Building Landlord Reports Six Residents from a West Side Chicago Dwelling Forcibly Held by ICE Agents

In the heart of Chicago, a tense atmosphere has been brewing since the beginning of August 2025. Federal agents from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, specifically agents of the U.S. Immigration and Customens Enforcement (ICE), have been conducting an operation known as "Operation Midway Blitz." This operation, initiated by the Trump administration, is targeting illegal immigrants, specifically those considered "criminal illegal aliens."

The operation has sparked political conflict with Illinois Democrats and the city government of Chicago. On Sunday, Aug. 24, federal agents conducted a raid in a building on Jackson Boulevard in the South Austin neighborhood. The raid left Arminda Castelin, a property owner, with six tenants missing - mostly fathers and husbands - and her building almost completely empty after the rest of the tenants fled in fear.

One of the apartments remains occupied by a mother and a baby, who are now left trying to figure out their next steps after the father was taken. During the raid, a woman was patted down on the deck, and a man was handcuffed in the corner.

Guadalupe Rivera, a community activist, urges caution and adherence to due process. She states that if agents knock on anyone's door, they should be asked for a judicial warrant signed by a judge and not bearing an ICE agent's signature.

The operation has not been limited to the South Side. Agents were also found at an apartment on the city's West Side, resulting in six individuals being taken into custody by ICE from an apartment building owned by a landlord. One of the individuals taken was taken to an ICE building in west suburban Broadview.

As the operation continues, the city of Chicago and its residents grapple with the implications, seeking clarity and assurance in these challenging times.