An explosive investigation has uncovered how US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents operating in Chicago were directed to conceal their identities and the nature of their operations from the public, in a clandestine programme initiated during the Trump administration.
According to internal documents obtained by The Independent, agents were explicitly instructed to avoid identifying themselves as ICE personnel and to use unmarked vehicles during operations. The directive stated that officers "should not advertise the fact that ICE is in the area" and must keep their operations discreet.
The 'Secure Streets' Initiative
The covert measures were part of 'Operation Secure Streets', launched in summer 2020. This controversial initiative targeted immigrants with prior criminal convictions, specifically those who had been arrested for driving offences but subsequently released by local authorities.
Chicago's status as a 'sanctuary city' meant local law enforcement limited their cooperation with federal immigration authorities. This policy appears to have prompted ICE to adopt these unusually secretive tactics to circumvent local resistance.
Internal Communications Reveal Strategy
Internal emails show ICE officials discussing how to effectively operate within Chicago's jurisdiction despite the city's uncooperative stance. One official noted the challenge of working in "one of the largest non-cooperative jurisdictions in the country", while another emphasised the need for "tactical and transient" operations to avoid detection.
The documents reveal that operations were specifically timed to coincide with shift changes at local jails, suggesting a strategic approach to apprehending targets when they would be most vulnerable.
Political Context and Implications
This revelation comes amid ongoing national debate about immigration enforcement tactics and the balance between federal authority and local autonomy. The Biden administration has since shifted immigration enforcement priorities, but these documents provide a revealing glimpse into the aggressive approaches employed during the previous administration.
Advocacy groups have condemned the covert tactics, describing them as "deliberately deceptive" and raising concerns about transparency and accountability in federal immigration operations.
