Trump admin updates: White House officials hold prayer vigil for Charlie Kirk

A White House spokesperson, in a statement provided to ABC News, said ICE’s Operation Midway Blitz will "make Illinois communities safer" and is consistent with the Trump administration's commitment to arresting and deporting "dangerous criminal illegal aliens."

The White House's statement did not address ABC News’ question to clarify whether National Guard or other military troops were being ordered to Chicago by the administration.

“For years, Democrat politicians looked the other way while criminal illegal aliens terrorized American communities — even embracing ‘sanctuary’ policies to protect these sick criminals. No more. The Trump Administration is committed to arresting and deporting these dangerous criminal illegal aliens and Operation Midway Blitz, honoring Katie Abraham who was killed by a criminal illegal alien, will make Illinois communities safer,” said Abigail Jackson, a White House spokeswoman, in a statement.

-ABC News’ Isabella Murray

The Pentagon’s top two officials were in Puerto Rico on Monday visiting with U.S. troops operating in a key area of the Trump administration’s operations against South American drug cartels.

Secretary Pete Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, were greeted by Puerto Rico Gov. Jenniffer González-Colón, who posted photos of their arrival on her social media account. After speaking to some U.S. military personnel at an undisclosed airstrip, they traveled to the USS Iwo Jima amphibious assault vessel, which is located off the southeast coast of Puerto Rico and carries MV-22 Ospreys, AV-8 Harrier jets, and 2,200 Marines.

The three-ship USS Iwo Jima amphibious ready group are some of the eight vessels that have been made available to U.S. Southern Command for counter-cartel operations. The Iwo Jima and the other two ships are participating in an exercise off Puerto Rico.

Reuters published a recent photo of an MQ-9 Reaper drone armed with Hellfire missiles as it taxied on a runway at the airport in Aguadilla, which is located on the western part of Puerto Rico. It is believed the boat targeted by a U.S. airstrike last week in the Caribbean may have been struck by a missile fired from a drone like the MQ-9 Reaper.

-ABC News’ Luis Martinez

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker responded to ICE beginning an expanded operation in Chicago on Monday.

"Once again, this isn't about fighting crime. That requires support and coordination -- yet we've experienced nothing like that over the past several weeks," Pritzker wrote on X. "Instead of taking steps to work with us on public safety, the Trump Administration's focused on scaring Illinoisians."

A spokesperson for Pritzker also said that the governor's office "has received no formal communication or information from the Trump Administration" about the operation and is learning about any developments over social media.

-ABC News' Isabella Murray

The Department of Homeland Security announced on Monday that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has begun an expanded immigration operation in Chicago.

The crackdown, dubbed "Midway Blitz," will "target the criminal illegal aliens who flocked to Chicago and Illinois because they knew Governor Pritzker and his sanctuary policies would protect them and allow them to roam free on American streets," according to a DHS press release.

The move comes as President Donald Trump repeatedly threatens to send troops to Chicago to take on crime.