24 Children Reunited With Parents, 305 Fugitives Apprehended by Federal Agents

Law enforcement authorities have reunited 24 children with their families, arrested 305 fugitives, and filed charges against 179 defendants in 140 cases under Operation New Dawn, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ).

The DOJ shared in a July 2 post on X that “11 agencies participated as part of this first-of-its-kind ‘badgeless’ enforcement initiative in Chicagoland in recognition of our nation’s 250th Birthday that focused on a single mission for roughly 60 days: to set aside barriers and focus exclusively on disrupting violence in the Chicago and [Rockford, Illinois,] areas by arresting the worst of the worst offenders, who would then face federal criminal prosecution.”

Chicagoland is the informal name for areas surrounding Chicago and includes counties from Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin.

The DOJ said the results of the operation, which began on May 1, “exceeded all expectations.”

Under the operation, federal agencies sought to arrest suspects accused of serious offenses such as kidnapping, robberies, immigration violations, child exploitation, drug trafficking, and firearm offenses. Many of the 305 fugitives had been previously charged with serious criminal offenses.

Among those arrested were an individual who conducted multiple gun deals, an individual who fired shots while in an occupied bus, and another who committed seven armed robberies in the Chicagoland region, according to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) reported the arrests of an illegal immigrant convicted of first-degree murder, a ranking member of a street gang who oversaw local drug distribution in Chicago, and an illegal immigrant convicted of aggravated battery of a government official.

The Drug Enforcement Administration said it arrested two individuals charged with distribution of cocaine and one person charged with distribution of fentanyl and methamphetamine under the operation.

Matthew Scarpino, special agent in charge of the Chicago office of HSI, said the operation was a testament to what can be achieved when law enforcement agencies are united to fight against violent crime.

“HSI is proud to have played a critical role in this unprecedented anti-violence initiative, leveraging our investigative expertise to disrupt violent criminal networks, dismantle drug trafficking organizations, and protect vulnerable children in the greater Chicago area,” Scarpino said.

Crime rates dropped in Chicago in 2025, according to data from the Chicago Police Department. In 2025, the number of murders declined by 29 percent from the previous year, robbery was down by 36 percent, and burglary dropped by 20 percent. The overall number of criminal complaints for the year was down by 13 percent.

Crime Clampdown

The Trump administration has faced criticism over its actions to combat violent crime in large cities. Last year, the American Civil Liberties Union accused President Donald Trump of abusing his power to build a “dangerous, national policing force.” The organization said that such a force would pose a threat to civil liberties.

“The Trump administration is trying to build out a sprawling national military and police force—intended to be accountable to the president, not the people,” the American Civil Liberties Union said in an Oct. 3, 2025, statement.

“The administration is intentionally blurring the lines of law and accountability that limit federal law enforcement, the military, and state and local police to their proper roles. It is cycling through false justifications and purported mandates to do so—invoking crime, homelessness, immigration, and now even ‘domestic terrorism.’”

Meanwhile, there has been a sharp drop in violent crime in the United States under the Trump administration, according to preliminary 2025 crime data and first-quarter 2026 figures released by the FBI in May.

In the first quarter of 2026, based on data from 67 agencies, major cities such as Washington, Philadelphia, New York City, and Los Angeles had steep declines in homicide.

The national murder rate dipped by 20 percent in 2025, which is the biggest single-year drop ever recorded in FBI data.

On June 24, the Department of Homeland Security said Immigration and Customs Enforcement had arrested more than 10,000 gang members so far during Trump’s second term.

“[These criminals] committed heinous crimes, including murder, assault with a deadly weapon, drug trafficking, racketeering conspiracy, robbery, and extortion,” the department said in a statement.

Some of the arrested individuals include a Salvadoran member of the MS-13 terrorist group wanted in his home country for murdering a pastor, a Honduran MS-13 member wanted for a quadruple homicide, and another MS-13 member who has confessed to killing five people in El Salvador.