Overview

• The Department of Homeland Security publicly branded its Chicago enforcement surge as Operation Midway Blitz, with details on the timing and scale of deployments still unclear.
• After a postponement of downtown festivities, El Grito will take place Sept. 15 at 5 p.m. at St. Paul Catholic Church in Pilsen, shifting from the original Grant Park plan.
• Protests have followed the federal announcement, immigrant advocates report smaller crowds at some festivities, and community groups are expanding Know Your Rights outreach.
• President Trump tempered earlier martial rhetoric by saying the goal is to clean up cities, while a DHS assistant secretary dismissed claims the timing was meant to terrorize the community.
• Illinois leaders criticized the operation’s timing, and a Chicago alderman challenged DHS assertions that arrests focus on criminals, underscoring a sharp dispute over enforcement targets.