Kristi Noem Joins ICE Raid in Chicago, DHS Denies Wrongful Arrests of U.S. Citizens

• Kristi Noem joins ICE raid in Chicago
• DHS denies arresting American citizens
• Operation Midway Blitz to continue

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem accompanied immigration agents during a pre-dawn ICE raid in Elgin, Illinois.

The large-scale operation, featuring helicopters, tactical vehicles, and powerful floodlights, resulted in five arrests — along with two U.S. citizens who were briefly detained before being released.

According to a CBS report, the two Americans were initially taken into custody but regained their freedom after presenting official identification.

Kristi Noem at the Center of the Operation

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) later denied that these cases qualified as arrests, clarifying that the individuals were only held for safety reasons while the operation unfolded.

A DHS spokesperson told Newsweek:

“No U.S. citizen was arrested. They were briefly detained for their own safety and that of the officers while the operation at the house was underway. This is standard protocol.”

Operation Midway Blitz: Focus on Criminal Records

The raid, dubbed Operation Midway Blitz, targeted foreign nationals with criminal backgrounds in the Chicago metropolitan area.

DHS reported that arrests included:

• One individual convicted of driving under the influence with a child passenger.
• Another with a record of violent assault.
• A third facing charges of domestic violence, harassment, obstruction, and aggravated stalking.

Kristi Noem shared images on X, underscoring the government’s hardline stance on immigration:

“President Trump has been clear: if politicians won’t prioritize their citizens’ safety, this administration will. This morning, DHS removed violent offenders from the streets with arrests for assault, DUI, and aggravated stalking. Our work is only beginning.”

Mixed Reactions

Witnesses in Elgin described the scene as an overwhelming show of force, with helicopters circling, blinding lights, and tactical officers moving in.

Among those briefly detained was Joe Botello, a U.S. citizen from Texas.

He told the Chicago Sun-Times: “I told them I was an American citizen, that my ID was in my wallet.”

Illinois State Senator Cristina Castro issued a blunt response directed at Kristi Noem through CBS Chicago: “She can go to hell. Don’t come into my community.”

What’s Next

DHS confirmed operation Midway Blitz will continue across Chicago in the coming weeks, with support from ICE, U.S. Marshals, the FBI, and CBP.

You may also like: ICE Receives Over 150,000 Applications From Americans to “Expel the Worst Migrants”

The Trump administration has pledged the largest deportation operation in U.S. history.

In its first 100 days, ICE reported over 66,000 arrests and 65,000 deportations, raising the daily detention population to 55,000 people.

Source: Newsweek