A 13-year-old from Rochester, New York, was found in a Blue Island, Illinois, apartment alongside two men whom immigration authorities say are in the U.S. unlawfully.

According to AOL, U.S. Marshals working with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children located the teenager in the Chicago suburbs. The recovery comes as the Trump administration intensifies immigration enforcement in the sanctuary city.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement determined the males with the girl were an 18-year-old and his father, neither with legal status in the United States. Authorities said she was found hundreds of miles from where she disappeared in Rochester.

How The Search Unfolded Near Chicago

The Marshals Service coordinated with the missing-children center and traced the teen to an apartment complex in Blue Island, just south of Chicago. ICE determined the two males with her — an 18-year-old and his father — were in the country without authorization.

“‘The United States Marshals Service worked tirelessly to recover this endangered child from the predators who should have never been in this country to take her from the safety of her family and home,’” U.S. Marshals Service Director Gadyaces Serralta said. “‘Our children deserve safe cities!’”

The report did not detail how she got to Illinois or her connection to the men. The agencies emphasized their coordination in rescuing endangered children.

Enforcement Drive Reshapes Chicago Operations

The recovery coincides with “Operation Midway Blitz,” an ICE initiative in Chicago and across Illinois launched earlier in September. The operation targets migrants accused of using local sanctuary protections to avoid removal.

Federal officers have arrested hundreds of people flagged as criminal offenders, including alleged Tren de Aragua members and suspects facing charges such as murder, sexual assault of a child, and armed robbery. Authorities say those arrests stem from citywide sweeps tied to the effort.

The surge has renewed friction between federal and local leaders over cooperation. Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, both Democrats, have pushed back against the escalated tactics.

Local Pushback And Street Protests

Johnson has publicly criticized the crackdowns and, in August, signed an executive order that aims to “utilize legal action and legislation” against any immigration or National Guard deployment in Chicago. He has repeatedly issued statements and appeared in the media to oppose the federal effort.

On Friday, more than 100 people surrounded an ICE processing center in Broadview and blocked the entrance, with participants allegedly slashing tires and deploying tear gas. Video showed Democratic congressional candidate Kat Abughazaleh being slammed to the ground by a federal officer after allegedly joining the unrest.

Photographs from Broadview showed ICE personnel equipped with less-lethal gear outside the processing center during the demonstration. The report described turmoil at the entrance as protesters massed at the facility.

Why This Story Matters

This story highlights the danger presented when children go missing and how local and federal cooperation is necessary to recover them. It also underscores the friction between sanctuary city policies and national immigration enforcement efforts. The resulting tension, including violent protests and legal challenges, suggests that policy disagreements are having very real consequences for public safety.

Conclusion

A missing 13-year-old girl from Rochester, New York, was recovered in Blue Island, Illinois, in a federal operation involving the U.S. Marshals and ICE. She was found with two undocumented individuals amid a broader crackdown on criminal migrants under Operation Midway Blitz. The incident triggered further debate over sanctuary laws, law enforcement jurisdiction, and state-federal relations in Illinois.

A violent protest at the ICE processing center brought national attention and opposing critiques from DHS and the Illinois governor’s office. Federal agents processed multiple individuals with violent criminal histories, reinforcing calls for stricter enforcement mechanisms. As the debate continues, officials on both sides point to the complexity of balancing safety, legal authority, and constitutional rights in immigration policy enforcement.