Trump’s Immigration Enforcement Raids Begin In Chicago: Gov. Pritzker Concerned Innocents Could Be Targeted

The Trump administration launched an immigration enforcement blitz in Chicago on Sunday, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed in a statement.

ICE agents are expected to be joined by officials from several more agencies in the multi-day operation that will soon spread across the country, seemingly beginning with Democratic-run states and cities.

The Chicago operation is part of a broader effort to beef up ICE in terms of resources and agents, as the Trump administration launches its nationwide crackdown toward fulfilling President Donald Trump‘s vow to deport one million people.  

“U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, along with federal partners, including the FBI, ATF, DEA, CBP and the U.S. Marshals Service, began conducting enhanced targeted operations today in Chicago to enforce U.S. immigration law and preserve public safety and national security by keeping potentially dangerous criminal aliens out of our communities,” the ICE statement reads.

Dangerous Criminal Aliens? The Governor Begs To Differ

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D) told CNN’s Dana Bash on Sunday that he too wants violent criminals out of the country, but he expressed concern about how the Trump administration is carrying out operations.

“If that’s who they’re picking up, we’re all for it.” But, Prizker said, “they’re going after people who are law-abiding, who are holding down jobs, who have families here, who may have been here for a decade or two decades. Why are we going after them? These are not people who are causing problems in our country.”

Read Also: ‘We’ll Go As Far As I’m Allowed’: Trump’s Plan With Immigrants Starts With 1 Million Deportations

The Chicago Police Department said in a statement to CNN it does not document immigration status, and in accordance with its “Welcoming City Ordinance,” and that it “does not share information with federal immigration authorities.”

“We will not intervene or interfere with any other government agencies performing their duties,” the Chicago PD statement reads.

Meanwhile, on Saturday U.S. Army troops patrolled Eagle Pass, Texas, reported CNN. following Trump’s order to deploy 1,500 additional soldiers to the U.S.-Mexico border, raising the total to 4,000.

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Photo courtesy of Chicago DEA