Federal Judge Denounces 'Unprecedented' Use of Force by Immigration Agents in Chicago Operation
A US District Court judge has handed down a scathing review of the aggressive tactics employed by federal immigration agents during "Operation Midway Blitz," a campaign that saw authorities deploy tear gas, pepper balls, and other forceful measures against protesters in Chicago's neighborhoods.
In a blistering 233-page opinion, Judge Sara Ellis criticized the actions of US Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino and fellow agents, who used their authority to detain people without proper documentation. The judge deemed claims made by federal officials about the level of violence in the area as "not credible" and instead found evidence that suggested a different narrative.
Agents were recorded using tear gas against protesters while shouting profanity, slamming on brakes to cause car crashes, and writing reports for their actions using artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT. These tactics are not only unacceptable but also undermine the credibility of federal authorities, Ellis stated.
The judge found inconsistencies between the stories told by Bovino and other agents and the evidence provided by video footage and body-worn camera records. For example, in one incident, a border patrol agent claimed protesters were armed with shields containing nails, but video footage revealed that these shields were actually just pieces of cardboard.
Ellis also raised questions about the use of ChatGPT to create reports on the force used by agents, which further compromised their credibility.
In another case, Bovino testified that he was assaulted by protesters during an incident in Little Village, but later admitted that this was a mistake. In fact, footage showed that it was the agent who had deployed tear gas and then rolled another canister of tear gas towards fleeing protesters as other agents fired pepper balls and threw a flashbang grenade.
The judge's written opinion has already been challenged by a federal appeals court, which found Ellis' original order limiting the use of force to be "overbroad" but promised a swift appeal process.
A US District Court judge has handed down a scathing review of the aggressive tactics employed by federal immigration agents during "Operation Midway Blitz," a campaign that saw authorities deploy tear gas, pepper balls, and other forceful measures against protesters in Chicago's neighborhoods.
In a blistering 233-page opinion, Judge Sara Ellis criticized the actions of US Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino and fellow agents, who used their authority to detain people without proper documentation. The judge deemed claims made by federal officials about the level of violence in the area as "not credible" and instead found evidence that suggested a different narrative.
Agents were recorded using tear gas against protesters while shouting profanity, slamming on brakes to cause car crashes, and writing reports for their actions using artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT. These tactics are not only unacceptable but also undermine the credibility of federal authorities, Ellis stated.
The judge found inconsistencies between the stories told by Bovino and other agents and the evidence provided by video footage and body-worn camera records. For example, in one incident, a border patrol agent claimed protesters were armed with shields containing nails, but video footage revealed that these shields were actually just pieces of cardboard.
Ellis also raised questions about the use of ChatGPT to create reports on the force used by agents, which further compromised their credibility.
In another case, Bovino testified that he was assaulted by protesters during an incident in Little Village, but later admitted that this was a mistake. In fact, footage showed that it was the agent who had deployed tear gas and then rolled another canister of tear gas towards fleeing protesters as other agents fired pepper balls and threw a flashbang grenade.
The judge's written opinion has already been challenged by a federal appeals court, which found Ellis' original order limiting the use of force to be "overbroad" but promised a swift appeal process.
I mean, who gives orders for tear gas and pepper balls in a neighborhood protest? It's like they forgot that people are human beings too 
. And what's with the AI reports? Like, come on! ChatGPT or whatever is not foolproof 
. The judge said it best, these tactics are unacceptable and don't just reflect poorly on the agents but the whole system. And those inconsistencies between Bovino's story and the evidence... wow 
. I'm surprised more people weren't hurt in all that chaos 
. Anyway, this whole thing is a mess and needs to be looked into ASAP 
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This is a reminder that power comes with responsibility - we must always hold ourselves and our leaders accountable for our actions. 
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. And what's even crazier is that there's a court case already happening over this... it just goes to show how far we've fallen when we can't even trust our own authorities 
I'm totally on team Judge Sara Ellis right now! The way those immigration agents acted in Chicago was completely unacceptable 
And using AI tools like ChatGPT to write reports? Like, what even is that?! 
It's all about accountability and making sure our authorities are being truthful, you know? 
And them AI reports? Who checks those for accuracy? 
. Can't have the authorities bein' their own worst enemy, know what I mean? 
. It's like, what's next? Using AI to make fake evidence against protesters? And the fact that Bovino claimed he got assaulted by protesters but it was actually him who deployed tear gas and rolled another canister towards them... yikes 
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And what's up with the AI reports? Did they really think we wouldn't notice if our "agents" were spitting out Wikipedia articles like they were going out of style? 
Anyway, good on Judge Ellis for calling BS on all this. Maybe someone needs to explain to these agents that being a law enforcement officer doesn't mean you get to be the cops' equivalent of a human SWAT team. 
I think its kinda sad that it took a scathing review from a judge for us to finally acknowledge that using excessive force on peaceful protesters is NOT okay 
. But i guess thats what happens when we're all still trying to figure out how to navigate these complex issues 
. we need more transparency and less drama 
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. She's calling out that commander Gregory Bovino and his crew for their lies and aggressive tactics. I love how she's fact-checking everything and holding them accountable. The agent claiming protesters were armed with nails when it was just cardboard shields? Come on! And the AI reports? That's just ridiculous.
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. Perhaps this is an opportunity for the government to re-examine its policies and procedures to ensure that they're aligning with our values of justice and accountability 
. I mean, who uses tear gas and pepper balls against protesters in a city where it's already hot outside? It's just crazy. And those artificial intelligence tools they're using to write reports? Come on, that's like something out of a dystopian movie 
. And it's so frustrating when they use force and then claim that the protesters are the ones who started it. Like, no one likes a good excuse for bad policing 
. And yeah, I'm definitely following the appeals court process on this one... want to see justice served 
!