On October 24, 2025, the national debate over immigration enforcement and civil liberties reached a fever pitch, with dramatic developments unfolding in both Minnesota and Chicago. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem took the stage in the Twin Cities to tout a surge in federal immigration operations, while, hundreds of miles away, a Chicago federal judge grilled government lawyers about the legality and conditions of a massive sweep known as “Operation Midway Blitz.”
Noem, speaking to reporters Friday afternoon, painted a stark picture of crime and immigration in Minnesota. She highlighted recent arrests of individuals from Mexico and El Salvador, describing them as “serious criminals” who had been “taken off the street in the Twin Cities area.” According to her, these actions demonstrated the federal government’s commitment to protecting public safety—especially where local officials, in her view, had fallen short. “Under the leadership of Mayor Frey, under the leadership of Gov. Walz, more violent crimes are being perpetuated in these communities because of their refusal to defend American citizens,” Noem declared, as reported by 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS. She insisted, “Regardless, our federal officers, our ICE officers, ERO, HSI and partnership with our Department of Justice, agencies and other individuals throughout the federal government, we will continue to do the work to make sure these criminals are removed from our communities.”
Yet, the numbers tell a more nuanced story. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension’s 2024 crime report, released just days before Noem’s visit, revealed that murders have actually decreased in Minnesota for the third consecutive year. Violent crime overall remained steady, with a modest 1% rise in the seven-county Twin Cities metro area and a 3% dip elsewhere in the state. FBI statistics further supported these trends: robberies and rapes have been on a downward trajectory for several years, and although aggravated assaults and homicides peaked in 2021 or 2022, they have since declined slightly. These findings complicate the narrative of a city or state spiraling into lawlessness, as suggested by federal officials.
Despite the statistical evidence, Noem underscored the scale of recent enforcement actions. She announced that more than 4,300 people had been “removed from the streets of Minnesota” since January 1, 2025, with 3,316 of those individuals possessing criminal histories. “The individuals that have been arrested and removed have had crimes and charges against them such as murder, assaults, homicides, robberies, carjackings and shootings,” Noem said, though she offered few details about the fate of those detained or deported.
Noem also revealed that a recently passed congressional bill had allocated 10,000 new ICE officers nationwide. The first 1,200 to 1,500 are already in the field, with thousands more set to be deployed soon—including “dozens of more federal agents and federal officers” in Minnesota. “They’ll continue to go out and not just go after the worst of the worst but make sure those individuals that are in this country illegally are brought to justice and deported,” she stated. Currently, three Minnesota facilities—Freeborn County Jail, Kandiyohi County Jail, and Sherburne County Jail—have contracts with ICE, but Noem said her department is seeking additional detention partnerships, particularly with local sheriffs and smaller towns where state officials have been less cooperative.
The response on the ground was immediate and passionate. Outside the federal building in the Twin Cities, hundreds of protesters gathered throughout the day, voicing their opposition to ICE operations and Noem’s visit. “I’m out protesting the use of my tax dollars,” said Bridgette Reisinger, noting this was her fourth protest of the year. Another protester, Brooke Bartholomew, rallied the crowd: “It’s us, the people, who will stand up for one another, who will fight back against fascism, against the deportations, against the military in our streets and the bombings abroad.” Yet, not all voices were in opposition. Alleister, a supporter of Noem, emphasized the importance of protest and dialogue: “Those are the kinds of things that help us calm things down and stay away from violent conflicts.”
Noem’s visit came just three weeks after the U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the Twin Cities and the state of Minnesota, alleging that “sanctuary city” policies were interfering with federal immigration enforcement. Local officials, including Governor Tim Walz and the mayors of Minneapolis and St. Paul, have pushed back, insisting they are not breaking any laws. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison stated, “My team and I regularly partner with law enforcement to prosecute dangerous individuals who pose a threat to their communities, and Minnesota is not stopping the federal government from doing the same. This baseless lawsuit is just more political retaliation against Minnesota and we will respond in court.”
Meanwhile, in Chicago, the focus was on the legality and human impact of federal immigration operations. U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Cummings presided over a hearing regarding “Operation Midway Blitz,” which has seen about 3,000 people arrested since early September. Plaintiffs—represented by the National Immigrant Justice Center and the ACLU—allege that federal officials have repeatedly violated a 2022 consent decree that restricts warrantless immigration arrests, and they have asked the court to release most detainees on electronic monitoring while litigation continues. The government countered that each detention should be evaluated individually, not en masse.
During the 90-minute hearing, Judge Cummings made it clear that the consent decree, known as the Castañon Nava settlement agreement, applies to all agents involved in Chicago immigration operations and extends nationwide. He pressed government lawyers on whether detainees were being held in “safe and sanitary conditions” and had access to attorneys. When William Weiland, a Department of Justice attorney, could not certify the conditions, Cummings responded sharply: “Don’t make that statement if you can’t back it up.”
Cummings also criticized ICE’s practice of carrying blank warrant forms (I-200s) to fill out at the scene, and he referenced a controversial raid on September 30 in Chicago’s South Shore neighborhood. In that operation, roughly 300 officers and Black Hawk helicopters stormed an apartment building, detaining dozens of people—including American citizens—in zip ties for extended periods. The Department of Homeland Security claimed the raid targeted the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua and arrested 37 people on immigration violations, but has provided few details since. Cummings wrote in his order, “ICE rousted American citizens from their apartments during the middle of the night and detained them — in zip ties no less — for far longer than the ‘brief’ period authorized by the operative regulation.”
The judge extended the consent decree until February 2026, ordered ICE to provide detailed information on detainees and arrests, and insisted that the decree’s conditions be broadcast to ICE offices across the country. He underscored the importance of probable cause, warning that indiscriminate sweeps risk ensnaring legal residents and U.S. citizens alike.
As the nation continues to grapple with questions of public safety, due process, and the rights of immigrants and citizens, these developments in Minnesota and Chicago highlight just how fraught—and urgent—America’s immigration debate has become.
