Noem Spotlights Chicago’s Lack of ICE Cooperation

The Homeland Security chief says the city has honored only 8 percent of immigration detainers issued this year.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem testifies during her confirmation hearing in Washington on Jan. 17, 2025. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times

Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem visited Chicago on Aug. 8, drawing attention to how the city has responded to requests from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

“In just the last seven months, ICE has issued over 1,664 detainers in Chicago alone. Unfortunately, Chicago and its leadership has only honored 8 percent of those,” she said during a press conference.

ICE’s detainers are requests to local law enforcement. Detainers ask those authorities to notify the agency of illegal aliens and to hold them for an additional 48 hours so ICE can enforce immigration law.

The Trump administration has repeatedly spotlighted Chicago in its efforts to crack down on illegal immigration and drug trafficking linked to the border.

White House border czar Tom Homan and then-Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove visited the city on Jan. 26, just days after President Donald Trump was sworn in. They were there to observe new targeted operations on the ground.

Noem alleged that elected leaders in Illinois are ignoring the law. “In fact, they’re being obstructionists when it comes to getting dangerous criminals off of their streets,” she said, leveling the accusation at Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, both Democrats.

Both Illinois and Chicago are sanctuary jurisdictions, meaning they restrict information sharing between local law enforcement and immigration authorities.

In June, Pritzker and other Democratic governors testified before the House Oversight Committee on their sanctuary policies.

The Illinois governor defended his record and criticized the Trump administration’s early enforcement actions, saying that “safe and compassionate immigration policies, I believe, are vital.”

Johnson testified before the same committee earlier in the year alongside other Democratic mayors of sanctuary cities.

“Chicago’s Welcoming City Ordinance and our other laws and policies do not lead to more crime,” he said.

The ordinance bars local law enforcement from detaining persons based on civil immigration violations. It also limits the exchange of information regarding citizenship and immigration status.

In addition, it prevents the city from making immigration status a condition for receiving “City of Chicago benefits, opportunities, or services,” even when persons seeking those advantages use foreign identification.

While Pritzker and Johnson say their policies do not undermine public safety, Noem highlighted local ICE arrests of foreigners with criminal records that she said were carried out without support from local law enforcement.

One arrest was that of Hector Bonaparte-Contreras, a Mexican illegal immigrant convicted of predatory sexual assault on a victim under 13.

Another was that of Waldemar Dzbik, a Polish citizen who was convicted in 2014 of aggravated domestic battery and attempted murder after stabbing his wife and daughter. Dzbik was slated for release from prison in early 2025, according to local reporting from South Cook News.

Rep. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia (D-Ill.), who represents a heavily Hispanic district on the West Side and in the suburbs of Chicago, took issue with Noem’s visit and accused the administration of “targeting hard-working immigrants” with “racist immigration policy.”

“ICE has been detaining and deporting hundreds of thousands of working people, mothers with children, student activists, tourists with visas and even U.S. citizens,” he said in a statement.

Noem blamed “sanctuary politicians’ rhetoric vilifying our law enforcement” for a 1,000 percent increase in assaults against ICE agents that the agency announced on Aug. 7.

At the press event, she stood behind 20 kilograms of fentanyl and various weapons seized by ICE.

“We will defend the homeland. That’s what ICE is doing,” Noem said.