The Department of Justice says a top Trump administration official is in Chicago this weekend to “personally observe” immigration enforcement actions by multiple agencies.
Those agencies include the FBI, DEA, ATF, U.S. Marshals, and the Department of Homeland Security, according to a spokesperson.
ICE has confirmed that they are conducting "enhanced targeted operations" in the city and suburbs this week, according to an official release Sunday.
“Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove is on the ground in Chicago this morning to personally observe DHS immigration enforcement operations and support the efforts of FBI, DEA, ATF, USMS and federal prosecutors who are assisting DHS in this critical mission,” a Department of Justice official told NBC News.
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A photo obtained by NBC News also shows Trump's designated "border czar" Tom Homan with Bove.
It is unclear if any additional enforcement actions would be taking place Sunday, with residents and officials on alert amid the promises of increased action by the new Trump administration.
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Homan has frequently criticized Chicago and Illinois officials, and had promised to visit Chicago early in the Trump administration to back immigration enforcement efforts.
“(Brandon Johnson) not a real bright guy, says Tom Homan isn’t welcome in Chicago. Well guess where Tom Homan’s going to be day one? Chicago, Illinois. You don’t want me to be there? Come get me,” he had said at a Chicago-area speech in November.
According to the Washington Post, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement made 538 arrests on Thursday and 593 more on Friday, with additional actions planned across the country in the coming weeks.
Those arrests come as ICE and other law enforcement operations see policy changes that allow them to arrest individuals without legal status at or near “sensitive locations,” including houses of worship, schools and hospitals, according to NBC News.
In an interview on CNN’s “State of the Union,” Gov. J.B. Pritzker said that he intends to cooperate with efforts to deport those accused of or convicted of violent crimes, but that he will also enforce Illinois’ “sanctuary state” laws that set limits on cooperation between local law enforcement with federal immigration enforcement operations.
“We’re going to follow the law in Illinois. We expect them to do the same, and I’m very afraid they will not follow the law,” he said.
Under so-called “sanctuary” laws on the books in Chicago and Illinois, local law enforcement is prohibited from cooperating with federal deportation actions.
Pritzker has repeatedly said that while his officials will cooperate with federal immigration enforcement actions against those accused of violent crimes, he will adhere to state immigration laws.
According to Politico, such “sanctuary” jurisdictions could be targeted by the Trump administration. Bove released a memo last week shortly after Trump was sworn in calling for a “major redeployment of Justice Department resources” to assist in immigration enforcement.
He also called on attorneys to prosecute officials and activists who “fail to comply with lawful immigration-related commands and requests,” according to the publication.
Pritzker said that Illinois officials will coordinate with federal law enforcement on deporting those accused or convicted of violent crimes, but that they would not participate in blanket actions that were not supported by court-issued warrants.
“They’re just putting that out there because they want to threaten everybody, get people to step back and let (federal officials) do whatever they want,” he said. “What (our law) requires is our local officials will not coordinate with federal officials on the arrests when they don’t have a warrant associated with them.”
Pritzker also questioned the efficacy of blanket actions and raids.
“They’re going after people who are law-abiding, who have families here, who have jobs and may have been here for decades. Why are you going after them? These are not people who are causing problems in our country,” he said.
