Chicago's Deportation Crackdown Still Looming, DOJ Lawyer Claims, Despite Staff Changes.
A Justice Department lawyer told a federal judge that the aggressive deportation campaign launched under "Operation Midway Blitz" is far from over, despite key personnel leaving the city. The claim was made during a hearing in response to a lawsuit filed by protesters, clergy, and media organizations against the Chicago enforcement efforts, which some say amount to a form of police state tactics.
The campaign has already faced significant setbacks, including a preliminary injunction issued by U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis that restricted the use of tear gas and chokeholds among other measures. A recent 7th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling deemed this injunction "overbroad" and blocked its enforcement since late November.
In an effort to dismiss the lawsuit, lawyers representing the plaintiffs had sought to argue that the departure of key personnel from the Chicago enforcement team would mean the campaign was effectively over. However, a Justice Department lawyer pushed back on this argument, stating it was "wrong" to assume that the operation had ceased simply because some staff members were not present.
The case has been contentious since its inception, with many critics accusing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) of using excessive force and intimidating local residents and journalists. The lawsuit brought forth a range of claims against the agency's actions, including allegations of police-state tactics, entrapment, and emotional distress.
Despite this, the Justice Department maintained that its operations in Chicago remain unchanged. When asked by Judge Ellis if there were any plans to ramp up enforcement efforts again, the lawyer, Elizabeth Hedges, insisted that Homeland Security would continue "its lawful enforcement operations" as usual, without providing specific details on staffing levels or upcoming actions.
The judge ultimately disagreed with this assessment, stating that she did not believe a dismissal of the lawsuit with prejudice would have the intended effect of preventing future claims from those covered by the certified class. The case is set to be heard again in January, when Judge Ellis will consider the plaintiffs' request for a full dismissal of their allegations against ICE and its enforcement practices in Chicago.
A Justice Department lawyer told a federal judge that the aggressive deportation campaign launched under "Operation Midway Blitz" is far from over, despite key personnel leaving the city. The claim was made during a hearing in response to a lawsuit filed by protesters, clergy, and media organizations against the Chicago enforcement efforts, which some say amount to a form of police state tactics.
The campaign has already faced significant setbacks, including a preliminary injunction issued by U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis that restricted the use of tear gas and chokeholds among other measures. A recent 7th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling deemed this injunction "overbroad" and blocked its enforcement since late November.
In an effort to dismiss the lawsuit, lawyers representing the plaintiffs had sought to argue that the departure of key personnel from the Chicago enforcement team would mean the campaign was effectively over. However, a Justice Department lawyer pushed back on this argument, stating it was "wrong" to assume that the operation had ceased simply because some staff members were not present.
The case has been contentious since its inception, with many critics accusing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) of using excessive force and intimidating local residents and journalists. The lawsuit brought forth a range of claims against the agency's actions, including allegations of police-state tactics, entrapment, and emotional distress.
Despite this, the Justice Department maintained that its operations in Chicago remain unchanged. When asked by Judge Ellis if there were any plans to ramp up enforcement efforts again, the lawyer, Elizabeth Hedges, insisted that Homeland Security would continue "its lawful enforcement operations" as usual, without providing specific details on staffing levels or upcoming actions.
The judge ultimately disagreed with this assessment, stating that she did not believe a dismissal of the lawsuit with prejudice would have the intended effect of preventing future claims from those covered by the certified class. The case is set to be heard again in January, when Judge Ellis will consider the plaintiffs' request for a full dismissal of their allegations against ICE and its enforcement practices in Chicago.
. I mean, what's gonna change now that some staff is gone? They gotta be hoping we forget what's been happening in Chicago 
. The 7th Circuit Court ruling was a bummer, and this latest hearing just reinforced my suspicion - they're not done yet 
. And what's with the lack of transparency about staffing levels? If it's really all just personnel changes, shouldn't they be able to give us some info on that? 
This whole thing just feels like a game of whack-a-mole...ICE keeps pushing back and we keep fighting back 
.
I don't think it's surprising that they're still trying to enforce this operation, even with some staff leaving 
. The judge didn't seem convinced by the DOJ's argument that everything is business as usual, either 
. It feels like they're just trying to keep a lid on things until someone higher up says otherwise 
. And honestly, I don't blame anyone for being upset about this stuff 
. The whole thing does sound pretty intimidating...
and btw, some ppl are acting like this is a huge deal just 'cause some staff left... that's not even the point 
. I'm all about nuance when it comes to these issues, let's not oversimplify everything 
.
, dont know why more staff changes wont stop it 
, guess some ppl just wanna keep pushing boundaries 
, hate seeing innocent ppl get hurt by overzealous enforcement 
, hope judge makes wise decision soon 
The use of tear gas and chokeholds is already super aggressive and it feels like they're just trying to intimidate people into being quiet about it 
.
. Maybe we'll finally get some accountability for these actions 
.
I don't think it's right that they're trying to make the staff changes mean nothing, just because some people are leaving. That doesn't mean the whole operation is off the table.
I just hope we can get some answers on what's really going on and how we can hold our government accountable.
. Newsflash: it won't. I'm still skeptical about the whole 'lawful enforcement operations' thing too... sounds like they're trying to play it cool but their actions speak louder than words 
. January can't come soon enough, I guess 
u think that judge was just sleeping at her desk when she didn't dismiss the whole thing? 
btw, Homeland Security is all about enforcement, not "lawful operations" 
it's wild how some ppl think that just cuz some staff members left the operation would mean it's over 
, but apparently not 
, DOJ lawyer just told the judge that it's still fully operational and no plans to scale back 
. meanwhile, plaintiffs are like "wait a minute, didn't you guys already get a preliminary injunction restricting some of these tactics? 
". i'm low-key worried about how this will play out in court 
. Speaking of which, have you guys tried that new spot downtown that's supposed to make the flakiest crust? I heard it's a game changer... anyway, back to this Chicago deportation thing, it seems like such an administrative headache for everyone involved 
And now, with all these changes in personnel, it's like they're just spinning their wheels. 
This isn't just about enforcement; it's about creating a system that actually works for everyone. 
We gotta stop playing politics with people's lives and start talking about actual solutions, like comprehensive reform or pathway to citizenship. 
That's the only way we'll ever move forward on this stuff.
but seriously, what's next? are we gonna see more "operation midway blitz" 
news? and the fact that the DOJ lawyer was all like "it's not over" 
. It's like they think they can just waltz in here and start treatin' people like criminals? No way, José 
. can't just dismiss the concerns of clergy, protesters, and media organizations like that 
. I mean, what's to stop them from just bringing in new staff and continuing the same old tactics? It's like they think we won't catch on or something 
The whole thing about the deportation campaign just not being over because some people left their jobs... what even is that logic?