Most of the six hundred fourteen immigrants detained in Chicago’s Operation Midway Blitz had no criminal convictions. The sweep began in September and was promoted as a targeted effort against dangerous offenders, but records released in a federal lawsuit showed that only sixteen people had serious criminal histories. Despite this, almost everyone was labeled a flight risk.

The figures surfaced in the Castañon Nava case, which argues that Homeland Security violated a consent decree limiting warrantless arrests. Lawyers say the pattern mirrors earlier California operations where the majority of detainees were also non offenders. DHS maintains its national picture is different, though its own data shows people with no convictions now form the largest share of ICE custody.

Advocates say these numbers undermine the government’s public narrative and point to broader concerns about overreach during enforcement sweeps. They argue that labeling low risk individuals as flight risks inflates justification for detention and clogs immigration courts. Critics also raise questions about transparency, noting that without litigation many of these details would never reach the public record. DHS insists the agency balances safety and due process, but civil rights groups continue to press for stricter limits, clearer standards for arrests and better oversight of local field operations.