Patel, Blanche detail Chicago ‘Midway Blitz’: ATF mobile ballistics lab, agent reassignments, protest curfew
FBI Director Kash Patel and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche toured the Chicago field office to defend “Operation Midway Blitz,” saying the FBI is “flexing resources,” backing National Guard deployments, linking immigration enforcement to violent crime and with Blanche calling Chicago “ground zero,” while Sen. Mark Warner said roughly 25% of FBI agents were reassigned to the effort. ATF Chicago ASAC Jonathan Maniff said agents are test‑firing every recovered gun in a one‑of‑a‑kind mobile ballistics command center and entering casings into NIBIN for real‑time leads as DHS and other federal agencies expand facilities and operations amid contested incidents — including reported vehicle‑rammings, claims a priest was struck and children detained, DHS rebuttals, and a Broadview mayor‑imposed protest curfew near an ICE facility.
Government/Finance
Public Safety
Government/Regulatory
National Security
Immigration
Infrastructure
Crime
Economy
Politics
📌 Key Facts
- FBI Director Kash Patel and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche toured the FBI Chicago field office, publicly defended deploying the National Guard and other federal resources to Chicago, and Blanche called the city 'ground zero' for an escalating assault on law enforcement tied to organized domestic terror activity.
- Patel said the FBI is 'flexing resources' to support DHS and tied parts of the operation to removing 'illegal aliens' he said are correlated with violent crime; Sen. Mark Warner said roughly 25% of FBI agents were reassigned to the effort.
- ATF Chicago Assistant Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Maniff said agents in 'Operation Midway Blitz' are test‑firing every recovered gun inside a unique mobile command center and immediately entering casings into NIBIN to generate real‑time investigative leads.
- DOJ/DHS joint actions included targeted operations with CBP, FBI, ATF and ICE — DHS says a South Shore apartment operation led to the arrest of 37 noncitizens (including alleged Tren de Aragua gang members).
- The federal operations prompted controversy and local pushback — reports include a priest struck by ICE, two vehicle‑ramming incidents, and alleged detention of U.S.‑citizen children; Broadview’s mayor imposed a protest curfew near the ICE facility and DHS pushed back on some allegations.
- DHS publicly released a list disputing Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s claims about the federal response, defended ICE/CBP operations, and asserted the administration’s authority to deploy federal forces to protect federal facilities.
- DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said the department is buying additional buildings in Chicago (and Portland), hardening federal facilities with increased security measures — including rooftop snipers, she said — and warned of sending more federal law enforcement if local leaders do not cooperate.
- Separately, OMB Director Russ Vought announced a hold on roughly $2.1 billion in Chicago infrastructure funding — including the planned Red Line extension — saying funds were paused over alleged race‑based contracting; that action is part of broader shutdown‑related freezes (including about $18 billion for New York and other climate/energy project pauses) and drew criticism from Illinois officials.
📚 Contextual Background
- The Trump administration announced the cancellation of nearly $8 billion in climate-related projects in 16 states: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Vermont and Washington.
- Fourteen of the 16 states affected by the cancellations had Democratic governors, while New Hampshire and Vermont had Republican governors.
- Chuck Schumer is the Senate Minority Leader and a United States Senator representing New York.
- Hakeem Jeffries is the House Minority Leader and a member of the United States House of Representatives representing New York.
📰 Sources (12)
Noem: Trump administration doubling down with new federal facilities in Chicago, Portland
New information:
- DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said DHS is purchasing additional buildings in Chicago to expand operations.
- Noem said DHS is also looking to purchase new facilities in Portland to "double down" on enforcement there.
- Noem stated DHS is hardening federal buildings with added security measures, including placing snipers on rooftops, following recent attacks on ICE and a Dallas ICE facility shooting.
- Noem threatened to bring in more federal law enforcement if Portland leaders do not cooperate on safety and security.
‘Operation Midway Blitz’: Inside DOJ’s push to tackle crime, illegal immigration in Chicago
New information:
- Blanche labeled Chicago 'ground zero' for an escalating assault on law enforcement and cited an 'organized effort by domestic terrorists' to injure officers.
- Patel defended shifting FBI resources to support immigration enforcement as prioritizing citizens; the article cites Sen. Mark Warner’s claim that roughly 25% of FBI agents were reassigned.
- ATF Chicago ASAC Jonathan Maniff said agents are test-firing every gun recovered in 'Midway Blitz' inside a one-of-a-kind mobile command center and immediately entering casings into NIBIN for real-time lead generation.
- Reference to controversy and DHS pushback over alleged incidents (a priest struck by ICE, two vehicle-ramming incidents, alleged detention of U.S.-citizen children) and note that Broadview’s mayor imposed a protest curfew near the ICE facility.
