Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has just rounded up over 800 unauthorized migrants in a sweeping operation across Illinois, a state known for its sanctuary policies.
Breitbart reported that in a bold move dubbed Operation Midway Blitz, ICE targeted individuals with serious criminal records, aiming to safeguard American communities despite pushback from local leaders and activists.
This operation, named in memory of 20-year-old Katie Abraham, who tragically lost her life alongside her friend Chloe Polzin in a hit-and-run caused by an unauthorized migrant driving under the influence, carries a poignant reminder of why enforcement matters. The heartbreak of such loss fuels the resolve to prioritize public safety over political posturing.
Among those detained are individuals with deeply troubling records, including convictions for statutory rape, armed carjacking, and child sex crimes. It’s hard to argue against removing such threats from our streets, yet some still do.
Take Cristobal Carias Masin from El Salvador, convicted of statutory rape and fraud, now facing assault charges and failing to register as a sex offender.
Or Stefan Cseve from Austria, with a laundry list of sexual predator offenses, is currently charged with murder and rape of a minor. These aren’t mere paperwork violations; these are dangerous patterns.
Others include Eduardo Sandoval-Secundino from Mexico, with multiple DUIs and drug possession convictions, and Angel Galindo Viveros, also from Mexico, tied to armed carjacking and robbery. When sanctuary policies shield such individuals, one must ask: whose safety is truly being prioritized?
ICE agents face an uphill battle in Illinois, where Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, both Democrats, openly oppose federal immigration enforcement. It’s a frustrating roadblock when local leaders seem more concerned with ideology than community well-being.
Adding fuel to the fire, left-leaning activists have taken to the streets, rioting outside detention centers like the Broadview Processing Center in Broadview, Illinois.
Their chants of “Kill ICE!” and “Shoot ICE!”—heard just days after a gunman attacked an ICE facility in Dallas, Texas—raise serious questions about the tone of this opposition. Disagreeing is one thing; inciting violence is another.
“During Operation Midway Blitz, DHS law enforcement has made more than 800 arrests across Illinois,” said Tricia McLaughlin, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security. When critics decry these efforts, they often gloss over the gravity of the crimes involved—hardly a compelling counterargument.
The list of detainees reads like a catalog of cautionary tales: Pedro Juan Avalos-Quezada from Mexico, convicted of aggravated assault with a weapon, and Refugio Ramirez-Larios, also from Mexico, tied to concealing a homicidal death and felony weapon possession. These aren’t folks caught in a bureaucratic mix-up; they’re repeat offenders.
Then there’s Blanca Cecillia Sanchez-Sanchez from Venezuela, a confirmed member of the notorious Tren de Aragua gang, and Yeik Michelle Ramirez-Alvarez from Mexico, convicted of armed robbery with a firearm. If protecting communities means anything, it must include addressing such clear risks.
Even those with less violent records, like Arminas Lubianskas from Lithuania, who overstayed a visa since 2016 after a burglary arrest, or Carlos Rene Contreras from Honduras, removed three times for illegal reentry, highlight a persistent disregard for the rule of law. It’s not about malice; it’s about accountability.
Operation Midway Blitz isn’t just about numbers—it’s a statement against sanctuary policies that too often prioritize political correctness over practical safety. When local leaders tie the hands of federal agents, they’re gambling with public trust, and that’s a risky bet.
While some activists paint ICE as the villain, the real story lies in the rap sheets of those detained—murderers, abusers, and gang members aren’t exactly poster children for progressive compassion. Perhaps it’s time to rethink who the underdog really is in this debate.