With a social media post invoking a classic war movie and the “smell of deportations in the morning,” the Trump administration has declared a new front in its war on sanctuary city policies.
The newly launched “Operation Midway Blitz” is more than just another immigration raid in Chicago. It is a deliberately provocative and high-profile show of federal force in the heart of a city whose leaders have long resisted it.
The operation has ignited a furious constitutional and political firestorm, pitting a president’s raw executive power against the defiant leaders of America’s third-largest city.
At a Glance: ‘Operation Midway Blitz’
- What’s Happening: The Trump administration’s DHS has launched a massive, targeted immigration enforcement surge in Chicago called “Operation Midway Blitz.”
- The Rhetoric: The administration is using extremely aggressive language, dedicating the operation to a crime victim, and using an “Apocalypse Now” theme, with President Trump referring to DHS as the “Department of WAR.”
- The Local Reaction: Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson have condemned the operation as a political stunt designed to “scare Illinoisians” and violate constitutional rights.
- The Constitutional Issue: A major Federalism showdown, pitting the federal government’s supreme power over immigration against the Tenth Amendment rights of “sanctuary” cities to refuse cooperation with federal enforcement.
A Mission Named for a Victim
The administration launched the operation with a powerful emotional appeal, dedicating it “in honor of Katie Abraham,” an Illinois resident killed in a drunk driving crash involving an undocumented immigrant.
“President Trump and [DHS] Secretary [Kristi] Noem stand with the victims of illegal alien crime while Governor Pritzker stands with criminal illegal aliens,” the department announced.
In an unusual and aggressive tactic, DHS also took to social media to release the names, photos, and criminal histories of 11 wanted individuals it says are at large in the Chicago area, framing them as the “worst of the worst.”
This comes after a weekend social media post from the President teasing the operation with an “Apocalypse Now”-themed video and the line, “‘I love the smell of deportations in the morning…’”
The Constitutional Standoff: Federal Power vs. Sanctuary City
This operation is a direct and forceful confrontation with Chicago’s “sanctuary” policies, and it brings two core constitutional principles into a head-on collision.
First is the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution. This clause establishes that federal law – in this case, immigration law – is supreme. The Trump administration is on firm constitutional ground in asserting that its ICE agents have the undisputed legal authority to conduct enforcement operations anywhere in the country, including Chicago.
But the city’s power to enact sanctuary policies is also rooted in the Constitution, specifically the Tenth Amendment and a principle known as the “anti-commandeering” doctrine. The Supreme Court has repeatedly ruled that the federal government cannot force, or “commandeer,” state and local governments to use their own resources and personnel to enforce federal law.
“This is the core of the sanctuary city conflict: Federal agents have the authority to operate in Chicago, but the city has the constitutional right not to help them. This operation is what happens when that friction turns into a fire.”
‘Authoritarianism’ or ‘Law and Order’?
The leaders of Chicago and Illinois have reacted with outrage, condemning the operation as a dangerous political stunt.
Governor J.B. Pritzker accused the administration of focusing on “scaring Illinoisians” rather than coordinating on public safety. Mayor Brandon Johnson called the move a form of “authoritarianism” and raised concerns about ICE’s “track record of detaining and deporting American citizens.” The city has directed residents to a “know your rights” resource hub.
The administration, however, frames the operation as a necessary “public safety mission.” They argue that sanctuary policies create a magnet for “criminal illegal aliens” and that they are simply stepping in to do the job that local officials refuse to do.
A Test of the Rule of Law
“Operation Midway Blitz” is a powerful demonstration of the President’s executive power to enforce federal law. It is also a test of the constitutional limits of that power in a federalist system that allows for deep disagreement between different levels of government.
The aggressive rhetoric and confrontational tactics have transformed a long-simmering legal debate into an open political war. As federal agents surge into a city whose leaders have declared them unwelcome, the operation will be a stark and potentially explosive test of the fragile relationship between the federal government, the states, and the communities they are both sworn to protect.