Photo :AI-generated. 

September 12, 2025

Andrew Campbell 

The Trump administration is preparing to launch a major immigration enforcement operation in Chicago, which could begin as early as September 5. The agency is continuing its large-scale deportation efforts and is urging undocumented immigrants without other criminal records to voluntarily leave the country.

President Donald Trump has directed United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) tactical units to be deployed to Chicago. It is expected that ICE will soon carry out a significant enforcement operation in the area, using the Great Lakes Naval Station as its base of operations.

As part of this broader crackdown, the Department of Homeland Security has highlighted a number of notable ICE arrests in Chicago since President Trump took office in January. The President has claimed that the effort—which has included suspected members of MS-13 and Tren de Aragua—is directly tied to immigration enforcement.