Why It Matters
The directive from U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis shows an escalation in judicial oversight of latest CBP operations, which Ellis suspects have breached her temporary restraining order (TRO) that concerns how agents interact with the public — especially regarding tear gas usage, physical force, and absence of identification in enforcement activities.
Background
Ellis primarily issued the TRO after an October 6 lawsuit brought by several Chicago media platforms against Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials. The lawsuit accused agents of engaging in “extreme brutality” against reporters outside the Broadview ICE processing facility.
Later in October, following the reviewing of further events, Ellis expanded her order to need DHS agents to equip with body cameras, expressing concern that her previous guidelines had not been followed.
What Prompted the Latest Action
The rapid trigger for the fresh requirement was another event, reports of immigration agents deploying tear gas in Old Irving on Saturday just before a community Halloween parade. The judge summoned Bovino to testify on Tuesday, asking for clarification on the situation.
What They’re Saying
In court, Ellis condemned the deployment of tear gas near families and children, stating:
“Kids dressed in Halloween costumes walking to a parade do not pose an immediate threat to the safety of a law enforcement officer,” Ellis said. “They just don’t.”
She also said that the children’s “sense of safety was shattered Saturday and it’s gonna take a long time for that to come back, if ever.”
In Court
Ellis reminded Bovino that both of them had sworn an oath to uphold the U.S. Constitution, highlighting that she hoped her TRO had only been misinterpreted rather than ignored deliberately.
She then reviewed the certain provisions and mentioned examples of possible breaches.
When Ellis asked Bovino if they were currently“on the same page,” he stated:
“We are in that we will abide by the TRO and the accouterments therein.”
New Requirements
Under the judge’s latest requirement:
- Bovino must meet with her each weekday through the coming week.
- DHS must provide all use-of-force reports and related video clips from September 2 through the most latest Saturday by Friday.
- CBP leadership is anticipated to confirm whether all agents currently possess body cameras.
Ellis showed surprise that Bovino himself did not yet have one, despite previous testimony indicating that most Chicago-based CBP authorities were already equipped.
Ongoing Legal Debate
Attorneys representing journalists have requested that Ellis provide a complete ban on tear gas use, mentioning several latest incidents.
But, government lawyers countered that the gas “allows the agents to leave safely in highly volatile situations … protects the agents and the people being brought into custody so that more lethal remedies, like hand fighting, do not occur.”
While Ellis dismissed the request, she showed optimism that compliance would improve, citing:
She thinks Bovino now knows the rules “and the importance of documentation and video, so I suspect … that we are not going to see a lot of tear gas deployed over the next week.”
Bovino must start his daily court meetings this week, while DHS lawyers are working to confirm whether the needed records and videos can be provided by Friday’s deadline.
In her closing comments, Ellis issued a final caution:
“I do not want to get violation reports … that agents are out on Halloween where kids are present and tear gas is being deployed,” Ellis said.
FAQs:
1.Who is Judge Sara Ellis?
Sara Ellis is a U.S. District Judge based in Chicago.
2.Who is Gregory Bovino?
Gregory Bovino is a commander with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
The post Judge Sara Ellis: Chicago Judge orders Border Patrol Commander to report daily on operations appeared first on Veritas News.
