The Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability in Chicago has faced significant internal divisions over how to address the Chicago Police Department’s involvement in Operation Midway Blitz, a federal immigration enforcement surge that drew widespread community concern.

Established in 2021 as part of a citywide effort to enhance civilian oversight of the police department, the commission holds authority to influence hiring, draft department policies, and compel testimony from police officials. However, records indicate that commissioners struggled for months to agree on the scope and approach of their review into the police response during the Midway Blitz.

Tensions surfaced after a January 2026 “listening session” at Thalia Hall, which gathered thousands of residents voicing frustration and fear that Chicago police had collaborated with federal agents in ways detrimental to the community. Angel Rubi Navarijo, the commission’s vice president, emphasized that the commission was perceived as slow to act. He urged that examining police involvement with federal immigration authorities become a distinct strategic priority.

Remel Terry, the commission’s president, acknowledged concerns but cautioned against actions she viewed as grandstanding or beyond the commission’s remit. The divide deepened over plans to hold a hearing with then-Supt. Larry Snelling, the Chicago Police Department superintendent during the operation. Snelling resisted participating in any session that included subject matter experts, a stance President Terry supported, arguing that the hearing should focus strictly on accountability.

This position frustrated several commissioners, who contended that the president’s approach overruled collective decision-making. Ultimately, the hearing proceeded on April 2 under terms set by Snelling, limiting the format and scope. Following the session, the commission voted to request an investigation by the Office of Inspector General into the police department’s role during the blitz.

Throughout the operation, Chicago police frequently responded to incidents involving federal agents confronting protestors or residents. The department’s responses were described by Snelling as defensive, and he asserted that commissioners lacked a full understanding of the complex legal framework governing such interactions.

Public records disclose that the police department’s replies to information requests about its coordination with federal authorities were largely procedural and offered little substantive detail.

The commission’s difficulties underscore ongoing challenges in balancing community demands for transparency and accountability with institutional constraints and political considerations amid continuing debates over immigration enforcement tactics in Chicago.