Chicago City Wire

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has responded to claims made by Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker regarding federal law enforcement operations in Chicago, particularly Operation Midway Blitz. The DHS asserts that Pritzker's statements are false and defends the actions of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin criticized Governor Pritzker, stating, "Our message to JB Pritzker: Get out of your mansion and see Chicago." She accused him of being unaware of the violent crime issues in the city, which she attributes to his policies.

Governor Pritzker claimed there was an "unconstitutional invasion" by federal agents causing chaos in Chicago. The DHS countered this by asserting that President Trump had constitutional authority to deploy troops to protect federal facilities.

Pritzker also alleged racial profiling during raids, claiming that ICE officers were targeting individuals based on race rather than legal status. The DHS refuted this, emphasizing that arrests are based on immigration status and not race or ethnicity.

In response to allegations about a raid in South Shore where U.S. citizens were supposedly targeted, the DHS clarified that the operation aimed at arresting illegal aliens involved with gangs and violent crimes. They denied targeting U.S. citizens unless they obstruct law enforcement.

Regarding claims of children being zip-tied during operations, McLaughlin called it a "shameful and disgusting lie," explaining that such reports stemmed from a parody video misrepresented as real footage.

The shooting incident involving Silverio Villegas-Gonzalez was another point of contention. The DHS said he was an illegal alien who endangered officers' lives by driving at them with his car, leading to his shooting after hitting an officer.

Governor Pritzker's remarks about peaceful protests turning into war zones due to federal agents' actions were also addressed. The DHS described incidents where agents faced violence from protesters armed with weapons.

Finally, the DHS defended its measures as necessary for maintaining law and order while respecting First Amendment rights but warned journalists about risks when covering unlawful activities during these operations.

Information from this article can be found here.