The Media Ran With Total Fake News Story About ICE Raids at Chicago Public Schools

We’re not even a week into the second Trump presidency, and the media is already running with total nonsense about an ICE raid that occurred in Chicago. You could imagine how newsrooms must’ve reacted: ICE agents harassing kids in the Chicago Public Schools system. Except it wasn’t ICE, and nothing about the original reporting was true. It was the Secret Service. The Chicago Tribune and others eventually updated their headlines, but the initial posts were all fresh fake news (via ABC7 Chicago):

The U.S. Secret Service told the I-Team they approached a South Side school Friday. Chicago Public Schools officials had initially said the agents were from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Secret Service said they were investigating a threat, and responded to a house. They said they were then told the person they wanted to talk to was at Hamline Elementary School, but they did not enter the school, the Secret Service told the I-Team.
The alleged threat the Secret Service was investigating was not immediately clear.

CPS officials initially claimed at least one ICE agent was denied entry to the South Side elementary school Friday morning. ICE said it was not a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement encounter.

Here is the first ICE raid hoax debunked. Chicago Public Schools claimed ICE came to one of their schools and they refused to let them in.

Now we find out it was Secret Service investigating a threat related to the TikTok ban.

How do you get that wrong? You don’t. You… pic.twitter.com/FkjJH1kaBF
— Insurrection Barbie (@DefiyantlyFree) January 25, 2025

Are you going to delete your false tweet or do you just enjoy stoking division? https://t.co/4sLz3GSomq pic.twitter.com/7VhycnQBAB
— Alex Pfeiffer (@Pfeiffer47) January 24, 2025

ICE showed up at 11:15 a.m.

This immigration action appears to be the first at a Chicago school after President Donald Trump took office.

“It makes me so sad,” said Eva Chávez, a 37-year-old who lives in the neighborhood and came out after she heard about it. https://t.co/X6DVz7yL3T pic.twitter.com/PT5OIPMgdK
— Nell Salzman (@nellbsalzman) January 24, 2025

Chicago Public Schools falsely claimed they blocked ICE officers from entering a school today. The narrative took off - but apparently nobody bothered to check with DHS or ICE, which both denied the claim that ICE was at/near a school.

Turns out - it was Secret Service agents. pic.twitter.com/shZX9857rE
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) January 24, 2025

And yes, they got slapped with community notes:

It was the Secret Service, not ICE. The Secret Service was investigating a threat. They originally showed up at a house (not a school), where they were told that the person they wanted to talk to was at the school.

The media has already started and will continue to run the biggest propaganda campaign to attack Trump’s border policies. They will use emotional blackmail. They will make up stories and use fake and staged videos.

Don’t fall for it. Biden allowed millions of people to invade… pic.twitter.com/ymu9kUvOSg
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) January 26, 2025

Here’s the statement from CPS:

"Earlier today, Chicago Public School leaders shared that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents showed up this morning (Friday) at Hamline Elementary School. After our District officials shared public statements, we learned that the agents who visited the school were from the U.S. Secret Service. Our original communication was a result of a misunderstanding, reflective of the fear and concerns in the community amid the new administration's focus on undocumented immigrants. Here's what happened: Two individuals showed up at the school door and presented identification that includes the name Department of Homeland Security, the federal agency that oversees ICE. School officials proceeded to respond to the agents with the understanding that they were from ICE, amid rumors and reports that the agency was in the community. Regardless of which branch of Homeland Security visited this school, officials followed the established protocols to ensure student safety. The agents were not allowed into the school or permitted to speak with staff or students. Hamline administrators also worked with CPS' Law Department and CPS' Office of Safety and Security. The situation was handled with the federal agents leaving the campus without entry. While this was a misunderstanding in terms of the specific branch of DHS, the school's response demonstrates that our system, in partnership with community organizations, is prepared and ready to keep our students and staff safe."

Liberals, you lost the election. We’re going to enforce immigration laws. And these illegals are going. They can’t hide at home forever. It’s not just ICE—all federal law enforcement agencies have deportation powers. Most states will grant them to local law enforcement as well. The full weight and force of the government is being re-directed to secure the southern border, end the illegal alien invasion, and excise the criminal alien element from our communities. This is a federal initiative. All you can do is whine. That’s it. Federal agents have total jurisdiction and if you want to be arrested for being clowns about it, go right ahead.