DHS marks 'one of the most violent days' of Operation Midway Blitz with several arrests

Three illegal immigrants and six U.S. citizens were arrested in the Chicago area Oct. 22 on what the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) dubbed "one of the most violent days" of Operation Midway Blitz. 

"While conducting immigration enforcement operations in Cicero and Glendale Heights, agitators stalked law enforcement, rammed vehicles, fled scenes, injured agents and caused multiple accidents across town, putting law enforcement and the public in danger," DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement.

"Despite the violence, CBP arrested three illegal aliens who were breaking our nation's immigration laws. Six citizens were arrested for impeding and threatening to kill agents.

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"Our officers are facing a surge in assaults against them as they put their lives on the line to arrest murderers, rapists and gang members."

The five incidents that occurred on Wednesday included several incidents in which U.S. citizens are accused of threatening violence and taking other actions against immigration enforcement officers. According to DHS, Isabel Mata, a U.S. citizen, allegedly threatened a law enforcement officer after stating she would put a hit out on Border Patrol commander Chief Gregory Bovino. The department said it referred the incident to the FBI.

In another incident, three U.S. citizens, who DHS identified as Jacqueline Lopez, Eliana Bahena and Jonathan Uribe, allegedly tailed Border Patrol vehicles "to draw attention to them." DHS said that one driver attempted to ram a vehicle. All three drivers were taken into custody, according to DHS.

The third incident allegedly involved a member of the Latin Kings gang. DHS said that U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) was targeted by a U.S. citizen who was "displaying an anti-ICE flag." Alexis Correa, who DHS claimed was the driver and a member of the Latin Kings, allegedly followed agents for several miles before attempting to ram the vehicle. USBP was able to evade Correa, who then allegedly hit another civilian vehicle. DHS said Correa was arrested under 18 U.S. Code 111, which makes it a federal crime to forcibly assault, resist, oppose, impede, intimidate or interfere with certain federal officials.

Also on Wednesday, CBP Office of Field Operations (OFO) officers arrested a U.S. citizen, identified by DHS as Alexander Torres. He is accused of "recklessly impeding operations and tailing government vehicles." According to DHS, he ignored multiple commands from officers to stop and "eventually boxed in government vehicles in an alleyway."

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DHS said that Correa and Torres had criminal records. According to the department, Correa's record includes convictions for unlawful possession of a firearm, destroying evidence and a DUI. Torres' record allegedly includes convictions for unlawful possession of a firearm by a gang member, DHS said.

In the fifth incident, USBP encountered three illegal immigrants from Mexico who DHS said were "in violation of our nation's immigration laws." 

The illegal immigrants allegedly refused to comply with agents' verbal commands to exit their vehicle. The driver, who DHS identified as Jose Mauricio Rosas-Hernandez, allegedly "reversed into a government vehicle and scraped another USBP unit." DHS said that one agent was struck in the knee while chasing the suspects on foot. According to DHS, the three illegal immigrants were taken into Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody.

"Secretary Noem's message to the rioters is clear: You will not stop us or slow us down. CBP and our federal law enforcement partners will continue to enforce the law. And if you lay a hand on a law enforcement officer, you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," McLaughlin said.

Operation Midway Blitz was launched last month in honor of Katie Abraham, who was killed in a drunk driving hit-and-run allegedly caused by Julio Cucul-Bol, an illegal immigrant from Guatemala. DHS stated the goal of the operation was to "target criminal illegal aliens terrorizing Americans in sanctuary Illinois."

Abraham and her friend, Chloe Polzin, were at a stoplight when a suspected drunk driver struck their car and fled. Abraham died at the crash site, while Polzin succumbed to her injuries the next day at the hospital.