Since the end of Operation Midway Blitz<\/a> in December, and since the end of other large-scale operations in cities like Minneapolis, immigration agents have turned to more discreet arrest tactics, but they continue to have a presence across Chicagoland, organizers said. That presence has felt more pronounced recently, they said. <\/p>\n On Tuesday, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were reported in Gage Park, Pilsen, Humboldt Park and Albany Park, arresting at least three people, according to rapid response groups\u2019 online reports.<\/p>\n Many immigration arrests in recent months appear to be targeted, organizers and immigration lawyers said. That\u2019s in contrast to Midway Blitz, when street arrests of day laborers, landscaping workers and street vendors made up some of the 4,500 people arrested during the campaign.<\/p>\n Last month, agents detained a man after crashing into his car during a high-speed chase<\/a> in Dunning. Days before, neighbors and organizers sounded alarms after ICE agents crashed their car into a bystander\u2019s car before wrestling a man to the ground and arresting him in Albany Park. <\/a><\/p>\n Some of the recent arrests have taken place at local courthouses, where noncitizens show up for hearings or to seek court services. <\/p>\n For months, immigration agents have arrested people before or after their court hearing <\/a>despite a state law and court order that ban these types of arrests. Agents have repeatedly attempted to enter courthouses despite Cook County Sheriff\u2019s officers handing them copies of these laws and asking them to leave, the Cook County Defender\u2019s Office previously said.<\/p>\n Arrests during immigration check-ins have also been reported, though there is no clear explanation as to why some noncitizens are being detained, organizers and immigration attorneys said.<\/p>\n Many of those detained had no criminal arrests or convictions, or were parents of U.S. citizens, said Diana Rashid, director of legal defense at the Resurrection Project.<\/p>\n It has also become common to see families, not just one person, arrested when attending an ICE check-in, immigration attorneys said.<\/p>\n A request for comment on ICE\u2019s recent activity in Chicago was not immediately answered by the Department of Homeland Security. <\/p>\n It is likely many arrests in recent months were made without a judicial warrant, a practice widely used during Operation Midway Blitz, said Mark Fleming, associate director of litigation for the National Immigrant Justice Center. <\/p>\n The group reviewed arrest records for hundreds of immigrants detained during the fall operation and estimates that thousands of arrests were unlawful because agents did not have a valid judicial warrant at the time of the arrest. <\/p>\n Those arrests could have violated the Casta\u00f1on Nava consent decree, which limited such arrests. But many of those detained were deported or pressured into agreeing to be deported before the group could seek their release, Fleming said. <\/p>\n \u201cICE is going to very persistently encourage people to take voluntary departure and sign away their rights. I would really encourage people take the time to consult with an attorney to understand what their rights are and any relief that may be available,\u201d Fleming said. <\/p>\n In May, religious leaders with the Coalition for Spiritual and Public Leadership regained access to the immigration processing center in Broadview for daily pastoral care visits following a lawsuit filed in November.<\/p>\n The number of people held at Broadview varies daily and is difficult to assess because religious leaders visit only those who request pastoral care. Still, it appears to be \u201cnowhere near last fall,\u201d said Sister Christin Tomy, of the Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa and Dominican University. Conditions also appear to have improved, she said.<\/p>\n \u201cThe most essential part of what we do, I believe, is just listen. We listen to their stories, we let them talk about the traumas they\u2019re going through. This type of care restores a bit of human dignity,\u201d Tomy said. <\/p>\n Some of the people held at Broadview were just detained, while others arrived at the suburban facility while being moved from other detention facilities in the country, Tomy said.<\/p>\n Still, immigrants are navigating the trauma of being detained, sometimes in \u201cthe same abhorrent manner we were hearing about in the fall\u201d or while complying with immigration requirements, she said. Many worry about their families and the consequences of being temporarily or permanently separated from them, she said.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s something really soul crushing and dehumanizing about being detained, especially in the abrupt manner that many of these folks are,\u201d Tomy said.<\/p>\n What Immigrants Need To Know <\/p>\n As immigration enforcement activities continue in Chicago, it is important that noncitizens who could be at risk of being arrested make plans, organizers said.<\/p>\n Organizers urge neighbors to know their neighbors, so they can notice if someone is arrested in the neighborhood, get in touch with their loved ones or offer support, Vargas said. <\/p>\n \u201cThis is a time when the community needs to come together to protect ourselves,\u201d Vargas said. \u201cLet\u2019s get connected to our rapid response networks and mutual aid networks.\u201d <\/p>\n Below are some precautions immigrants should take in the wake of recent ICE activity:<\/p>\n Document And Report ICE Activity <\/p>\n Organizers and immigration advocates continue to urge neighbors to report immigration arrests or ICE sightings to the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights hotline. The network also connects immigrants to local organizations that provide services and support for families across the state. <\/p>\n Call the Family Support Network at 1-855-435-7693<\/a>.<\/p>\n The group also sends out text alerts to notify neighbors of confirmed ICE activity in their area, verified or reported by local rapid response teams. To sign up for alerts and get more information, visit icirr.org\/fsn<\/a><\/p>\n Obtain Legal Guidance <\/p>\n Organizers and immigration attorneys recommend noncitizens or members of mixed-status families have a legal consultation with an attorney or accredited representative.<\/p>\n These screenings are key for noncitizens and their families to assess their cases and understand their options in case they are arrested instead of waiting until someone is in custody, Rashid said. <\/p>\n Advocates recommend not attending immigration check-ins or court hearings alone. Noncitizens are urged to attend with their attorney, if they have one, or seek a legal consultation and request accompaniment for their immigration check-ins or appointments. <\/p>\n If detained, a lawyer or volunteer can notify other attorneys, file petitions that could help with the person\u2019s release or provide assistance. Organizers also recommend making sure a trusted person knows their assigned A-number, so they can track their case and find where they are being detained. <\/p>\n The Immigrant Legal Support Program offers workshops where immigrants can request accompaniment for an immigration check-in or court hearing. For more information, vist The Resurrection Project\u2019s website<\/a> or the program\u2019s website. <\/a><\/p>\n Sign Up For Workshops <\/p>\n The Immigrant Legal Support Program offers workshops where noncitizens can speak with a legal representative who will provide hands-on support with reviewing their cases. <\/p>\n The network also offers specific workshops for asylum-seekers and those interested in applying for citizenship or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (also known as DACA). More information is available here.<\/a><\/p>\n The Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, as well as local rapid response groups, offer Know Your Rights trainings and Migra Watch workshops, as well as printable Know Your Rights cards in multiple languages and detention safety plans. For more information, visit visit icirr.org\/fsn<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Officials](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/IMG_0724-1024x683.jpg\")
Officials and advocates denounce the presence of federal immigration agents at four Cook County courthouses on May 7, 2026. Credit: Francia Garcia Hernandez\/Block Club Chicago<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/bcc-daycare-worker-taken-02-1024x768.jpg\")
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency\u2019s processing center in Broadview is seen from the air on Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025. Credit: Talia Sprague for Block Club Chicago<\/p>\n