Federal Judge 'Startled' by ICE Conduct Orders Agents to Wear Body Cameras During Operations

A federal judge in Illinois has ordered immigration enforcement officers in the Chicago area to wear body cameras after reports and footage showed federal agents using rubber bullets, tear gas, and other chemical munitions against protesters, journalists, and faith leaders during demonstrations opposing President Donald Trump's mass deportation policies.

U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis said she was "startled" by images of law enforcement actions that appeared to violate her earlier order limiting the use of force against nonviolent demonstrators.

"I'm getting images and seeing images on the news, in the paper, reading reports, where at least from what I'm seeing, I'm having serious concerns that my order's being followed," Ellis said in court as reported by The Independent. She directed agents involved in "Operation Midway Blitz" to begin wearing and activating body-worn cameras immediately.

The order follows a lawsuit filed by press associations, protesters, and religious leaders accusing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents of a "pattern of extreme brutality." The plaintiffs allege that officers "indiscriminately fired" on peaceful demonstrators outside the Broadview ICE Processing Center, a longtime protest site in suburban Chicago.

Among those injured was Reverend David Black, senior pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Chicago, who went viral after being shot multiple times with pepper pellets while leading a prayer vigil on September 19.

"Without any warning, and without any order or request that I and others disperse, I was suddenly fired upon by ICE officers," Black said in a statement released by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Illinois. "I was hit seven times on my arms, face, and torso with exploding pellets that contained some kind of chemical agent."

The ACLU, representing 11 plaintiffs including clergy, journalists, and media organizations, accuses federal officers of using excessive force in violation of the First Amendment. Journalists involved in the lawsuit also reported being struck by projectiles and exposed to tear gas while covering the protests.

Ellis's original restraining order had already barred the use of riot control weapons against nonviolent protesters and prohibited agents from targeting the head, neck, or groin with munitions. Despite this, Ellis said she continues to see evidence of violations. The court is expected to reconvene on October 20, when Ellis will hear from federal officials "to explain why I am seeing images of tear gas being deployed."