OAN Staff Katherine Mosack
11:23 AM – Wednesday, October 29, 2025
A federal judge has taken extraordinary oversight measures over the immigration-enforcement operation in Chicago led by the Trump administration.
Sara Ellis, U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Illinois, ordered U.S. Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino to report to her daily on the agency’s activities in the Windy City, requiring him to personally wear a body‐worn camera, while demanding detailed use‐of‐force records.
This aligns with concerns raised by the city’s liberal politicians regarding agents’ tactics — particularly the use of tear gas and other crowd-control measures — in residential neighborhoods and during large events.
On Tuesday, Gregory Bovino appeared in the Federal District Court for the Northern District of Illinois in his signature green Border Patrol uniform and insignia. Bovino has become a key figure of the Trump administration’s illegal immigration crackdown.
Previously a relatively “low-profile” regional agent, Bovino’s risen to national prominence since mid-2025, actively promoting and executing these policies through public statements, media appearances, and direct command of operations.
During a tense federal court hearing in Chicago on Tuesday, Judge Ellis spent more than an hour methodically reciting, line by line, the precise terms of a temporary restraining order she had issued earlier that month.
The order imposed strict limits on the use of tear gas and other crowd-control measures by federal immigration agents under the command of Bovino, who was leading “Operation Midway Blitz.” The lawsuit at the heart of the case, brought by progressive journalists and civil rights advocates, accused Bovino’s agents of repeatedly violating these judicial safeguards.
Judge Ellis’ deliberate, verbatim recitation served not merely as a procedural exercise but as a pointed judicial admonition, reiterating the court’s demand for “accountability” over “aggressive enforcement tactics” in a sanctuary city.
Proponents of sanctuary policies claim that they focus on increasing public safety for all residents, including illegal aliens, while opponents argue they clearly obstruct federal law and create a safe harbor for criminals.
“I’ll see you tomorrow at 6,” the judge concluded, dismissing Bovino to return to his work.
The New York Times reported that the judge spoke for nearly the entire hearing, offering Bovino little opportunity to defend himself and the GOP administration while asking few specific questions.
Bovino was respectful and cooperative in the courtroom, however, answering, “Yes, ma’am,” and “I understand what you’re saying, Your Honor.”
Judge Ellis criticized one incident in particular, in which Border Patrol agents allegedly deployed tear gas in a residential neighborhood where children were preparing for a Halloween parade. She accused the agents of failing to issue any warnings before launching the canisters into the area.
“These kids, you can imagine, their sense of safety was shattered on Saturday,” she said. “And it’s going to take a long time for that to come back, if ever.”
She also told Bovino that his agents must always issue a warning before deploying tear gas.
“The warning has to be, ‘I’m going to deploy tear gas,’” she said. “The warning really has to be, include what it is that you’re going to do before you do it, and allow people time to comply.”
Bovino told the judge that he and his agents would start wearing body cameras by the end of the week, pursuant to her orders.
“We can get a camera by Friday,” he responded.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has since defended its use of tear gas. In a statement last week, the department maintained that such tactics were necessary, as agents have been perpetually “swarmed by agitators.”
“The agitators obstructed federal law enforcement and ignored multiple warnings to disperse and continued to impede operations, including trying to deflate a vehicle’s tire,” the statement said. “Agents deployed crowd control measures to disperse the crowd and agitators began throwing objects at them.”
A small group of protesters had also reportedly gathered outside of the courthouse on Tuesday, carrying signs meant to denounce the U.S. Border Patrol. Bovino left the courthouse flanked by dozens of agents, cutting through shouting demonstrators with a convoy of government vehicles.
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