Since President Donald Trump’s administration promised a “blitz” of immigration enforcement action in Chicago, there have been reports of ICE arrests, calls by local Democrats to protect their residents’ rights, protests against the federal government and rising tensions in the Latino community.
As the Sun-Times and WBEZ report on this moment in the Chicago area, we’ve assembled a series of explainers and other stories to help readers make sense of what’s happening.
This collection of links will be updated as new content is published.
How does immigration enforcement work in Chicago?
We answer questions such as…
- What are the key locations for operations?
- What happens next to people who are detained
What if ICE comes to your workplace
We answer questions such as…
- Do employers need to prepare for federal authorities?
- How can federal agents gain access to the workplace?
What parents should know about sending kids to school
We answer questions such as…
- What if I don’t feel safe walking or driving my child to school?
- Can my child do school work from home?
How do sanctuary city laws protect immigrants?
We answer questions such as…
- Can law enforcement officers ask about immigration status?
- Why don’t all police departments help with immigration enforcement?
What if Trump deploys the National Guard?
We answer questions such as…
- Is it legal for the National Guard to march into our city?
- What can local leaders do to stop a National Guard deployment here?
- Can I take pictures or film the National Guard?
How do I submit a news tip to the Sun-Times and/or WBEZ?
Go to suntimes.com/tips for more information.
How violent is Chicago?
A WBEZ analysis has found that a three-month summer span saw the fewest Chicago murders in 60 years while overall violent crime remained near its lowest point in at least four decades. We provide graphics and data for questions such as…
- How does Chicago’s murder rate in summer 2025 compare to summers over the last 60 years?
- How does Chicago’s violent crime rate in summer 2025 compare to data since 1984?
More explainers on immigration enforcement
- How many immigrants has ICE arrested and detained so far this year? Here’s what we know.
- Before ‘Midway Blitz,’ the number of immigration cases in Chicago already was creeping up
- Who is Katie Abraham, the Illinois native at the center of the latest DHS deportation campaign?
- How Chicago doctors are encouraging telehealth during the expected ICE surge
- No, Chicago salt trucks are not being used to interfere with ICE