**Chicago Judge Orders ICE Agents to Wear Body Cameras Amid Controversial Immigration Crackdown**
Troubled by clashes between federal immigration agents and the public, U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis announced on Thursday that she will require immigration officers in the Chicago area to wear body cameras. The judge also summoned a senior official to appear in court next week to discuss an enforcement operation that has resulted in over 1,000 arrests.
Judge Ellis expressed her concern after viewing television footage of street confrontations during the immigration crackdown led by President Donald Trump’s administration. These confrontations included the use of tear gas and other aggressive tactics.
“I live in Chicago if folks haven’t noticed,” Ellis said. “And I’m not blind, right?”
### Federal Appeals Court Upholds Ban on National Guard Deployment
Separately, a federal appeals court ruled against the Trump administration, deciding to uphold a lower court’s temporary ban on deploying the National Guard to assist immigration officers in Illinois. This ban will remain in place while the government pursues an appeal.
### Community Response and Protests
Community efforts to oppose U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have intensified in Chicago. Neighborhood groups have organized to monitor ICE activity and record interactions involving agents. Since September, more than 1,000 immigrants have been arrested.
An immigration enforcement building in Broadview, just outside Chicago, has become a focal point for regular protests. The Trump administration attempted to deploy National Guard troops, partly to patrol the Broadview location, but this strategy was halted on October 9 by a separate federal judge’s order lasting at least two weeks.
### Judge Ellis’ Previous Orders and New Body Camera Requirement
Last week, Judge Ellis mandated that agents operating in the area must wear badges. She also banned the use of certain riot control techniques against peaceful protesters and journalists.
“I’m having concerns about my order being followed,” the judge remarked. “I am adding that all agents who are operating in Operation Midway Blitz are to wear body-worn cameras, and they are to be on,” referring to the government’s name for the crackdown.
### Government Response and Camera Implementation Challenges
U.S. Justice Department attorney Sean Skedzielewski attributed the negative portrayal of agents to “one-sided and selectively edited media reports.” He also noted the logistical challenges of immediately distributing body cameras to agents.
“I understand that. I would not be expecting agents to wear body-worn cameras they do not have,” Judge Ellis responded, adding that specific details regarding implementation could be worked out later.
Tricia McLaughlin, spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, stated, “DHS will continue to oppose all efforts to vilify law enforcement and prop up the cause of violent rioters. Were a court to enter such an order in the future, that would be an extreme act of judicial activism.”
### Cameras to Provide Evidence in Confrontations
Judge Ellis emphasized that body cameras would provide valuable evidence regarding how agents handle confrontations with protesters.
In addition to the camera order, Ellis mandated that the field director overseeing the enforcement operation must appear in court on Monday to discuss the situation.
### Reactions from Local Officials
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker praised Judge Ellis’ ruling, criticizing the government’s statements regarding arrests and other incidents — including last month’s fatal shooting of a suburban Chicago man — as often inaccurate.
“They clearly lie about what goes on,” Pritzker told reporters. “It’s hard for us to know right away what the truth is.”
### Body Camera Deployment in Other Cities
In 2024, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement began deploying approximately 1,600 body cameras to agents assigned to Enforcement and Removal Operations in select cities including Baltimore, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., Buffalo, New York, and Detroit.
Other agencies within the Department of Homeland Security require some agents to wear cameras. For example, U.S. Customs and Border Protection has publicly released body-camera footage showing incidents in which force was used by its agents or officers.
### Recent Local Developments
Earlier this week, a Cook County judge barred ICE from arresting individuals at courthouses in Chicago and its suburbs, adding another layer of judicial restrictions on the agency’s enforcement actions in the region.
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*This ongoing situation highlights the tensions surrounding immigration enforcement in Chicago and the increasing calls for greater transparency and accountability from federal agents.*
https://www.wptv.com/politics/judge-orders-ice-agents-in-chicago-to-wear-body-cameras-amid-crackdown
