Immigrants in large cities have been preparing for mass arrests since Trump won election in November, but reports that his initial push would be in the Chicago area has brought a new sense of urgency and fear.

The operation will be concentrated in the Chicago area, according to the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because plans have not been made public. Arrests are expected all week.

After days of increasing alarm among advocates for immigrant rights, the showdown over whether to amend Chicago’s Welcoming City ordinance, was anti-climactic.

For four decades, Chicago has held the designation of a sanctuary city — but what does it mean, and how has Chicago’s status endured? WTTW News explains.

The decision is the Biden administration’s latest in support of Temporary Protected Status, which he has sharply expanded to cover about 1 million people. TPS faces an uncertain future under Donald Trump, who tried to sharply curtail its use during his first term as president.

As Inauguration Day approaches, President-elect Donald Trump’s declaration to launch the “largest deportation operation in American history” is spreading fear across immigrant communities around the country.

The showdown over whether to amend the Welcoming City ordinance, set for Wednesday, will come less than a week before President-elect Donald Trump takes office. He has promised to immediately launch the “largest domestic deportation operation in American history.”

Tom Homan — President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming so-called border czar — said it’s time for Chicago to come to the table when it comes to mass deportations or “get the hell out of the way.”

CPS CEO Pedro Martinez said the district enacted a “comprehensive response” to protect its students, families and staff when President-elect Donald Trump’s first term began in 2017, and CPS officials are planning to take similar steps before Trump’s inauguration next month.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker frustrated several of his counterparts by trying to get them to sign on to a group he started postelection to push back on Trump, but only Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signed on as a co-chair. Pritzker has his staff exploring ideas such as blocking GPS tracking on apps for women who may be traveling to the state to get abortions. 

Birthright citizenship means anyone born in the United States automatically becomes an American citizen. It’s been in place for decades and applies to children born to someone in the country illegally or in the U.S. on a tourist or student visa who plans to return to their home country.

The four-year driver's license for noncitizens features a standard red banner and replaces “Not Valid For Identification” with “Federal Limits Apply.” Noncitizens who are unable or choose not to drive also have the option to obtain a standardized ID.

“I was most shocked by the fact that there didn’t seem to be controls on who could access this very sensitive data — we’re talking medical information, immigration details, people’s contact information,” said Emeline Posner, a reporter with the Investigative Project on Race and Equity.

Joseph “JoJo” Mapp promised to serve as a “bridge” between community organizations working to help those returning to Chicago from jail or prison and the city.

President-elect Donald Trump said he’ll carry out the largest deportation operation in U.S. history — and has even promised to use the military to help that effort.

Business owners, industry members and economists alike warn that large-scale deportations of undocumented immigrants, along with stricter border measures and the revoking of Biden-era protections, could have a seismic impact on the labor market and U.S. economy.