"Blue flu" strikes FBI: Agents protest Trump’s immigration crackdown in Chicago
By willowt // 2025-01-30
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  • FBI agents in Chicago have called in sick ("Blue Flu") to avoid assisting ICE in deportation operations, as reported by whistleblower Steve Friend.
  • This act of insubordination reflects the growing divide between federal law enforcement agencies and the Trump administration over immigration enforcement policies.
  • ICE has intensified its deportation efforts, making nearly 1,200 arrests on January 27, a significant increase from the daily average under the Biden administration.
  • Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has vowed to protect residents regardless of their immigration status, and other sanctuary city mayors have been summoned to testify before a House committee.
  • The "Blue Flu" protest in Chicago highlights the ongoing clash between federal enforcement and resistance from within agencies and sanctuary cities over immigration policies.
In a stunning display of defiance against the Trump administration’s renewed immigration enforcement efforts, multiple FBI agents in Chicago have reportedly called in sick with the so-called “Blue Flu” to avoid assisting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in rounding up criminal illegal aliens. This act of insubordination, revealed by a whistleblower, underscores the deepening divide between federal law enforcement agencies and the White House as President Donald Trump ramps up his campaign promise to carry out the largest mass deportation in U.S. history.

The whistleblower’s revelation

Former FBI Special Agent Steve Friend, now a senior fellow at the Center for Renewing America and host of the “American Radicals” podcast, blew the whistle on the protest. “I’ve been told that agents are calling in sick—‘Blue Flu’ style—to protest the directive,” Friend posted on X (formerly Twitter). The directive in question came from Acting Attorney General James McHenry, who ordered the FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, DEA, ATF and Bureau of Prisons to assist ICE in its deportation operations. Friend, who was himself ousted from the FBI in 2022 for refusing to participate in what he called “overzealous” investigations into January 6 defendants, told American Greatness that many agents fear retaliation for supporting the administration’s policies. “People know if they step forward, then leadership will identify them as MAGA,” he explained. “The executive management at some field offices aren’t sending out any guidance for the ICE directive. Just ignoring.” This isn’t the first time federal employees have resisted Trump’s immigration agenda. During his first term, career bureaucrats and local officials in sanctuary cities routinely obstructed ICE operations, often releasing illegal aliens back into communities rather than cooperating with federal authorities. The “Blue Flu” protest in Chicago is a continuation of this trend, but with a new twist: federal agents themselves are now refusing to enforce the law.

ICE’s aggressive crackdown

The Trump administration’s deportation efforts have intensified dramatically in recent days. ICE made nearly 1,200 arrests on Sunday, January 27, and just under 1,000 on Saturday, marking a significant uptick from the daily averages seen under the Biden administration. During Biden’s final year in office, ICE arrested approximately 310 people per day—a stark contrast to the current numbers. President Trump’s Border Czar, Tom Homan, and U.S. Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove were on the ground in Chicago to oversee the operations. In a video posted by Fox News’ Matt Finn, Bove emphasized that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is working in lockstep with the Department of Justice (DOJ) to implement Trump’s policies. “This operation is to show the country DHS is running this operation and will be in lockstep with DOJ … must implement Trump policy,” Bove said. The administration’s focus has been on immigrants with criminal backgrounds, including those with minor offenses. However, ICE officials have warned that if deportable immigrants without criminal records are encountered during operations, they will also be arrested. On Sunday, ICE reported taking in 613 individuals with criminal histories and 566 without.

Sanctuary cities push back

The crackdown has sparked fear and outrage in immigrant communities across the country, particularly in sanctuary cities like Chicago, where local officials have vowed to resist federal enforcement efforts. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, a progressive Democrat, declared at a news conference that the city would continue to protect its residents regardless of their immigration status. “Regardless of who’s in the White House, we’re gonna project our values,” Johnson said. Johnson and the mayors of Boston, Denver and New York City have been summoned to testify before the Republican-led House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform next month. The committee is investigating sanctuary cities for their refusal to cooperate with federal immigration authorities. Sanctuary jurisdictions have long argued that they are not obligated to assist the federal government in deportations, a stance that has drawn sharp criticism from conservatives. “These cities are putting politics above public safety,” said one senior ICE official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. “By shielding criminal aliens, they’re endangering their own communities.”

The road ahead

The current standoff between federal agents and the Trump administration echoes similar conflicts during the president’s first term. In 2017, ICE faced widespread resistance from local governments and activists as it sought to enforce immigration laws. The “Blue Flu” protest in Chicago is a new chapter in this ongoing saga, but it also highlights the challenges of implementing sweeping policy changes in a deeply polarized nation. Steve Friend, the former FBI agent turned whistleblower, has called for decisive action to address the insubordination. “Just suspend clearances like they did to me. SCOTUS says that is legal. Fire every probationary employee,” he told American Greatness. “I recommend the Trump administration consider an all-of-the-above strategy for handling employees who are unwilling to follow lawful, ethical and constitutional orders from the chief executive.” As the Trump administration presses forward with its deportation agenda, the resistance from within federal agencies and sanctuary cities is likely to grow. The battle over immigration enforcement is not just a policy dispute—it’s a clash of values, with profound implications for the rule of law and the future of the nation. For now, the “Blue Flu” in Chicago serves as a stark reminder that even in the halls of federal law enforcement, the culture war rages on. Sources include: AMGreatness.com WallStreetJournal.com X.com
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