Published TUESDAY October 21, 2025: 'Conquest Of Chicago' by ZUMA Press photo-journalist's DAVE DECKER and CHRIS RIHA: Fear of ICE raids have shaken Chicago, impacting local residents and businesses, as immigrant labor is critical to Chicago's economy. US President Trump deployed 300 US troops to Chicago, to address what he said was out-of-control crime. While violence is rare at protests, angry clashes are common and crime is still a serious problem, yet the city's murder rate has dropped significantly. Overall crime levels in Chicago remain higher than the average for many US cities. What began in September as a crackdown named 'Operation Midway Blitz,' has now surged across the city, with regular patrols by masked, armed agents, detentions of U.S. citizens and immigrants with legal status, and at least one fatality. Authorities stated over 1,000 immigrants had been arrested across Illinois so far. Now a Federal Judge in Chicago ruled that ICE agents can face arrest and contempt if they conduct unlawful, warrantless arrests, marking a dramatic shift in immigration enforcement oversight in the city. Welcome to 'Conquest Of Chicago'
© zReportage.com Issue #1010 Story of the Week: Published TUESDAY October 21, 2025: 'Conquest Of Chicago' by ZUMA Press photo-journalist's DAVE DECKER and CHRIS RIHA: Fear of ICE raids have shaken Chicago, impacting local residents and businesses, as immigrant labor is critical to Chicago's economy. US President Trump deployed 300 US troops to Chicago, to address what he said was out-of-control crime. While violence is rare at protests, angry clashes are common and crime is still a serious problem, yet the city's murder rate has dropped significantly. Overall crime levels in Chicago remain higher than the average for many US cities. What began in September as a crackdown named 'Operation Midway Blitz,' has now surged across the city, with regular patrols by masked, armed agents, detentions of U.S. citizens and immigrants with legal status, and at least one fatality. Authorities stated over 1,000 immigrants had been arrested across Illinois so far. Now a Federal Judge in Chicago ruled that ICE agents can face arrest and contempt if they conduct unlawful, warrantless arrests, marking a dramatic shift in immigration enforcement oversight in the city. Welcome to 'Conquest Of Chicago'
Agent shouts at protestors and media to move back as United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement ICE taskforce move in to quell protestors at Chicago's Broadview Immigration facility during 'Operation Midway Blitz.'
© Dave Decker/ZUMA Press Wire
Militarized agents for the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement ICE move in with force to quell protestors as the Broadview facility's role has changed dramatically with the start of 'Operation Midway Blitz'.
© Dave Decker/ZUMA Press Wire
Candidate for the US House of Representatives KAT ABUGHAZALEH rallies with immigrants rights groups at 25th street entrance to the Broadview Processing Center as the Broadview facility's role has changed dramatically with the start of 'Operation Midway Blitz' which is the central processing facility for the operation.
© Dave Decker/ZUMA Press Wire
Chief Patrol Agent GREG BOVINO and militarized agents for the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement ICE move in with force to quell protestors and make arrests as the Broadview facility's role has changed dramatically with the start of 'Operation Midway Blitz'.
© Dave Decker/ZUMA Press Wire
A protester with a bloody nose and another flushes his eyes to clear the effects of stings balls, pepper spray and tear gas outside the Broadview facility during a demonstration against 'Operation Midway Blitz.'
© Dave Decker/ZUMA Press Wire
Militarized agents for the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (I.C.E.) aka ICE move in with force to quell protestors as the Broadview facility's role has changed dramatically with the start of 'Operation Midway Blitz'.
© Dave Decker/ZUMA Press Wire
Agents for the Department Of Homeland Security take down a protestor then fire crowd disbursement munitions as the central processing facility's role has changed dramatically with the start of Operation Midway Blitz.
© Dave Decker/ZUMA Press Wire
Photojournalist WALI KHAN receives first aid after being shot in the face with a pepper ball by federal agents, while covering a protest outside the ICE Detention Facility in Broadview as Operation Midway Blitz continues in Chicagoland.
