CHICAGO — Federal officials say that Latin street gangs in Chicago have issued orders to its members to “shoot on sight” Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents during enforcement operations, according to intelligence shared by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and reported by Fox News.
Key details:
- DHS says the gang-type violence is tied to the enforcement initiative Operation Midway Blitz, which began in Chicago in September 2025 to target illegal immigrants with criminal records.
- One document referenced by Fox News states that the gang known as Latin Kings has placed bounties on ICE and Border Patrol officers — for example, offering thousands of dollars if the agent is harmed or killed.
- In patrols and raids, federal agents say they faced vehicles being used as weapons, crowds throwing bricks or paint cans, and gunfire in Chicago’s Little Village and Pilsen neighborhoods.
- A federal law-enforcement source reportedly said one gang had sent members into rooftop positions to monitor enforcement actions and coordinate attacks on agents.
Response and impact:
DHS officials labeled the tactics “organized campaigns of terror” directed at law‐enforcement personnel. “Our agents are facing ambushes, drone surveillance, and death threats,” a DHS spokesperson said. Federal prosecutors in Chicago have since opened investigations into the gang plots and offensive efforts against immigration agents. One suspected Latin Kings leader was arrested in October for allegedly placing a kill-order bounty on a senior U.S. Border Patrol commander.
City and local leaders push back:
Chicago’s mayor and state officials have contested DHS’s depiction of events, arguing that federal enforcement operations have inflamed tensions and violated local laws. Civil-liberties groups also warn against broad characterizations of immigrant or gang-related communities.
The investigation into these gang orders and bounties is ongoing. Authorities say additional arrests and indictments are expected as they build cases around the threats and attacks directed at federal immigration agents.
