The border patrol agent who spearheaded the immigration crackdown that sparked widespread protests in Los Angeles announced in a social media post Tuesday that he has arrived in Chicago.
“Well, Chicago, we’ve arrived!” Gregory Bovino said in a post on X that included footage of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) vehicles and agents under Chicago street signs and views of downtown. “Operation At Large is here to continue the mission we started in Los Angeles.”
Donald Trump has promised for weeks that Chicago would see a surge in deportations and national guard troops over the fierce of objections of local leaders and residents.
Immigration advocates in Chicago said they had noticed an uptick in immigration enforcement agents in recent days as Trump targets Democratic strongholds. However, Trump has seesawed on sending a military deployment to Chicago.
Neither the focus nor size of the border patrol operation that Bovino referenced in his message Tuesday was immediately clear. Officials did not answers questions Tuesday about the scope of immigration enforcement in Chicago.
The increased enforcement in recent days has deepened dread among Chicago’s already fearful immigrant communities, leading to the cancellation and delay of some celebrations for Mexican Independence Day, which was Tuesday.
“Chief Bovino and CBP play a key support role in our targeted enforcement operations,” said Tricia McLaughlin, the Department of Homeland Security assistant secretary, said in a statement.
Kristi Noem posted on X that she, also, was in Chicago “to make clear we are not backing down”.
“Our work is only beginning,” the homeland security secretary said.
In Los Angeles, Bovino’s self-described “turn and burn” operation led to thousands of arrests. Agents smashed car windows, blew open a door to a house and patrolled MacArthur Park on horseback.
JB Pritzker, the Illinois Democratic governor who has objected to any federal intervention, told reporters Monday that it was clear that immigration operations had been ramping up around Chicago.
“Ice has been gathering its agents,” he said.