The Department of Homeland Security pushed back Tuesday against reports that U.S. Border Patrol Chief Greg Bovino and his team are preparing to leave Chicago, saying federal agents deployed under Operation Midway Blitz will remain in the city despite weeks of controversy, violent clashes, and mounting political criticism.
The clarification came after three U.S. officials told CBS News that Bovino and his agents were expected to depart "as early as later this week," following a months-long crackdown marked by arrests, protests, and legal scrutiny. The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said some Customs and Border Protection personnel might be reassigned to Charlotte, North Carolina. DHS, however, issued a direct denial. "We aren't leaving Chicago," a spokesperson told the Chicago Tribune.
Since Operation Midway Blitz began, DHS has claimed significant crime reductions across the city, stating that "homicides in Chicago have dropped 16%, shootings are down 35%, robberies down 41%, carjackings down 48%, and transit crime is down 20%." The department credited the deployment of more than 200 Border Patrol agents for the reported decline.
Bovino, a veteran enforcement official who previously led operations along the California-Mexico border, has become a lightning rod for criticism. In testimony before U.S. District Court Judge Sara Ellis, Bovino defended the use of force by his agents, describing it as "exemplary" and consistent with federal protocols. Ellis later extended restrictions on tear gas and crowd control weapons, requiring Bovino's teams to wear body cameras and display clear identifiers after videos emerged of officers firing pepper balls and pointing guns at civilians.
Community tensions have flared amid accusations of heavy-handed tactics. Over the weekend, protesters clashed with agents in Chicago's Little Village neighborhood. Photographs later surfaced showing Border Patrol personnel posing in front of the Cloud Gate sculpture-popularly known as "The Bean." According to local outlet Block Club Chicago, some agents shouted "Little Village" instead of "cheese" while taking the photo, a reference to the same neighborhood where demonstrations had erupted.
Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker sharply condemned the image, calling it "disgusting" and accusing federal agents of "producing reality TV moments" instead of protecting residents. "As children are tear gassed and U.S. citizens detained, they are posing for photo ops," Pritzker said.
Bovino fired back on X, accusing Pritzker of spreading falsehoods and defending the mission as a necessary effort to dismantle gang activity. "Feel free to join us in Little Village," he wrote, adding that the crackdown targeted organizations such as the Latin Kings "that you've allowed to fester with no action for years."
President Donald Trump also weighed in late Monday night, posting on Truth Social that Chicago's "crime is out of control" and calling for troops to be deployed "BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE!" He referred to the city's Magnificent Mile as the "Miracle Mile," blaming its "28% vacancy factor" on "murder and crime."
