(ILLINOIS) — Federal immigration agents deported Asif Amin Cheema, a 63-year-old Pakistani national and Chicago-area business owner, to Pakistan on January 1, 2026, after a months-long legal fight and an arrest tied to the Department of Homeland Security’s Operation Midway Blitz.
He was placed on a flight to Islamabad, Pakistan, at approximately 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 1, 2026, after the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals denied his final motion for a stay. His deportation followed his detention on September 17, 2025, when he was taken into custody outside a grocery store in Addison during the enforcement surge in Illinois.
Operation Midway Blitz: Purpose and DHS Messaging
DHS framed Operation Midway Blitz as a crackdown aimed at “criminal illegal aliens,” while advocates cited Cheema’s case as an example of long-term residents being swept up despite having no criminal record.
- DHS announced the operation on September 8, 2025, describing it as a multi-agency surge in Illinois and the Chicago area.
- In that announcement, Tricia McLaughlin, Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs, said:
> “DHS is launching Operation Midway Blitz in honor of Katie Abraham. This operation will target the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens in Chicago. If you come to our country illegally and break our laws, we will hunt you down, arrest you, deport you, and you will never return.”
The DHS press release announcing the operation is available here: ICE Launches Operation Midway Blitz.
DHS later highlighted the operation’s reported impacts in a progress report titled Operation Midway Blitz Brings Historic Drop in Crime. The department pointed to declines of 16% in homicides and 48% in carjackings in its November 2025 progress report.
Cheema’s Background and Family Claims
- Length of residence: Cheema had lived in the United States for over 30 years, arriving in the late 1980s and settling in Addison, a Chicago suburb.
- Occupation: He was known as the owner of Best Sub #2, a fast-food restaurant in Humboldt Park.
- Family: Cheema is the father of five children, including a daughter who is a lawyer and fought his case.
Family members said they were unaware of a 1993 removal order, which was the legal basis for his deportation. They contended the order was not enforced for decades while Cheema maintained a work permit and was seeking a green card.
Cheema’s supporters emphasized his lack of a criminal record, arguing his case showed the operation’s sweep extended beyond those DHS described as “the worst of the worst.”
Timeline of Key Events
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Late 1980s | Cheema arrives in the U.S.; settles in Addison. |
| 1993 | Removal order issued (central to later dispute). |
| Sept 8, 2025 | DHS announces Operation Midway Blitz. |
| Sept 17, 2025 | Cheema detained outside a grocery store in Addison during the enforcement surge. |
| Mid-Dec 2025 | First deportation attempt at O’Hare; Cheema collapses and is hospitalized for chest pains and heart issues. |
| Late Dec 2025 | DHS issues a statement denying medical neglect claims. |
| Jan 1, 2026 | 7th Circuit denies final stay; Cheema deported to Islamabad at ~7:00 p.m. |
Legal Actions and Allegations
Cheema’s family filed a lawsuit against the federal government in the Northern District of Illinois:
- Case name: Cheema v. Olson
- Case No.: 1:25-cv-15324
The suit alleged:
– Due process violations
– “Torture” through alleged “mock deportations”
– Claims of medical neglect during detention
After a mid-December 2025 deportation attempt, Cheema collapsed at O’Hare International Airport and was hospitalized for chest pains and heart issues before being returned to ICE custody.
A DHS spokesperson responded in late December 2025, denying the family’s allegations. The statement, carried by major news outlets including CBS and Block Club Chicago, said:
“Cheema received all medications and received prompt and appropriate medical attention. [He was] pending his removal home following the [court] ruling.”
Public Reaction and Community Impact
Cheema’s detention and removal drew protests in Humboldt Park and prompted calls from local officials, including Chicago aldermen, for greater protections for established immigrant families.
- Supporters framed the case as a test of how far the enforcement push would go when it encountered long-established immigrant families and small business owners.
- Critics argued the operation’s language about targeting the “worst of the worst” did not match the reality of arrests that included people without criminal records or with old, civil immigration matters.
DHS portrayed the initiative as part of a surge intended to reshape public safety in Chicago and surrounding areas, while advocates pointed to Cheema’s lack of criminal convictions to challenge the scope of the enforcement actions.
Final Outcome and Significance
After the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals denied his final motion for a stay, Cheema was placed on the flight to Pakistan on January 1, 2026, ending his effort to remain in the United States.
This removal capped a sequence of actions that included:
1. Detention during Operation Midway Blitz,
2. Multiple court filings and a federal lawsuit, and
3. A failed December deportation attempt due to a medical emergency.
Cheema’s deportation left his family and supporters in Illinois confronting the immediate reality of his absence after more than three decades in the United States. The case became a flashpoint in debates over the reach of immigration enforcement in sanctuary jurisdictions, the treatment of long-term residents, and the balance between public safety goals and protections for immigrant families.
The deportation of Asif Amin Cheema marks a controversial milestone for Operation Midway Blitz. A long-term resident and father of five, Cheema’s removal to Islamabad followed a failed legal battle and health crises. While DHS cites improved safety metrics from the operation, advocates argue that targeting non-criminal business owners like Cheema undermines community stability and ignores decades of peaceful residence and legal work authorization.
