U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem joined federal immigration agents during an early morning operation in Elgin, Illinois, on Tuesday that resulted in multiple people being led away in handcuffs, and two U.S. citizens being briefly detained.
A CBS report said that five people had been arrested during the raid, including two U.S. citizens, before being released after showing their official documentation. But when asked by Newsweek, DHS denied that two U.S. citizens were arrested and said they were held briefly and subsequently released.
“No U.S. citizen was arrested, they were briefly held for their and officers’ safety while the operation in the house was under way. This is standard protocol,” a DHS spokesperson told Newsweek.
DHS said that five people were arrested as part of the raid, all of whom were illegal immigrants.
The raid—which Noem posted footage of on X—was part of a broader Department of Homeland Security (DHS) enforcement effort called “Operation Midway Blitz” that targeted criminal noncitizens in the Chicago area, according to officials.
Why It Matters
Noem’s presence on an early morning enforcement action underscores the heightened federal focus on immigration enforcement in the Chicago metropolitan area and the political salience of those operations. The homeland security secretary has become the face of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, making numerous public appearances and frequently attending ICE raids around the country.
The White House has floated a goal of 3,000 daily ICE arrests, raising concerns among advocates who say such quotas encourage indiscriminate enforcement practices and undermine due process protections.
Gerald Herbert, Pool/AP
What To Know
DHS said that five illegal immigrants were arrested in the Chicago area, including an individual convicted of a DUI with a child passenger, an individual convicted of violent assault, and an individual arrested for domestic violence, harassment, obstruction, and felony stalking.
“President Trump has been clear: if politicians will not put the safety of their citizens first, this administration will,” said Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. “Just this morning, DHS took violent offenders off the streets with arrests for assault, DUI, and felony stalking. Our work is only beginning.”
Video posted by Noem on X shows agents in tactical gear leading people away in handcuffs. It is unclear if those handcuffed included the two U.S. citizens.
DHS said the operation was part of a multi-week enforcement push targeting what the department described as “criminal illegal aliens” who have come to Illinois, particularly Chicago.
Local witnesses described helicopters, bright spotlights, tactical vehicles and what one neighbor called the “drone of a helicopter” overhead.
The Trump administration has pledged to carry out the largest mass deportation in U.S. history and has conducted numerous ICE raids since taking office in January.
ICE reported more than 66,000 arrests and 65,000 removals in the administration’s first 100 days, with the daily detention population swelling to 55,000 people, well above pre-inauguration levels.
While officials have stressed that dangerous criminals are being targeted, federal data show that many detainees have no criminal record at all.
Last month, ICE agents detained the boyfriend of a New York City official though he had legal status.
“On August 28, ICE arrested Nathaniel Rojas, a criminal alien from the Dominican Republic. His criminal history includes convictions for felony grand larceny, felony aggravated DUI with a child passenger less than 16 years old, identify theft, and retail theft. This criminal alien is in ICE custody pending removal proceedings,” Assistant DHS Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told Newsweek.
What People Are Saying
U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem wrote on X alongside footage of the operation: “This week, a brave ICE officer was dragged many yards by a car after a criminal illegal alien resisted arrest. His life was put at risk and he sustained serious injuries. President Trump has been clear: if politicians will not put the safety of their citizens first, this administration will. I was on the ground in Chicago today to make clear we are not backing down. Just this morning, DHS took violent offenders off the streets with arrests for assault, DUI, and felony stalking. Our work is only beginning.”
Joe Botello, a U.S. citizen from Texas detained in the raid, told the Chicago Sun-Times: “I told them I was a U.S. citizen, that my ID was in my wallet.”
Illinois state Senator Cristina Castro, addressing Noem directly, told CBS Chicago: “She can go to hell. Don’t come into my community.”
What Happens Next
DHS has signaled that the operation will continue for several weeks across the Chicago area, with federal agencies participating in enforcement actions. CBS reported that the broader federal presence included ICE, U.S. Marshals, the FBI and Customs and Border Protection.
Update 9/17/25, 11:03 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with comment and new information from DHS.
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