The Trump administration is reportedly considering using a Navy base near Chicago to support Department of Homeland Security (DHS) activities related to migrant detention and immigration enforcement.
Naval Station Great Lakes, located roughly 35 miles north of Chicago, received a request from DHS for “limited support including facilities, infrastructure, and other logistical assistance,” according to base spokesperson Matt Mogle. He noted that no formal approval has been granted, and the base has not received an official request for National Guard deployment.
The potential use of the base follows Trump’s prior deployment of National Guard troops to Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles amid rising ICE activity and local protests. Tom Homan, Trump’s immigration enforcement czar, told reporters Thursday that discussions are ongoing regarding the Chicago-area base as a staging location for DHS personnel.
According to internal documents obtained by The New York Times, the plan could involve around 200 DHS officials, with the base providing space for a “Tactical Operations Center” and an “Incident Command Post.” DHS reportedly seeks facilities to accommodate roughly 250 personnel.
The announcement comes as Trump has criticized Chicago officials, including Mayor Brandon Johnson and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, over the city’s crime rates. Both leaders have rejected Trump’s intervention, with Pritzker warning the president that additional forces are neither needed nor welcome.
This proposal coincides with the administration’s broader efforts to expand detention facilities nationwide, following the opening of Florida’s “Alligator Alcatraz,” which has faced both legal challenges and public opposition.
