The unprecedented immigration crackdown has entered its third month with a growing number of residents fighting back against the seemingly indiscrimate and heacy handed immigration enforcement

A shocking 97 per cent of the hundreds of undocumented immigrants detained in the recent Chicago ICE immigration raids had no criminal record at the time of their arrest, according to a Department of Justice document.

The document, submitted by the agency last week as part of an ongoing lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security in federal court, lists 614 names of immigrants recently arrested, most under the DHS's "Operation Midway Blitz," which kicked off in September.

These government documents contradict the Trump administration's narrative that its ongoing raids are focusing on violent criminals who are in the country illegally or what the agency often labels as "the worst of the worst."

According to lawyers representing the migrants, most of these arrests likely violated a 2022 federal consent decree that imposes strict conditions on making arrests without warrants or probable cause.

"You look at this list and it is very clear they just did a broad sweep of anybody and not a targeted sweep of people who were here unlawfully and that they knew were likely to flee or were criminals as they lead you to believe," said Michelle Garcia, deputy legal director of the ACLU of Illinois, one of the groups representing undocumented migrants in the consent decree.

Out of the 614 people listed, 598 do not have criminal records.

Only 16 people, or 2.6 per cent of the total, possess criminal records. Four have been convicted of offenses including domestic battery, DUI, indecent exposure and kidnapping.

One individual was identified as a national security risk, while another was classified as a foreign criminal. DHS frequently claims it is removing murderers and rapists from communities. Yet, none of those on this list faced arrest or conviction for murder or rape.

The Chicago Tribune initially broke the story.

When confronted by the discrepency, DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin responded, "Yes. It's basic math. There have been over 5,000 arrests" in the Chicago area.

"70% of illegal aliens ICE arrested across the country have criminal convictions or pending criminal charges just in the U.S.," McLaughlin wrote in an email.

The source of McLaughlin's arrest numbers remains unclear, as DHS hasn't published arrest statistics.

Federal Judge Jeffrey Cummings, who is presiding over the Illinois case, has prolonged the consent decree until early next year. As a result, growing numbers of recently detained undocumented immigrants may qualify for release.

Judge Cummings has demanded that the government submit by Nov. 19 the names and threat levels of the remaining approximately 3,200 individuals who have been arrested since June 11th.

The Trump administration is contesting the judge's decision.