Federal Agents to Use Navy Base for Chicago Immigration Operations

A recent government memo has revealed plans to use a Navy base in Illinois as a central hub for federal agents involved in immigration enforcement in Chicago. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has requested space for around 250 agents and 140 vehicles at the Naval Station Great Lakes, which is the Navy's largest training base. This move is part of a broader strategy to intensify immigration operations in the Chicago area. The memo highlights that the naval station will serve as a command center for "removal operations. " This means that agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will use the base to coordinate efforts targeting immigrants suspected of being in the country illegally. The base's location near a major highway and its infrastructure make it a strategic choice for these operations. DHS officials have indicated that they will need the base for about 30 days, suggesting that the crackdown could span several weeks. The exact locations within Chicago where these operations will take place remain unclear. However, the memo specifies that the base will be used for command and tactical operations, as well as storage for medical supplies and less lethal munitions. This development comes after reports that the Trump administration is preparing for a significant immigration enforcement campaign in Chicago, similar to operations that sparked protests in Southern California earlier this year. The administration has made it clear that it intends to target "criminal illegal aliens" in various cities, including Chicago and Boston. The use of military bases for immigration enforcement is not new, but the scale and methods have evolved under the current administration. Previously, both Democratic and Republican administrations deployed troops to the U. S. -Mexico border to support Border Patrol agents. However, the Trump administration has expanded the military's role in immigration enforcement, deploying additional troops to the southern border and using military planes for deportations. In June, thousands of National Guardsmen and U. S. Marines were sent to Los Angeles to protect federal buildings and agents during immigration sweeps. This deployment was later ruled illegal by a federal judge, who stated that the Trump administration had violated federal law by using the military for civilian law enforcement. The administration has also deployed National Guard soldiers and federal agents to Washington, D. C. , as part of a broader crackdown on crime and immigration operations. This move has faced legal challenges, with D. C. 's attorney general filing a lawsuit against the deployment of National Guard units.