Credibility: Original Reporting Sources Cited Original Reporting This article contains new, firsthand information uncovered by its reporter(s). This includes directly interviewing sources and research/analysis of primary source documents. Sources Cited As a news piece, this article cites verifiable, third-party sources which have all been thoroughly fact-checked and deemed credible by the Newsroom. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers make a push towards protesters as a I.C.E. vehicle leaves the facility in Broadview on Friday Sept. 19, 2025. Credit: Vincent D. Johnson/Block Club Chicago CHICAGO — The leader of ICE in Chicago insisted his officers have crossed no lines as part of an immigration enforcement operation that has “no end date.” Russell Hott, ICE field director in Chicago, said the agency is not and has not conducted any internal investigations or suspended any agents for their actions during Operation Midway Blitz over the past month — during which federal agents have shot at least two people, killing one; repeatedly tear gassed protesters and first responders; shot rubber bullets at protesters; detained U.S. citizens, including children; handcuffed a Chicago alderperson in a hospital; smoke bombed a Chicago street as a family went by; fired a chemical weapon at a TV reporter and detained a journalist. A viral video shows agents being chased away by a crowd after struggling for minutes to detain a man in the middle of a busy street. “I have not seen any such uses of force that were not justified by the actions of individuals,” Hott said during a phone interview Monday with a Block Club reporter. “Our officers are highly trained, highly skilled in this field.” Hott — who was assigned to Chicago as the Trump administration pushes for more immigration arrests in Democratic-led cities — said more than 1,000 people have been arrested under Operation Midway Blitz and “several thousand” are still wanted. The operation has “no end date,” Hott said. Local officials had previously said the operation was expected to only run for about 45 days. “Gas pedal down until we get to the end of this,” Hott said. Federal agents — including ICE, ERO and HSI, detain several people at the Intensive Supervision Appearance Program office, 2245 S. Michigan Ave., in South Loop on June 4, 2025. Credit: Sebastián Hidalgo for Block Club Chicago Last week, a massive overnight raid of a South Shore apartment building saw federal agents kick in doors, detain at least four children and handcuff U.S. citizens inside vans for hours. The raid — which involved helicopters and agents coming in via the roof — has drawn massive criticism and calls for investigation from elected officials. Hott did not rule out raids of similar sizes on buildings or businesses. Search Results placeholder “If it’s at a business, if it’s at a residence, that’s where we will follow,” Hott said. “The operational tempo is going to continue until we exhaust our target list.” Hott said the operations were “focused on targeted enforcement” and agents have arrested gang members and people convicted of violent crimes. ICE social media has touted mugshots of arrestees considered “the worst of the worst.” But ICE has repeatedly refused to provide information on the vast majority of the people it has taken in. When asked why information on all people detained was not released, Hott said ICE was “focused on representations of the individuals.” “The select few represent the greater good,” Hott said. Hott would not say whether children were among those being detained or handcuffed, something the Department of Homeland Security has denied despite a witness to the South Shore raid alleging kids were zip-tied. “Children have been encountered pursuant to arrests for targets,” Hott said. “In those instances, there have been parents that wanted to bring their children with them, and we have accommodated that.” A few hundred rallied and protested against the deployment of federal agents and possibly the National guard along Michigan Avenue on Sept. 30, 2025. Credit: Colin Boyle/Block Club Chicago Hott said more than 65 protesters have also been arrested, describing them as “violent rioters, agitators and vigilantes.” Federal prosecutors have brought charges against at least a dozen protesters, many of whom have been released by judges as they await trials. Block Club is a plaintiff in a lawsuit alleging ICE agents fired rubber bullets and chemical weapons at peaceful protesters and journalists. On Monday, federal prosecutors unsealed a murder-for-hire case, alleging a local man tried to place a bounty on an unnamed “senior law enforcement official” in Chicago. Hott said he welcomes the potential deployment this week of National Guardsmen to protect ICE officers facing “security risks.” He said over 30 ICE officers have been assaulted, some followed home. Hott said the tires of his car have been slashed. ICE officers continue to wear masks so people can’t use “facial recognition to track them down to their home addresses,” Hott said. “I think our officers feel abandoned,” Hott said. “But our officers also recognize they are performing work that has a greater purpose, right?” People have described being held up at gunpoint by ICE officers on their way to work, chased outside homeless shelters, seeing a man choked during a traffic stop and detained without probable cause. Some have been released after presenting paperwork they had legal permission to be in the United States. Border Patrol Chief Greg Bovino told WBEZ some people his agents are arresting are chosen based partly on “how they look.” But Hott said people are being detained only “based on their lawful or unlawful presence in the United States.” “Arrests are made based on probable cause,” he said. Hott is a named defendant in a lawsuit filed by the Village of Broadview that accuses ICE of blocking the public way after building fencing outside its processing facility following protests. On Sept. 26, Rep. Delia Ramirez and U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth requested a meeting with Hott to discuss Operation Midway Blitz and oversight of the Broadview facility. Hott had to reschedule the meeting, a Ramirez spokesperson said. Hott said he’s “enjoyed getting acclimated to Chicago.” “I think Chicago is a beautiful city,” Hott said. “I think folks in Chicago want to feel free and safe to walk around and be able to visit and explore without fear of being attacked, assaulted or otherwise victimized.” Post navigation