ICE Agents Now Conduct Raids in Downtown Chicago Amid Protests

In a dramatic escalation of federal immigration enforcement, over 100 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, many in tactical gear and some masked, flooded downtown Chicago’s iconic Michigan Avenue on Sunday afternoon.

They detained at least one family in full view of stunned tourists and locals.

The operation, described by witnesses as a “storming” of the area, drew immediate backlash with bystanders shouting jeers and pleas, while advocacy groups warned of an “ongoing occupation” extending into the evening.

Eyewitness accounts and social media videos captured the chaos unfolding around 1 p.m. near Millennium Park, the Magnificent Mile, and the Chicago River.

A viral clip shared widely on X shows agents surrounding a mother and her children on South Michigan Avenue, bundling them into unmarked vehicles as crowds gathered.

Similar footage from the scene depicts agents staging at the DuSable Bridge before moving toward Tribune Tower and Trump Tower, with some branching off to the Riverwalk via Wacker Drive.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers, identifiable by their uniforms and some carrying long guns, were also spotted patrolling the sidewalks and even deploying boats on the Chicago River to monitor the waterway.

A Chicago Sun-Times photographer documented at least one arrest during the sweep, confirming the agents’ northward march from Millennium Park.

The Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR) quickly verified the presence of more than 50 federal agents in the vicinity, including near the Apple Store and other hotspots along Michigan Avenue, urging community members to avoid the area.

By late afternoon, ICIRR described the activity as an “ongoing operation,” with agents lingering in the Gold Coast neighborhood as dozens piled into vehicles and departed.

Bystander Fury

The sight of heavily armed federal agents in one of the city’s busiest tourist corridors ignited a firestorm of public reaction.

Passersby, including shoppers and families dining al fresco, hurled insults like “ICE sucks,” “Go home!” and “Real patriotic guys,” while one voice cut through the din with a sarcastic “Thank you!”

In the Gold Coast, tensions peaked as locals and visitors confronted agents directly, with one X user capturing chants of “ICE, go home!” echoing off high-rises.

Advocacy networks mobilized rapidly.

ICIRR’s Rapid Response Network issued real-time alerts, confirming the scale of the deployment and advising undocumented individuals to steer clear of downtown.

Separate warnings circulated on X about heavy ICE presence in Cicero and Berwyn, where two family members were reportedly detained around 10:40 a.m. on 60th Court and 13th Street.

One user described the downtown scene as ICE “effectively occupying the entire eastern half of the Loop,” with abductions recorded at Millennium Park.

Ties to Saturday’s Violent Protests

Sunday’s raid follows a night of intense clashes at the Broadview ICE Processing Center, where federal agents deployed tear gas and chemical irritants against protesters attempting to block a transport vehicle.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reported 11 arrests, including a Chicago-based journalist, and claimed two guns and an “explosive device” were recovered near the facility.

DHS has not disclosed charges against those detained, fueling accusations of overreach from immigrant rights groups.

The Broadview incident, coupled with Sunday’s urban patrol, signals a broader federal strategy targeting sanctuary cities like Chicago.

Local officials, including Mayor Brandon Johnson, have not yet commented, but the operation coincides with increased National Guard deployments in other Democratic strongholds like Portland and Memphis.

Aerial sightings of a Chinook helicopter over the Broadview center late Saturday added to fears of a militarized response.

What We Know – And What Remains Unclear

This multi-agency blitz – the largest seen in Chicago’s urban core in years – underscores the administration’s aggressive stance on interior enforcement, even as critics decry it as an intimidation tactic in a city that has long resisted federal overreach.

As night falls, federal boats continue patrolling the River, and social media buzzes with calls for vigilance.

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