Trump says Chicago crime is plummeting despite ‘radical’ sanctuary resistance

President Donald Trump declared victory in Chicago after a weeks-long standoff with pro-sanctuary Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker and Mayor Brandon Johnson over the city’s immigration enforcement operations.

In a Truth Social article Tuesday evening, Trump wrote: “I am proud to report that Chicago, Illinois, despite all the radical opposition and obstruction we have from the mayor and governor, has seen car thefts, shootings, robberies, violent crime and everything else, drop dramatically. »

Trump said that since the Department of Homeland Security launched the immigration enforcement operation, dubbed “Operation Midway Blitz,” “shootings are down 35 percent, thefts are down 41 percent, and carjackings are down nearly 50 percent.”

He noted that these numbers track “just a small initial federal force, not the full ‘surge’ in federal resources.”

DHS ‘BLITZ’ IN CHICAGOLAND, RESULTING IN ‘NUMEROUS ARRESTS’ WHILE NOEM ON-SITE FOR IMMIGRATION CRACKUP

President Donald Trump on Wednesday called for Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, center, and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker to be jailed for “failure to protect” ICE agents. (Stefani Reynolds/Bloomberg via Getty Images; Jamie Kelter Davis/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

“As we increase our assets, these numbers will continue to decline,” he added.

All of this, Trump said, “was accomplished despite extraordinary resistance from the radical Democratic ‘leadership’ in Chicago and Illinois and constant violent left-wing terrorism against ICE officers and federal agents that insurrectionist Democratic officials refuse to arrest or prosecute, including constant physical assaults and assassination attempts.”

Launched on September 8, Operation Midway Blitz saw federal law enforcement from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Border Patrol and others flood the Chicago area, leading to the arrests of thousands of illegals, including violent criminals and gang members.

The operation, however, simultaneously encountered fierce resistance from Pritzker, Johnson and members of the public. There have been several instances of violent confrontations with members of the public attempting to interfere with operations, including people blocking ICE vehicles, ramming federal officials and shooting at Border Patrol agents.

Trump says Chicago mayor and Illinois governor ‘should be in jail for failing to protect’ ICE officers

Police officers take security measures with batons as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents conduct operations in the Little Village neighborhood, a predominantly Mexican-American community, November 8, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Jacek Boczarski/Anadolu via Getty Images)

The shooting occurred Saturday in the Little Village neighborhood while federal agents were conducting immigration enforcement operations. An illegal immigrant with a criminal history has since been arrested in connection with the shooting. The unidentified suspect, a Mexican citizen, was in a Jeep that approached officers and fired shots before driving away, federal sources told Fox News. At the time of his arrest, he was found with a gun, sources said.

“This incident is not isolated and reflects a growing and dangerous trend of violence and obstruction,” a Department of Homeland Security statement said. “Over the past two months, we have seen an increase in assaults and obstructions targeting federal law enforcement during operations. These clashes highlight the dangers our agents face daily and the escalation of assaults on law enforcement.”

Pritzker, meanwhile, continues to criticize the federal agents who carry out the operations.

Commenting on a photo of Border Patrol agents posing in front of Chicago’s famous “Bean” sculpture, Pritzker said: “Making fun of our neighborhoods and our communities is disgusting. »

CHICAGO-AREA MAYOR AND CONGRESS CANDIDATE BRAGS ABOUT HOW LONG HE WENT TO FLUMMOX ICE

Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino leaves the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse in Chicago on October 28. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

Pritzker said U.S. Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino “and his masked agents are not there to make Chicago safer” and “while children are tear gassed and U.S. citizens detained, they pose for photo ops and produce reality TV moments.”

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Johnson signed a mayoral executive order in October establishing “ice-free zones” by prohibiting the use of city parking lots and garages for transit areas, processing locations or civil immigration operational bases.

Fox News Digital reached out to Pritzker and Johnson for comment but did not immediately receive a response.

Louis Casiano of Fox News Digital contributed to this report.