Illinois Congressmen visit immigration facility in South Loop as Trump orders ICE to increase deportation efforts

CHICAGO (WGN) — President Donald Trump ordered Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to intensify their deportation efforts in Chicago and other Democratic-led sanctuary cities, amid opposition from Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson.

“Most of those people are in the cities, all blue cities, all Democrat-run cities, and they think they’re going to use them to vote,” said Trump, who, without any supporting evidence, accused Democrats of electoral wrongdoing as he lashes out at top Illinois leadership.

“I look at Chicago. You’ve got a really bad governor in Chicago and a bad mayor. But the governor is probably the worst in the country,” Trump said.

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On Monday, Pritzker and other Democrats responded to Trump’s comments.   

“I think you can see that this has not gone well for him politically, and he’s all about the politics,” Illinois’ governor said.

U.S. Rep. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia of Illinois’ 4th District added: “All these announcements from the White House, the military parade that looks like a big flop that took place on Flag Day, are all efforts to distract us from what’s really important.”

Trump’s jab did not garner a response from Chicago’s mayor, who, along with other cities such as Boston, Denver, and San Francisco, joined a federal lawsuit that accuses Homeland Security of freezing counter-terrorism funds earmarked for cities.

Reported ICE arrest in Elgin

Meanwhile, news of Trump’s directive to intensify deportation efforts in Democratic-led cities comes amid evidence of stepped-up enforcement in the Chicago area. Video provided to WGN by the community organization Elgin Area Rapid Response documents what the organization says was the arrest of an Elgin man at around 7:30 a.m. Monday near Gertrude Street and Washburn.

Witnesses reported eight agents on the scene, including members of the FBI. Department of Justice media contacts confirmed to WGN-TV that their agents participated in the Elgin operation, which they say was in support of a Department of Homeland Security-targeted enforcement.

Congressmen visit ISAP office

Two Illinois Congressmen, U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (8th District) and U.S. Rep. Jonathan Jackson (1st District), visited the ISAP (Intensive Supervision Appearance Program) office in the South Loop on Tuesday. The immigration office is run by ICE officials.

Several Chicago residents have received text messages to show up there. When they arrived for check-in, they were detained.

Krishnamoorthi says he wants answers.

“For ICE and Donald Trump to specifically target Chicago for these types of raids and these types of fraudulent text scams to get people to come in, only to be snatched away, is wrong,” the congressman said.

“So today, Jonathan and I are here to do our congressional oversight, to visit this facility to find out what the heck is going on, and to stop this type of activity from progressing.”

At least three people were detained by ICE officials on Father’s Day this past Sunday after receiving texts to check in at the ISAP office in west suburban Broadview.

Jackson says people are going missing and that the Trump administration’s deportation efforts are causing disruption and chaos in Chicago, with families unsure of whether to file a missing persons report, or if someone has been abducted.

Both Krishnamoorthi and Jackson say people have been living peacefully and have been lured in.

Both congressmen were able to go inside the ISAP office in the South Loop on Tuesday. WGN News was told that someone inside with a mask on their face did identify themselves as an officer, but they gave no other information.

The congressmen were not able to observe the process or ask questions. They say their next step is to write a letter demanding access.