Donald Trump's immigration crackdown continued on Halloween night as federal agents were seen conducting operations in Chicago and Los Angeles, according to multiple reports. In Chicago, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents carried out arrests and faced protests, with several people detained during clashes.
In the Chicago suburb of Evanston, a chaotic scene unfolded after a car rear-ended an ICE vehicle. Video footage showed agents pinning two people to the ground. Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss criticised the action, saying ICE agents had 'assaulted Evanston residents, beaten people up, grabbed them, abducted them, taken people off the street'. The scuffle occurred near a middle school and elementary school.
In Los Angeles, ICE agents were reported to have worn Halloween-style face masks, including one modelled after the horror character Chucky, while carrying out enforcement activities. When contacted for comment, a homeland security spokesperson replied with 'Happy Halloween!'.
Illinois Democratic Governor JB Pritzker had written to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem requesting a pause in immigration enforcement over the holiday weekend, saying 'Illinois children should not be robbed of their innocence'. Noem refused, stating they would not pause work to keep communities safe. Pritzker later mocked Noem's response on social media, accusing her of 'dressing in law enforcement costumes' and refusing to agree not to tear gas children trick-or-treating.
The Halloween raids come amid ongoing tensions after Trump sent National Guard troops to multiple Democratic cities, including Chicago, New York, Portland and Los Angeles. In Washington DC, where nearly 2,400 National Guard troops have been deployed, five people aged 14 to 18 were arrested on Halloween night for being 'disorderly' in the Navy Yard neighbourhood.
