The Chicago area is preparing for the application of additional immigration, which could begin as soon as Friday, according to the governor of Illinois JB Pritzker.
At a press conference earlier this week, Pritzker said that the United States immigration and compliance operations would increase in Chicago over the weekend, even as soon as Friday. There could be up to 300 ice agents, according to local officials.
The governor of Illinois, JB Pritzker, speaks during a press conference, on September 2, 2025, in Chicago.
Kamil Krzaczynski/AFP through Getty Images
In response to the application of additional ice, officials in the city of neighboring communities are preparing for the impact of agents, according to Gregory Jackson, who serves as chief of cabinet in northern Chicago, Illinois. Agents and officials are expected to operate from the Naval Station of the Great Lakes for about 30 days, he said.
He was near the Federal Court in Chicago, in advance of application actions. In addition, agents and officials are expected to operate from the Naval Station of the Great Lakes for about 30 days, Jackson said.
The Chicago cry, the city’s festival for Mexico’s Independence Day, has postponed the event scheduled for next weekend due to ice activity.
“It was a painful decision, but sustaining El cry Chicago at this time puts the security of our community at stake, and that is a risk that we are not willing to take,” the event Posted on your website.
Meanwhile, the mayor of Chicago, Brandon Johnson, is going back to the presence of expanded ice, saying that the city does not “want or need application of militarized immigration in our city.”
The mayor of Chicago, Brandon Johnson, in front of the governor of Illinois, JB Pritzker, speaks during a press conference about reports of federal deployments in Chicago, on September 2, 2025.
Jim Vondruska/Reuters
The increase in application occurs when President Donald Trump said he would deploy the National Guard troops in Chicago due to crime in the city. Trump has repeatedly pointed to Chicago, since he has reflected sending the guard to other important American cities after his federal acquisition of Washington. Trump has said that he preferred that the cities ask for the help of their administration.
Pritzker has delayed the participation of the Trump administration in Chicago, saying “I will not call the president, asking him to send troops to Chicago. I already made it clear,” said Pritzker.
A spokesman for the National Security Department told ABC News that the application is pointing to the “worst of the worst” criminals.
“It is not surprising that these criminals go into mass to sanctuary cities where politicians protect them and allow them to wander in US streets that put American lives at risk,” spokesmen said. “The DHS will go where these illegal criminal foreigners are, including Chicago, Boston and other cities. According to President Trump and Secretary Noem, nowhere there is a safe refuge for illegal criminal foreigners. If you illegally come to our country and break our laws, we will hunt you, we will arrest you, will deport it, and never return.”
