Noem: ICE Will Be Out in Full Force on Halloween in Chicago

(GARY, INDIANA) Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said on Thursday, October 30, 2025 that federal immigration officers will continue enforcement operations in the Chicago area on Halloween, rejecting Illinois Governor JB Pritzker’s request for a temporary pause.

“ICE will be out in full force this Halloween. We will not compromise public safety for political optics,” Noem said, addressing concerns that immigration raids could deter families from taking part in neighborhood events.

Speaking at a press conference in Gary, Indiana, Noem said more than 3,000 people had been detained under Operation Midway Blitz, an ongoing effort that includes Chicago and surrounding communities. She described the governor’s request as “shameful,” and said the Department of Homeland Security will not suspend federal operations for local festivities or city schedules.

“We enforce the law every day, regardless of the calendar,” she said.

Governor Pritzker had asked federal authorities to pause enforcement in Chicago during Halloween celebrations to prevent fear and disruption among immigrant families planning to accompany children to trick-or-treat events or attend school and community gatherings. The governor’s office argued that visible enforcement activity by ICE on one of the most public family holidays could send families indoors and keep children away from streets and community centers. Noem’s public rejection makes clear the federal government’s position that ICE, the immigration enforcement arm of DHS, will continue its work in the region as planned.

Operation Midway Blitz has become a focal point for immigrant neighborhoods in Chicago, where local leaders have spent the week urging calm while also advising residents to know their rights. Noem’s update that over 3,000 individuals have been detained as part of recent enforcement actions underscored the reach of the operation and the stakes for families worried about contacts with federal agents during public events. The secretary framed the push as a public-safety imperative, saying the department would not scale back activity because of a holiday, even one as high-profile and widely celebrated as Halloween.

The timing puts families on edge as schools, community groups, and businesses across Chicago prepare for parties and evening door-to-door events. Advocates said the message alone could be enough to change behavior, with parents choosing to skip public gatherings or confining celebrations to private spaces. While the department has not outlined specific Halloween-day tactics, Noem emphasized that no special exceptions would be made and that the agency will keep operating under its current plans. She offered no indication of carve-outs or area-specific pauses and did not announce any adjustments to patrol patterns for Halloween itself.

Chicago police and local officials have not been given a public list of ICE locations or schedules, and Noem’s remarks did not include operational details beyond the broader numbers already associated with the Midway Blitz effort. The secretary pointed to federal authority over immigration enforcement as the basis for rejecting the state’s request, and her choice of words—calling the pause proposal “shameful”—signaled a firm stance that will likely fuel further debate between state leaders and the Department of Homeland Security over how enforcement interacts with civic life.

For families with mixed immigration status in Chicago neighborhoods from Little Village to Albany Park, the announcement lands at a sensitive moment. Halloween is both a school-centered and street-centered event, drawing children in costumes and parents to sidewalks, parks, and storefronts. The suggestion that ICE could be active in the city on a night of dense foot traffic is prompting questions about whether community spaces will feel safe, particularly for those who fear that routine presence can escalate to checks, arrests, or collateral detentions. Noem’s insistence that the work will continue “regardless of the calendar” leaves little room for interpretation.

Noem framed Operation Midway Blitz as part of routine federal enforcement that does not pause for holidays, city festivals, or sports events. The department did not provide a breakdown of the more than 3,000 individuals detained, and there was no clarification on the cities within the region where arrests took place, though Chicago remains a central focus of public concern. The scale of the number, combined with the refusal to pause activities on a marquee night for families, suggests that immigrant communities across the Chicago area may alter plans, avoid public corridors, or limit children’s participation in door-to-door activities.

Pritzker’s request, made to avoid fear among immigrant families, reflects a broader tension between local leaders seeking to reduce anxiety during mass public events and a federal agency that views enforcement as a daily duty unaffected by seasonal or cultural calendars. Chicago officials have tried to balance a message of inclusion with reminders that Halloween safety guidance—like staying in groups and keeping to well-lit streets—still applies. Against that backdrop, the prospect of ICE activity adds a distinct layer of uncertainty. The governor’s office did not receive any concessions in response to its appeal, and Noem’s language leaves no ambiguity about the path forward for Halloween night.

The national ICE agency, part of DHS, handles detention and removal operations across the United States and often runs multi-week enforcement efforts like Operation Midway Blitz that coordinate resources across metropolitan regions. According to Noem, the operation’s activities, and the count of those detained, are ongoing. The secretary did not announce the conclusion of Midway Blitz or indicate any slowdown in the Chicago area. With Halloween falling the day after her remarks, families, schools, and neighborhood associations face immediate decisions about whether to modify event plans, change times, or advise parents to stay close to home.

While some community groups in Chicago warn that participation could drop, especially in neighborhoods with higher shares of mixed-status households, others are telling residents that Halloween traditions should continue with care. Without any detailed changes from DHS or ICE, however, the environment remains unsettled. Noem’s vow that “ICE will be out in full force this Halloween” sends a clear signal to both supporters of strict enforcement and those who hoped for a temporary reprieve to protect children from fear on a night typically set aside for costumes and candy.

Noem’s press conference in Gary, less than an hour’s drive from Chicago, underscored how regional enforcement plans can affect daily life across state lines. Her rejection of the governor’s request also places federal operations at the center of a broader conversation about how national immigration policy is felt on neighborhood streets. As Operation Midway Blitz continues, the number she cited—over 3,000 detained—will draw scrutiny from advocates, attorneys, and city officials seeking to understand who is being held and why, even as Halloween proceeds under the shadow of federal activity.

For official information about immigration enforcement and operations, DHS refers the public to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement resources, including the ICE official website. Noem’s core message remained unchanged throughout her remarks: the agency will enforce the law in Chicago and across the region on Halloween night, and there will be no pause for the holiday.

“We enforce the law every day, regardless of the calendar,” she said, closing the door on Illinois’ appeal in the hours before children take to the streets.