Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced on Sunday that it "began conducting enhanced targeted operations" in Chicago to "preserve public safety" and keep illegal immigrants with criminal records off of the streets.

"U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, along with federal partners, including the FBI, ATF, DEA, CBP and the U.S. Marshals Service, began conducting enhanced targeted operations today in Chicago to enforce U.S. immigration law and preserve public safety and national security by keeping potentially dangerous criminal aliens out of our communities," read a statement from ICE.

Chicago is considered a sanctuary city, which means it does not cooperate with ICE.

According to the city's official website, "Chicago's Welcoming City Ordinance means that the City will not ask about your immigration status, disclose that information to authorities, or, most importantly, deny you City services based on your immigration status."

Similar enforcement actions are taking place in Austin, Texas on Sunday, according to several reports.

Earlier this week, ICE arrested illegal immigrants with gang ties, including one from Haiti who had 17 convictions.