Federal law enforcement has just arrested over 1,000 illegal aliens in Illinois.

Fox News reports that this is part of the Trump administration's Operation Midway Blitz, "a sweeping crackdown on those who sought refuge under the state’s sanctuary policies."

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, under the leadership of Secretary Kristi Noem, announced the arrests on Friday.

"He is inept and he is spineless. @Sec_Noem is bringing accountability to Chicago and Illinois... we are conducting operations with Border Patrol and ICE to get these criminals off of J.B. Pritzker's streets because he refuses to do it himself." @TriciaOhio

If sanctuary city… pic.twitter.com/itOYASuSfJ

— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) October 4, 2025

Here are the details:

DHS provided the American public with the details of its operation in a press release that it published on Friday.

"The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) today announced U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Border Patrol officers have arrested more than 1,000 illegal aliens—including the worst of the worst pedophiles, child abusers, kidnappers, gang members, and armed robbers," the department wrote.

It continues:

On September 8, the Department of Homeland Security started Operation Midway Blitz in honor of Katie Abraham who was killed in a drunk driving hit-and-run car wreck caused by criminal illegal alien Julio Cucul-Bol in Illinois. The operation targets criminal illegal aliens who flocked to Chicago and Illinois seeking protection under the sanctuary policies of Governor Pritzker.

Pritzker continues to speak out against the operation.

It one recent statement, for example, he said:

Federal agents reporting to Secretary Noem have spent weeks snatching up families, scaring law-abiding residents, violating due process rights, and even detaining U.S. citizens. They fail to focus on violent criminals and instead create panic in our communities.

"Making the state safe again"

Assistant DHS Secretary Tricia McLaughlin released a statement of her own on the situation.

"During Operation Midway Blitz, our brave DHS law enforcement has made more than 1,000 arrests across Illinois including of pedophiles, child abusers, kidnappers, gang members, and armed robbers," she said.

McLaughlin added, "Our patriotic law enforcement officers are making these arrests despite working without pay because of the Democrats' shutdown. President Trump and Secretary Noem will not allow continued violence or repeat offenders to terrorize our neighborhoods and victimize our children."

McLaughlin concluded by emphasizing that "Operation Midway Blitz is making Illinois safe again."

In the press release, DHS also provides photographs of some of the criminals that it has arrested with a list of each individual's charges.