The Trump administration has announced plans to expand federal immigration operations in Chicago. It has lead to further tension between federal and local officials. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem shared that “We have already been conducting ongoing operations with ICE in Chicago… but we do intend to add more resources to those operations.”
She made these comments on CBS News’ Face the Nation, following developments that the Department of Homeland Security requested logistical assistance from the Naval Station Great Lakes, a military base situated about 35 miles north of the city.
Noem declined to go into detail about the scope and timing of the operation, saying only that they “haven’t taken anything off the table” and are making sure they “have the resources and the equipment to go in,” as directed by President Trump.
The announcement comes after the Trump administration’s previous deployments of National Guard troops to cities like Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles, where federal authorities cited priorities such as “crime, immigration, and homelessness.”
Noem emphasized that whether the National Guard will be deployed to Chicago is ultimately Trump’s prerogative. She added, “I do know that LA wouldn’t be standing today if President Trump hadn’t taken action. That city would have burned if left to devices of the mayor and governor of that state.”
The administration maintains its expanded federal effort is designed to crack down on so-called sanctuary cities, like Chicago, that have rules barring local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement agencies.
In direct response to these plans, Mayor Brandon Johnson signed an executive order forbidding the Chicago Police Department from assisting federal authorities with civil immigration enforcement, including participating in patrols, traffic stops, or checkpoints with federal agents.
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Johnson criticized Trump’s intentions as “out-of-control” and unconstitutional, warning at a press event that “we have days, not weeks, before we might witness some form of militarized activity from the federal government.” Johnson further asserted, “He is reckless and out of control. He’s the biggest threat to our democracy that we’ve experienced in the history of our country,” and made clear that the city would not comply with any federal orders to participate in immigration operations.
Governor JB Pritzker has also condemned the planned federal presence, highlighting the recent order as evidence of both state and city resistance. Pritzker said in an interview that Trump’s push to mobilize federal forces in Illinois may be tied to an effort “to stop the elections in 2026 or, frankly, take control of those elections.”
The governor underscored that the arrival of federal troops would be viewed as “an invasion,” and together with Johnson, is preparing legal action if the administration moves forward with its plan. Both officials maintain that crime rates in Chicago have declined and that there is no justification for additional intervention from Washington.
BREAKING: Kristi Noem just confirmed that ICE will be FLOODING Chicago this week!
The Mayor will have a 0% approval rating after Trump proves just how easy it is to get the illegals out!
“We’ve already had ongoing operations with ICE in Chicago and throughout Illinois!”
“We… pic.twitter.com/l7ph6dAR5r
— Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman) August 31, 2025
This standoff is unfolding as Chicago, the nation’s third-largest city, remains home to a large immigrant population and some of the strictest regulations in the country against cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.
Tensions have escalated further following social media posts by Trump in which he warned Governor Pritzker to address the city’s crime problems or risk outside intervention. Federal officials, meanwhile, insist that the coming surge is about “cracking down on crime,” but local and state leaders interpret it as political retribution and an assault on their autonomy.
