Feds plan to boost immigration enforcement in Chicago next week

Federal authorities plan to surge agents to Chicago starting next week to scale up operations to arrest unauthorized immigrants, two federal law enforcement officials told NBC News on Thursday

Federal authorities plan to surge agents to Chicago starting next week to scale up operations to arrest unauthorized immigrants, two federal law enforcement officials told NBC News on Thursday.

The plans involve Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Border Patrol and other federal agencies, the officials said.

Chicago, a Democratic-run city, has policies that keep local police from asking about immigration status, which is a federal matter. The city does not partner with ICE and says doing so would harm efforts by local police to fight crime by making people afraid to contact or cooperate with officers.

The city's decision not to cooperate with ICE has drawn the ire of the Trump administration and "border czar" Tom Homan.

President Donald Trump, who frequently criticizes Chicago, has recently suggested that he would deploy the National Guard to the city — something criticized by Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, who said, "Mr. President, do not come to Chicago."