The Immigrants and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raid that devastated communities in an apartment building in South Shore, Chicago, allegedly saw agents laughing in the face of people who were directly impacted.
As reported by ABC7, neighbors and family members impacted spoke with reporters and detailed the scene, painting a picture of ICE agents enjoying their actions as they ripped families apart. “They was terrified,” said neighbor Eboni Watson. “The kids was crying. People was screaming. … I was out there crying when I seen the little girl come around the corner, because they was bringing the kids down, too, had them zip tied to each other… What is the morality? Where’s the human? One of them literally laughed. He was standing right here. He said, ‘fuck them kids.’”
The quote would be a reference to the infamous inspirational “Fuck them kids” meme featuring a picture of Michael Jordan, something that the former Chicago Bulls star never actually said. The meme itself was born after Jordan promised Jordan brand sneakers to an entire group of kids if he missed three shots, but instead he made every shot. The meme has since entered the American lexicon, mostly removed from its origins.
Other harrowing details from the raid have surfaced after it went down earlier this week, horrifying locals. Witness Darrell Ballard also detailed some of what he saw, alleging that ICE agents used a “15-inch chainsaw” to cut down a fence. “We’re under siege,” he said. “We’re being invaded by our own military.” Eboni Watson added that military-style vehicles were being used to separate families, while other neighbors said that ICE agents destroyed property during the raid.
Another witness said that they woke up in the middle of the night to their building shaking, and when they looked out the window they saw “a Blackhawk helicopter.” A total of 37 people were arrested during the raid, according to DHS officials.
“In the early morning hours of September 30, 2025, allied federal law enforcement agencies with CBP, FBI, and ATF, executed an enforcement operation in Chicago's South Shore area, a location known to be frequented by Tren de Aragua members and their associates,” said DHS officials in a statement. “Some of the targeted subjects are believed to be involved in drug trafficking and distribution, weapons crimes, and immigration violators."
But Pertissue Fisher, who lives in the building that was raided, said that everyone in the building was taken and only asked questions later. “They treated us like we were nothing,” she said. “It was scary, because I had never had a gun in my face. They asked my name and my date of birth and asked me, did I have any warrants? And I told them, 'No, I didn't.’” She was briefly handcuffed and was later released.
Marlee Sanders, meanwhile, said her boyfriend was detained during the raid. “They had the Black people in one van, and the immigrants in another van,” she said.
As reported by the Chicago Sun Times, residents in the building have reported their belongings as missing following the raid in South Shore. "I'm pissed off," said 27-year-old resident Dan Jones, who said his reports about his missing property have fallen on deaf ears. "I feel defeated because the authorities aren't doing anything."
Border Patrol agents rappelled down from helicopters on top of the apartment complex, as others entered from the group. The raid was part of an ongoing effort from the Trump administration to combat Chicago’s status as a sanctuary city. The operation was titled Midway Blitz, and over 800 people have been arrested in the city since it started last month. Multiple people with no criminal history or illegal immigration status have been rounded up as part of the arrests, while children have also been separated from their parents.
Illinois governor JB Pritzker has outright told ICE agents and the Trump administration to “get out of Chicago,” stating that they have not helped the city and have gone around like “jackbooted thugs roaming around a peaceful downtown.” Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has also condemned the ICE presence in the city and said, “Chicagoans are not test subjects for the president to train our military.”
Earlier this week, ICE confirmed that agents will be deployed to the Super Bowl in Santa Clara after Bad Bunny was announced as the 2026 halftime performer.