‘Chipocalypse Now’: Trump’s ominous warning to Chicago ahead of immigration raids

US President Donald Trump on Saturday (Sep 6) issued a chilling warning to Chicago ahead of the planned Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids as part of the administration’s crackdown against illegal immigrants. Trump also suggested that the biggest city in Illinois is about to find out why it is called ‘Department of War’, referring to the latest executive order signed by him that rebranded the Department of Defence.

“I love the smell of deportations in the morning,” the US president wrote in a post on his Truth Social platform, while sharing an edited picture of himself wearing a US Army shirt and black hat with helicopters flying in the background over the city in a chaotic scene.

“Chicago about to find out why it's called the Department of WAR,” he wrote. The picture also featured a text reading “Chipocalypse Now”.

This comes as ICE is preparing to carry out a raid in the city after Trump said the next federal military takeover will take place in Chicago. The operation, which will target undocumented migrants in the city, is expected to last 45 days. Earlier this week, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker said that ICE could ramp up its operations in Chicago over the weekend, starting Friday. Local authorities have said that there could be up to 300 ICE agents in the city.

Pritzker has voiced concern that the crackdown could coincide with the Mexican Independence Day Parade in Chicago, which could escalate matters in the city. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and other local officials have also expressed opposition to federal intervention, stressing the city’s sanctuary policies and legal rights to resist federal overreach.

Meanwhile, the US Department of Justice said on Saturday that it has made 1,989 arrests in Washington as the authorities ramped up the crackdown against illegal immigrants and crime. It also said that a legal action has been taken against Boston Mayor Michelle Wu over the sanctuary city policy. It also announced the expansion of Joint Task Force Alpha to combat human smuggling.