© Chris Riha/ZUMA Press Wire
A shirtless protester stands and shows the effects of stings balls, pepper spray and tear gas on his back outside the Broadview facility during a protest against ICE and 'Operation Midway Blitz' in Chicago.
© Dave Decker/ZUMA Press Wire
Agents for the Department Of Homeland Security take down a protestor then fire crowd disbursement munitions outside the Broadview immigration facility.
© Dave Decker/ZUMA Press Wire
Protestors are forced to move off of a sidewalk after an illegal assembly was declared as militarized agents for the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement ICE move in with force to quell protestors.
© Dave Decker/ZUMA Press Wire
A federal agent moves in with force with teargas to quell protestors at the Broadview facility during Operation Midway Blitz.
© Dave Decker/ZUMA Press Wire
An 'un-detonated pepperball' on the street as militarized agents for the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (I.C.E.) aka ICE stand guard as the Broadview Immigration processing facility.
© Dave Decker/ZUMA Press Wire
A Border Patrol agent pushes a roller blading activist to the ground, to clear way for an ICE vehicle, outside the Broadview facility during 'Operation Midway Blitz' in Chicagoland.
© Chris Riha/ZUMA Press Wire
A protestor wearing a baseball cap and dust mask as agents for the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement ICE move in with force to quell protestors at the Broadview facility at the start of 'Operation Midway Blitz.'
© Dave Decker/ZUMA Press Wire
Heavily armed and masked Border Patrol agents securing the area around the Broadview ICE Facility to make way for ICE vehicles and buses during a peaceful protest of'Operation Midway Blitz' on Chicago.
© Chris Riha/ZUMA Press Wire
A protestor lifts her guitar to show a hole created by a pepperball as militarized agents for the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (I.C.E.) aka ICE stand guard and shoot at protestors and media outside the Broadview immigration processing facility.
© Dave Decker/ZUMA Press Wire
An ICE Agent armed with a multiple grenade launcher on the rooftop of the ICE Facility in Broadview, in response to a peaceful protest of 'Operation Midway Blitz' in Chicago.
© Chris Riha/ZUMA Press Wire
A protester holds a sign reading 'Trump Makes America Hate' as armed ICE Agents on the rooftop of the ICE Facility in Broadview, in response to a peaceful protest of 'Operation Midway Blitz' in Chicago area.
© Chris Riha/ZUMA Press Wire
Armed agents for the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement ICE process detainees at the Broadview processing facility during 'Operation Midway Blitz.'
© Dave Decker/ZUMA Press Wire
'Abolish ICE' stickers on the gate of the immigration processing facility as militarized agents for the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement ICE lock a gate and move in with force to quell protestors at the Broadview facility during the start of 'Operation Midway Blitz.'
© Dave Decker/ZUMA Press Wire
A Citizen holds a sign that says 'ICE OUT OF CHI' to protest as militarized agents for the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement or ICE stand guard as the Broadview immigration processing facility.
© Dave Decker/ZUMA Press Wire
A peaceful protester slaps his skateboard along with the beat of the band and chants while opposing 'Operation Midway Blitz' in the Chicago area, nearby the ICE facility in Broadview.
© Chris Riha/ZUMA Press Wire
An ICE agent wielding a pepper ball gun with his finger on the trigger, barrel pointed at press and protesters alike, during Operation Midway Blitz in Chicagoland, outside the Broadview ICE Facility.
© Chris Riha/ZUMA Press Wire
A protestor draped with a Mexican flag stands at the gates in protest as the Broadview Immigration processing facility at the start of 'Operation Midway Blitz' in Chicago.
© Dave Decker/ZUMA Press Wire
Law enforcement officers arrest a man at the Broadview facility during a demonstration against ICE and 'Operation Midway Blitz.'
© Dave Decker/ZUMA Press Wire
Militarized agents for the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (I.C.E.) aka ICE move in with force to quell protestors as the Broadview facility's role has changed dramatically with the start of 'Operation Midway Blitz' which is the central processing facility for the operation.
© Dave Decker/ZUMA Press Wire
