Chicago Judge Probes Federal Immigration Agents' Tear Gas Use Amid Enforcement Operations

A federal judge in Chicago, U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis, is scrutinizing the Trump administration's immigration enforcement tactics amid concerns over the use of tear gas and aggressive measures against protesters and journalists. Despite a court order restricting the use of chemical agents on non-threatening individuals, incidents of tear gas deployment by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have continued, prompting Ellis to mandate the wearing and activation of body cameras during operations. The enforcement surge, known as Operation Midway Blitz, has resulted in over 1,500 arrests and increased community monitoring and protests. The judge has also required visible identification for agents and prohibits certain riot control techniques against peaceful demonstrators. Trump has deployed National Guard troops to assist in Chicago, though their deployment has been temporarily blocked by a federal judge, with the Justice Department seeking to override the ruling. Governor JB Pritzker and community groups have criticized the federal approach, suggesting it provokes unrest rather than reduces crime, as Chicago's murder rate has actually declined in recent years.