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Good morning, Roca Nation. Here are today’s four need-to-know stories:
President Trump urged Senate Republicans to eliminate the filibuster rule to end the ongoing government shutdown without Democratic support (free)
A massive police operation in Rio de Janeiro resulted in at least 121 deaths, making it the deadliest raid in the Brazilian city's history (free)
President Trump threatened military action against Nigeria, claiming its government was failing to protect Christians from terrorist groups
President Trump denied that he plans to strike inside Venezuela, days after reports emerged to the contrary
By Rob McGreevy
If you look on social media, Chicago is a war zone: Videos show federal agents marching through the streets, throwing people into vans, and deploying tear gas and pepper spray against those who try to intervene.
The government, meanwhile, paints the opposite picture: That its agents are reclaiming a violent city from criminals who have put all law-abiding citizens at risk.
To find out the truth, we spoke to Chicago residents, immigrants, and politicians, as well as members of the Trump Administration.
Two federal operations are currently underway in Chicago: Midway Blitz and At Large. The government said it launched the former in response to the death of 20-year-old Katie Abraham, who died during a hit-and-run caused by a Guatemalan illegal immigrant this May. (He has since pleaded guilty and been sentenced to 30 years in prison.) Operation At Large is a distinct mission “to make the city safer by targeting and arresting criminal illegal aliens.”
To conduct these operations, both Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have agents in Chicago. Trump has tried to deploy the National Guard as well; however, courts have blocked it. A final Supreme Court ruling on whether Trump can deploy the Guard there may arrive next month.
So what have these agents been up to? Who are they actually detaining? That’s the subject of today’s deep-dive.
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Editor’s Note
So there’s our look into what’s happening in Chicago. What do you all think? Chicago residents: What’s your take? Are the raids an abuse of power or not? Is your city a “war zone”? Let us know by replying here.
And check out our past five stories below if you haven’t read them yet:
Thanks for reading. See you tomorrow.
—Max and Max
