Kristi Noem Draws Protests During Chicago Christmas Tree Delivery
CHICAGO – South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem participated in the annual Christmas Tree Ship delivery to Navy Pier in Chicago on Saturday, an event intended to provide trees to families in need, but her presence was met with protests stemming from recent immigration enforcement actions.
The event,which delivered 1,200 trees to Chicago from Northern Michigan,was shadowed by demonstrations connected to Noem’s involvement in recent federal immigration raids in the Chicago area and elsewhere. Protesters voiced concerns over tactics employed during these operations, including allegations of unlawful arrests.
Noem recently led a raid on an Elgin home on September 16, deploying helicopters, bright lights, and smoke bombs. A subsequent court filing alleged that the raid resulted in the unlawful arrest of two U.S. citizens, who were later released, and violated a consent decree by making arrests without warrants or probable cause. A federal judge later found that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) made 22 illegal arrests during the “Operation Midway Blitz” and extended the existing consent decree to Febuary 2026.
Prior to Saturday’s event,federal immigration agents were observed making arrests in Cicero on Friday,with social media videos showing agents pursuing individuals in a Menards parking lot. These actions followed the closure of a DHS command center at Naval Station Great Lakes last month and increased enforcement efforts in Charlotte and New Orleans.
Despite the protests, Noem assisted in unloading the trees delivered by the vessel, continuing a tradition that honors the Rouse Simmons, the original “Christmas Tree Ship” which delivered trees to Chicago for three decades until its sinking in lake Michigan in 1912. The annual event is organized by Chicago’s Christmas Ship Committee and provided trees for over 1,000 families last year.
