun.
The Trump administration has intensified immigration enforcement in Chicago, initiating large-scale operations led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). These actions were part of a broader national strategy to increase deportations of undocumented immigrants, particularly those with criminal records.
On Sunday, ICE conducted significant raids in Chicago, resulting in numerous arrests. The agency reported a nationwide total of 956 arrests that day, marking the highest daily count under the current administration. These operations were part of a directive from the White House, which set a quota of 1,800 arrests per day for ICE, with each of the agency’s 25 offices expected to achieve at least 75 arrests daily.
High-profile figures accompanied ICE agents during these operations. For instance, TV personality Dr. Phil McGraw joined agents in Chicago, observing the arrest of individuals such as Sam Seda, a Thai national and convicted child sex offender. This collaboration aimed to highlight the administration’s focus on apprehending individuals deemed threats to public safety.
Local leaders in Chicago expressed strong opposition to these federal actions. Mayor Brandon Johnson criticized the raids for instilling fear among residents and reaffirmed the city’s sanctuary status, emphasizing that local law enforcement would not cooperate with federal immigration authorities. Governor JB Pritzker also voiced concerns, supporting the deportation of violent criminals but opposing actions against otherwise law-abiding residents.
The heightened enforcement led to widespread fear within immigrant communities in Chicago. Reports emerged of residents avoiding public spaces and keeping children home from school due to concerns about potential raids. Community organizations and activists mobilized to inform individuals of their rights and provide legal assistance.
These developments reflect the broader national escalation of immigration enforcement under the Trump administration, which has set ambitious targets for ICE operations and emphasized the removal of individuals with criminal backgrounds.
From the coverage given to this episode by the Chicago Tribune, you would think everybody in Chicago is illegal. They’ve been running front page screaming headlines about the fear gripping Chicago on a nonstop basis, which leads one to wonder just how many illegals there are in the Windy City.
Estimating the number of individuals residing in Chicago without legal authorization is challenging due to the nature of undocumented immigration. However, available data provides some insight. A 2014 report estimated that approximately 183,000 undocumented immigrants lived in Chicago, accounting for about seven percent of the city’s population at that time. More recent data from the Migration Policy Institute indicates that Illinois has an estimated 425,000 unauthorized immigrants, with 65 percent (approximately 277,000) originating from Mexico. Given that a significant portion of Illinois’ undocumented population resides in the Chicago metropolitan area, it’s reasonable to infer that the number of undocumented residents in Chicago remains substantial. However, precise current figures are not readily available.
So on a percentage basis, there aren't too many people who need to be afraid. And at least so far it appears that the focus is rightly on criminals who are here illegally.
My personal view is that the focus ought to remain on the criminals. Imagine how much safer the city would be if we could make all the gang bangers who are here illegally disappear.
As the folks who are hard-working, law-abiding, church-going contributors to society, especially the Dreamers as they're known who are here through no conscious adult decision of their own, my thinking is they should be at most a low priority. Meanwhile, there's plenty of work to do.
The other part of immigration law enforcement is to seal off the border tightly. There's no point in deporting people if they can just bounce right back into the country.
What's notable is that for all the bluster on the part of our Democrat overlords, they don't seem to have done a single solitary thing to obstruct ICE activity. One had visions of Brandon Johnson and JB Pritzker standing shoulder to shoulder in front of a cohort of Chicago Police and Illinois State Troopers confronting federal officers, period. Evidently, that was all just posturing. In fact, the governor is actually supporting the notion of deporting criminals who are here illegally, so thankfully it appears we can expect more ICE activity, fewer criminals in our city, and safer streets for all of us regardless of citizenship status.
It's about time we started exporting versus importing criminals. We have more than enough domestic supply.
