CHICAGO (WLS) — Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem will visit northwest Indiana Thursday.

She’s expected to bring updates on the immigration enforcement that’s happening across the area.

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Secretary Kristi Noem will give an update on recent immigration enforcement deemed “Operation Midway Blitz,” which Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino has called “wildly successful” in an interview with ABC News earlier this week.

She will be joined by Indiana governor Mike Braun in Gary along with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and acting ICE Director Todd Lyons, among others.

SEE ALSO: Court pauses order requiring CBP Chief Bovino to meet with judge daily on immigration operations

Her visit has been met with some criticism, though, from other local northwest Indiana leaders.

Gary’s Mayor Eddie Melton said his office was not involved with planning the event and is not participating.

Hammond’s Mayor Thomas McDermott also posting on Facebook, criticizing how the press conference was announced.

Counter-protests are expected later Thursday morning.

RELATED | Chicago federal intervention: Tracking surge in immigration enforcement operations | Live updates

Bovino says nearly 3,000 people have been arrested in the Chicago area, as part of “Midway Blitz.”

The expanded immigration enforcement started in September.

Wednesday night, Governor Pritzker sent a letter to Secretary Noem, requesting a pause in ICE enforcement this weekend in and around homes, schools, hospitals, parks and place of worship, so children can safely celebrate Halloween.

The governor referenced an incident in his letter this past weekend in Old Irving Park – in which he says, federal agents reportedly interrupted a children’s Halloween parade and deployed tear gas without warning – on residents peacefully celebrating the holiday.

INDIANAPOLIS — Officials with the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles are warning Indiana residents of a new scam that is being sent to Hoosiers via text.

According to a news release from the Indiana BMV, the scam asks the user for overdue payments over text, including traffic violations or unpaid tolls. The text reportedly “strongly” mimics the BMV’s mobile website and improperly cites Indiana code.

Officials said the messages should be considered fraudulent. The BMV is urging people who receive the message to delete it immediately and not click on any links.

This is not the first time that the Indiana BMV has been the subject of scam texts. According to previous reports, a scam was sent out to some Indiana residents from the “Indiana Department of Vehicles” regarding outstanding traffic tickets in early June.

“We want to make it clear that these messages are not from the Indiana BMV,” the release said. “The BMV does not send SMS text messages about outstanding penalties. In fact, the fees outlined in the messages are not ones that the agency actually collects.”

For a list of known BMV-related scams, click here.

Police have launched a search for two stolen endangered tortoises after the Indianapolis Zoo waited 11 days to report them missing.

An Egyptian tortoise and a Northern Spider tortoise, both of which are on the critically endangered species list, were taken from their enclosure in the zoo’s desert exhibit between 10 a.m. local time on October 11 and 10 a.m. on October 12, Indiana State Police say.

Captain Ron Galaviz with the Indiana State Police confirmed to Fox 59 that the tortoises were not reported missing until last Thursday.

On Monday, authorities asked for the public’s help in finding the two tortoises in a Facebook post.

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Facebook users questioned how the theft could’ve happened.

“I’m curious how exactly you steal not one but TWO tortoises from a Zoo?” one user wrote.

To which another replied, “We recently went to the Indianapolis zoo and they’re not in a really closed encounter. They’re just smack in the middle with very accessible fence type thing you could reach in and pick it up.”

“How do you walk out of the zoo with 2 turtles? That must be a big rain coat,” a third user commented.

But Galaviz explained the tortoises stolen were rather small.

“The tortoises are not the large giant tortoises that you see people sitting on and riding around on,” he told Fox 59. “These are actually very small, probably fit in the palm of your hand.”

Galaviz said the tortoises can be anywhere by now.

“They could end up in a pet store. They could be in somebody’s personal aquarium somewhere that obviously we don’t know, [the] black market. I think the possibilities run the gamut,” he said.

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The Independent has reached out to the zoo for comment and Indiana State Police for updates on the tortoises’ whereabouts.

According to the zoo’s website, the Egyptian tortoises are typically four inches long and weigh one pound, and are endangered due to habitat loss and pet trade. Northern Spider tortoises, which are five inches long and weigh one pound, suffer from habitat loss and poaching.

Jake Oakman, a spokesperson for the zoo, said in a statement shared by ABC News, it is “working closely with law enforcement to investigate the theft.”

“We continue to hope for their safe return and we appreciate the community’s support during this time,” Oakman said.

Indiana State Police asked anyone with information that could help them in the search for the tortoises to contact police.