Patel, FBI 'flex resources' for Windy City crime crackdown as part of Trump administration's 'focused effort'
New information:
- On Oct. 7, 2025 FBI Director Kash Patel and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche toured the FBI Chicago field office and publicly defended deploying the National Guard to Chicago.
- Patel said the FBI is 'flexing resources' to support DHS and linked efforts to removing 'illegal aliens that are correlated to that violent crime,' explicitly tying immigration enforcement to the federal operation.
- Blanche publicly urged that the National Guard is needed in Chicago and criticized state opposition to the deployments, saying officials 'have access to the same TV' and arguing Guard assistance is necessary.
DHS takes on Pritzker's 'Smorgasbord of Lies,' releases list debunking his claims
New information:
- DHS publicly released a list it says 'debunks' Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s claims about federal operations and included direct quotations from DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin.
- DHS says a targeted South Shore apartment operation conducted with CBP, FBI and ATF resulted in the arrest of 37 noncitizens from countries including Venezuela, Mexico, Colombia and Nigeria, and that Tren de Aragua gang members were among those arrested.
- DHS explicitly asserted President Trump’s constitutional authority to deploy troops to defend federal facilities and defended ICE/CBP operations against the governor’s accusations of targeting U.S. citizens.
Pritzker says Trump officials' Chicago crackdown is "making it a war zone"
New information:
- Gov. J.B. Pritzker publicly characterized recent Trump-administration enforcement and deployment actions in Chicago as 'making it a war zone' (quote reported Oct. 5, 2025).
- The article records an on-the-record, high-level state official escalation in rhetoric toward federal officials over enforcement tactics in Chicago (named participant: Gov. J.B. Pritzker).
Trump to withhold $2.1 billion for Chicago infrastructure projects amid shutdown battle
New information:
- The Trump administration (via OMB/White House Budget Director Russ Vought) will withhold $2.1 billion in federal funding for Chicago infrastructure projects.
- The pause specifically affects the planned extension of Chicago’s Red Line train.
- Russ Vought said on social media the funds were 'put on hold to ensure funding is not flowing via race‑based contracting.'
- This action is presented alongside an earlier, separate withholding announcement affecting New York infrastructure funding.
As the shutdown drags on, the threat of permanent cuts is mired in politics
New information:
- Direct reporting that Russell Vought 'announced' the cancellation/withholding of $8 billion in energy projects and said he would cancel $18 billion in New York infrastructure funding (strong attribution to OMB/administration)
- President Trump’s Truth Social message framing the pause as an opportunity to "clear out dead wood" and calling Democrats the 'Radical Left', quoted verbatim
- House Speaker Mike Johnson's on‑the‑record statement endorsing Vought's role and characterizing the decision as following a presidential directive
- Legal/analytical quote from Bridget Dooling (Ohio State law professor and former OMB official) calling the administration's layoffs threat a 'bluff' and distinguishing temporary lapses from permanent RIF authority
- Contextual background on Russell Vought's prior advocacy (Project 2025) linking his earlier policy prescriptions to current OMB actions
Who is Russ Vought? What to know about Trump's OMB director ahead of shutdown layoffs
New information:
- CBS ties those funding freezes explicitly to decisions being implemented and communicated by OMB Director Russ Vought as part of the administration's shutdown posture.
- Adds context that Vought has sought rescissions previously and frames the freezes as consistent with his Project 2025 agenda to limit agency autonomy.
Government shutdown live updates as impasse enters second day
New information:
- CBS live update confirms the White House move to pause $18 billion in New York infrastructure funding and $8 billion in climate-related projects.
- Reports that Senate won't vote again until Friday (observance of Yom Kippur) which affects the near-term path to restoring funding.
- Direct quote from President Trump on Truth Social framing the shutdown as a chance to 'clear out dead wood.'
Trump uses government shutdown to dole out firings and political punishment
New information:
- Direct attribution that OMB placed roughly $18 billion on hold for New York subway and Hudson Tunnel projects during the shutdown (confirmed in this AP piece)
- Contextual quote from President Trump praising OMB Director Russ Vought's ability to 'trim the budget' and framing the shutdown as an opportunity to reshape spending priorities
Trump freezes $18 billion in funding for NYC, home to key Democratic leaders
New information:
- USDOT explicitly tied its review of New York funding to the federal shutdown in its statement, per NPR reporting.
- NPR reports an immediate operational effect: a $300 million disbursement for the Second Avenue subway project will be affected immediately.
- Direct attributions and quotes included from Russell Vought (OMB post on X), Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (post on X), and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul's press‑conference remarks.