U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Cummings has mandated the release of more than 600 individuals who were detained during a federal immigration operation known as "Operation Midway Blitz," executed by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Illinois. This ruling comes in response to a lawsuit filed by the National Immigration Justice Center and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which alleged that over 3,000 arrests were made between June and October 2025, primarily targeting undocumented migrants in areas with sanctuary policies.

The judge's ruling stipulates that 615 detainees must be granted bond by November 21. Mark Fleming, an attorney with the National Immigrant Justice Center, raised concerns regarding the logistics of the release process, indicating that the individuals may be dispersed across various locations in the country. In a prior ruling, Judge Cummings found that ICE agents had violated a consent decree related to warrantless arrests in the Chicago area, established by the 2022 Castañon Nava settlement.

The Trump administration had previously escalated efforts to combat illegal immigration and violent crime in major urban centers, including Chicago. The Department of Homeland Security reported a notable rise in assaults against ICE agents, prompting discussions about the consequences of aggressive immigration enforcement strategies. In response to these enforcement actions, Chicago's Democratic Mayor Brandon Johnson has introduced initiatives aimed at bolstering protest protections and has created "ICE-Free Zones" to restrict ICE operations in specific areas.