By Sabrina Franza, Samah Assad
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CHICAGO, Illiinois (WBBM) — The following story features Spanish and English translations.
One year ago this week, the federal government began what they coined “Operation Midway Blitz,” the mass-deportation mission in the Chicago area that flooded streets with federal agents, tear gas, and fear in many immigrant families, many of whom had to leave the country.
Since last year, CBS News Chicago has followed one family as they fought to be reunited after their father was detained. For most of them, their American dream has now ended.
“I’m alone. I don’t have my family, who was the people that every day was supporting me in every single part of my life, my happiness and making my dreams came true.”
Juan Jaimes’ family is now split in two. He is in Chicago, but his mother, father, sister and brother are back in Colombia.
“I decided to stay in the U.S. because I feel like I have my future here,” he said.
Juan’s father, Omar Bautista Carvajal, was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents on Oct. 4, 2025. He was on his way to English class, had a valid work permit and was deemed a low safety risk by the federal government. However, that wasn’t enough to prevent his detention.
Juan’s mother, Jasbleidys Hernandez, fought for her husband Omar’s release, holding onto hope that he would return.
“My mom was the person demonstrate being strong,” Juan said.
Omar was deported to Colombia in July. His health started to deteriorate in ICE custody.
“A ellos no les importaba si él estaba enfermo, ni cómo se sentía. Los alimentos no era importancia para. Para ellos no era importante la salud. No es importante la salud de los detenidos,” Jasbleidys said.
(“They [ICE] didn’t care that he was sick or how he felt. His meals weren’t important to them. health of the detainees is not important to them.”)
“Ya al menos está libre y está mucho mejor.”
(“At least he’s free and he’s much better.”)
The rest of Juan’s family packed their lives and dreams into suitcases and self-deported to Colombia, feeling they had no choice, not only so they could be with Omar again, but because they could no longer afford to stay in the U.S. without his additional income.
“Entonces eso me pone más triste. Contentos porque voy a encontrarme con mi esposo, está toda mi familia allá. Pero pues triste porque, repito, no era la manera como. Como que nosotros teníamos que salir nunca. Y como les dije muchas veces, no hicimos nada malo. Pero bueno, al menos ya terminó esta pesadilla,” Jasbleidys said.
(“It makes me very sad. I’m happy to reunite with my husband and my family’s there. But said because, I repeat, it wasn’t the right way that we had to leave. Like I’ve said many times, we didn’t do anything wrong. But hey, at least this nightmare’s over.”)
“Victoria, my little sister, was the first person who just told me to say, ‘Take care.’ I just tell her bye and she just told me like, ‘When am I going to see you?’ That’s hard because you don’t know when,” Juan said.
The youngest sibling, Victoria, came to the U.S. with her family when she was just three years old back in 2022.
“Entonces, todavía Victoria no entiende quizás el grande cambio que va a tener. Yo sí sé el cambio que ella va a tener,” Jasbleidys said.
(“Victoria still doesn’t understand the big change she’s about to have. I do know the change she’s about to have.”)
Victoria says goodbye to the only friends she’s ever known. Jasbleidys prepares to leave.
“Repito, la oportunidad que dejé de darles a mis hijos de que siguieran aprendiendo, estudiando, conociendo. Eso es lo más importante para mí que mis hijos no pudieron, quizás, o no pudimos seguir trabajando en su educación, en lo que queríamos para ellos. Es lo que más nos duele realmente.” she said.
(“I’m going to miss the opportunities I couldn’t give them. I wanted them to keep learning and studying. That’s what’s most important to me. We couldn’t continue with their education, which is what we really wanted for them. That’s what hurts the most, to be honest.”)
Juan, her 19-year-old son, stayed behind. He says his mother was not mad, but sad.
“My mom told me, don’t go out too much. Don’t do many things outside,” he said, remembering her warning to be careful of running into federal agents. “I’m not thinking about that. I’m not thinking about that if they’re going to take me or not.”
Before going through TSA at O’Hare International Airport, Jasbleidys shared what she tells people who don’t understand her experience in the U.S.
“Bueno, no la vivieron. No la vivieron y quizás no saben realmente lo que se siente. Pero es muy fuerte cuando tienes una familia y, bueno, se hace todo por la familia y aquí lo hicimos, nos vamos por ellos. Pero es muy fuerte, es muy duro y duele mucho.”
(“They didn’t live what we lived. They don’t know what it’s like. It’s different when you have a family. You want to do everything for your family. We did that here. We’re leaving for them. It’s very hard and it hurts alot.”)
“There are many emotions that I’m feeling because it’s sad to see how this separation may change your life,” Juan said.
They said a tearful goodbye, not knowing when they would see each other again.
He stays in hopes he can find what his family could not have.
“My dreams don’t make me stop because I know I can do it,” he said.
“Operation Midway Blitz” is technically over. The operation began on Sept. 8, 2025, and ended sometime in December. However, detainments by federal agents have continued in the area.
Latest data from the Deportation Data Project analyzed by CBS News shows 8,111 people were detained in the Chicago area from Jan. 20, 2025 to Aug. 5, 2026. 3,730 people had been deported as of Aug. 6, 2026, including Omar Bautista-Carvajal, and 2,002 voluntarily departed.
Of those detained, 1,679 people had been convicted of a crime. DHS data shows the other 79% of people had no prior convictions. CBS News Chicago found that Omar had no criminal record.
When asked about Omar Bautista-Carvajal’s case, DHS told us in part, “He received due process and was ordered removed by an immigration judge on May 5, 2026. He was removed from the United States on July 22, 2026.”
Bautista Carvajal was one of many listed in a federal class action lawsuit alleging he should never have been detained in the first place, but a court overturned the decision for him to be released, and his immigration case continued before he was ordered removed.
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