Operation Midway Blitz: The Block Club Chicago Investigation

Crystal Paul, investigative editor for Block Club Chicago, will share details on their coverage of federal immigration enforcement efforts during Operation Midway Blitz in 2025. This past June, she and colleagues reported on the 300 Border Patrol agents who made a torrent of arrests, deployed tear gas, tased and assaulted residents, and shot two people—one fatally. According to the investigation, these agents purposely camouflaged their identities and used force in dozens of incidents across the Chicago area. Block Club reporters analyzed hundreds of hours of body camera footage and nearly 100 written reports. Paul will share the behind-the-scenes effort and the investigation’s findings.