Chicagos Democrat-controlled City Council has voted by a wide margin to place a controversial immigration-related referendum before voters this November, asking whether the city should pursue financial compensation from the federal government over a major enforcement action carried out by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
According to The Post Millennial, the ballot question targets last years Operation Midway Blitz, a large-scale ICE operation under President Donald Trump that focused on apprehending illegal immigrants, including violent offenders. Democrat Mayor Brandon Johnson, who authored the measure, likened the federal enforcement effort to a military campaign, claiming it disrupted the lives of businesses and families, including those in the country unlawfully, NBC Chicago reported.
The referendum language is sweeping, asking: Shall the City of Chicago pursue all lawful means to recover financial compensation from the federal government for the costs and economic harm caused by the Donald Trump administration's violent, militarized ICE operations, including the Midway Blitz operation led by Greg Bovino, to recover lost tax revenue, public safety response costs, and services provided to residents and families affected by those operations? Johnsons resolution asserts that Independent studies of comparable ICE operations have found millions of dollars in economic losses to local communities and governments, demonstrating that large-scale militarized ICE enforcement imposes substantial financial burdens on cities.
In pushing the measure, Johnson pointed to a series of immigration enforcement actions he claims have strained Chicagos resources. He cited, in particular, Texas officials busing illegal immigrants to Chicago without notice or adequate federal support, portraying the city as a victim of federal and state policies rather than of its own sanctuary stance.
Johnson went further during the council debate, declaring that Chicago would be providing reparations to residents who have been impacted by ICE raids. That framing underscores a broader progressive effort to recast lawful immigration enforcement as a civil-rights violation, even when it targets individuals with serious criminal records.
Operation Midway Blitz, conducted in September 2025, resulted in the apprehension of more than 800 illegal immigrants, including individuals with convictions for murder, child rape, and aggravated assault, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The Trump administration has stated that the operation produced a significant drop in crime in Chicago, a city that remains a sanctuary jurisdiction and one of the nations largest hubs for illegal immigration.
Mayor Johnsons administration has been in open conflict with President Trumps immigration agenda since his return to the White House in January 2025. As Chicago voters weigh the referendum, they will effectively be deciding whether their city should seek taxpayer-funded compensation for a federal operation that, by the administrations account, removed dangerous criminals from their streets while city leaders move to reward those who were shielded by sanctuary policies.
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