CHICAGO (RTWNews) — A Chicago federal judge is preparing to determine how to respond to mounting allegations that federal immigration agents have recently employed excessive force during crackdowns in the area. This hearing comes in the wake of a surge in court filings describing distressing interactions between agents and local residents stemming from protests against immigration policies.
The preliminary injunction hearing pivots around a lawsuit initiated by various news organizations alongside protestors, alleging the use of disproportionate tactics by agents, including tear gas during peaceful assemblies.
U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis has previously mandated that agents must wear identification and has restricted the use of riot-control measures against non-violent protesters and journalists. She has expressed frustration with federal officials who have not adhered to prior rulings, insisting that all agents wear body cameras moving forward.
During a public hearing last week, Judge Ellis interrogated senior Border Patrol official Gregory Bovino closely regarding the enforcement strategies employed in Chicago. Following her inquiry, she instructed Bovino to provide nightly updates regarding the situation, a request that was later overturned by an appeals court.
In the latest developments, Bovino attended court again for a deposition, where recorded testimonies from both sides are set to be examined in the ongoing deliberations.
Attorneys will also likely present testimony from those impacted by the federal action, including a pastor harmed while praying outside an immigration facility and individuals arrested during protests. Court documents reveal that Bovino acknowledged the deployment of tear gas in Little Village, a predominantly Mexican-American neighborhood, where tensions had escalated recently. Furthermore, he revealed plans instructing his officers to arrest demonstrators who make inappropriate comments amid escalated situations.
In addition, a federal judge has heard a class-action lawsuit filed on behalf of detainees alleging inhumane conditions at a Chicago-area immigration facility. This follows alarming descriptions of conditions from detainees, including overflowing toilets, overcrowding, lack of beds, and contaminated water. Judge Robert Gettleman labeled these conditions as unnecessarily cruel and has scheduled a hearing to likely enforce a temporary restraining order aimed at ameliorating the detainees’ situation.
The preliminary injunction hearing pivots around a lawsuit initiated by various news organizations alongside protestors, alleging the use of disproportionate tactics by agents, including tear gas during peaceful assemblies.
U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis has previously mandated that agents must wear identification and has restricted the use of riot-control measures against non-violent protesters and journalists. She has expressed frustration with federal officials who have not adhered to prior rulings, insisting that all agents wear body cameras moving forward.
During a public hearing last week, Judge Ellis interrogated senior Border Patrol official Gregory Bovino closely regarding the enforcement strategies employed in Chicago. Following her inquiry, she instructed Bovino to provide nightly updates regarding the situation, a request that was later overturned by an appeals court.
In the latest developments, Bovino attended court again for a deposition, where recorded testimonies from both sides are set to be examined in the ongoing deliberations.
Attorneys will also likely present testimony from those impacted by the federal action, including a pastor harmed while praying outside an immigration facility and individuals arrested during protests. Court documents reveal that Bovino acknowledged the deployment of tear gas in Little Village, a predominantly Mexican-American neighborhood, where tensions had escalated recently. Furthermore, he revealed plans instructing his officers to arrest demonstrators who make inappropriate comments amid escalated situations.
In addition, a federal judge has heard a class-action lawsuit filed on behalf of detainees alleging inhumane conditions at a Chicago-area immigration facility. This follows alarming descriptions of conditions from detainees, including overflowing toilets, overcrowding, lack of beds, and contaminated water. Judge Robert Gettleman labeled these conditions as unnecessarily cruel and has scheduled a hearing to likely enforce a temporary restraining order aimed at ameliorating the detainees’ situation.
