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Quote/Term of the Week
S.A.L.U.T.E. / acronym
Organizers across the country encourage using the S.A.L.U.T.E. acronym as a guide to effectively spread information, instead of causing unnecessary panic.
S - size/strength, A - actions/activity, L - location & direction, U - uniform/clothes, T - time & date of observation, E - equipment/weapons
Now in Chicago
Federal agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement have started their massive operation in Chicago. Dubbed “Operation Midway Blitz,” federal authorities say the crackdown will target immigrants in the country without legal permission. The operation could last at least a month. At least three people were arrested on the Southwest Side over the weekend as Chicagoans protested the enforcement and fanned out across communities to watch for federal agents.
Organizers, local groups and neighbors are rallying to help keep our communities informed.
City Bureau has a resource guide with details on what you need to know, how to connect with groups who can help and where to get more information amid ICE raids.
Today, we’re highlighting sections from this guide along with additional resources and information.
Editor’s note: The information here is not a substitute for legal advice. If you need legal advice, you should contact a qualified attorney.
How can I get immediate help?
Save this number: the Family Support Network Hotline, 1-855-435-7693 or 1-855-HELP-MY-FAMILY
The Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights hotline is available to report suspected ICE activity, and get connected with legal and social services, including legal support for deportations. Help is available:
6 a.m.-9 p.m. every day in English and Spanish
9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday in Arabic, Chinese, Dari, Korean, Pashto, Polish, Russian and Ukrainian.
If you call outside of those hours, you can expect a call back within 48 hours.
If you think you see ICE agents in your neighborhood, the National Immigrant Justice Center recommends you do not:
Post unverified information about ICE activity on social media
Interfere with the investigation or otherwise put yourself in harm’s way
How to responsibly share police and ICE activity
Spread information, not panic
Organizers and groups across the country have adopted the acronym S.A.L.U.T.E. to help guide people trying to raise awareness about immigration enforcement.
Graphic credit: Workers Defense Alliance
Share with trusted news sources
Reporters from across newsrooms in Chicago are collaborating to collect visual evidence of federal agents detaining people and using force in Chicago.
You can send videos to tinyurl.com/chicagojournalists, or get in touch via email chicagojournalists@protonmail.com.
The group commits to protecting faces and sources in any materials that are released and will only share videos with permission.
Know how to identify if someone is a federal agent or a Chicago Police officer
The federal government has authorized various federal agencies to contribute to immigration enforcement. It is still not clear if authorities also will make good on a threat to deploy the National Guard into the city, so it’s important to properly identify the agents in order to share and report accurate information.
Borderless Magazine compiled an abbreviated guide on how to identify if someone is a federal agent, member of the National Guard or a Chicago Police officer.
Under the city’s Welcoming City Ordinance, which was modified in 2021, Chicago Police cannot help federal immigration agents carry out an enforcement operation. The Illinois TRUST Act of 2017 also blocks local police from assisting in immigration enforcement. If a CPD officer is involved in immigration enforcement, do your best to document their badge number.
Share with teams verifying ICE sightings
Call the Family Support Network Hotline, 855-435-7693 or 1-855-HELP-MY-FAMILY to report suspected ICE activity. ICIRR’s Rapid Response team regularly canvasses areas to check out what is going on and update community members. Groups such as the Brighton Park Neighborhood Council and Pilsen Unidos por Nuestro Orgullo (PUÑO) are posting updates to social media and canvassing to keep neighbors informed.
Know Your Rights
Several organizations have information to help you understand your rights if you are approached by a federal agent or detained. The following list is a summary of information provided by ICIRR, Illinois Immigration Information Hub and National Immigrant Justice Center (Also see: this guide specifically on your rights at checkpoints).
You have the right to remain silent and not speak to federal agents
You have the right to speak to an attorney
You have the right to ask to see a warrant signed by a federal judge
The National Immigrant Justice Center has examples of what a valid warrant should look like. Federal agents cannot enter your home without this.
Try to stay calm, don’t make sudden movements, and keep your hands where agents can see them.
Do not:
Open the door for any officer at your home. Federal agents cannot enter your home without a warrant signed by a judge.
Sign any documents you don’t understand
Discuss your immigration case or legal status with police or federal officers
Lie about your legal status or falsify documents
Do:
Say you want to speak to a lawyer
Carry copies of your documentation proving you are a U.S. citizen or are in the country legally
Move to a safe indoor location if you see immigration officers outside
Several organizations offer regular trainings to help you understand your constitutional rights and what to do if you encounter ICE agents:
HANA Center Know Your Rights workshop: Thursdays at 1 p.m., online | Register
The Resurrection Project training on Immigrant Justice: Tuesdays at 2 p.m. (English); Thursdays at 6 p.m. (Spanish) | Sign up for a virtual training or request a training
Equity and Transformation and Black Voter Project are hosting a Know Your Rights training session in West Englewood. Sign up here.
South Side training: 4-7 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 14, at Go Green Griot Plaza, 1201 W. 63rd St.
The Coalition for a Better Chinese American Community compiled a guide on what to do if ICE shows up at your business or place of work.
The ACLU also provides guidance in English and en español on what to do if you encounter ICE agents in different scenarios.
You can also find information through the city’s Know Your Rights resource hub. You can download guides in Chinese, English, French, Haitian Creole, Spanish and Ukrainian
A version of this story was first published in the September 10, 2025 issue of the Newswire, an email newsletter that is your weekly guide to Chicago government, civic action and what we can do to make our city great. You can sign up for the weekly newsletter here.
Have thoughts on what you'd like to see in this feature? Email Civic Editor Dawn Rhodes at dawn@citybureau.org.