Federal Judge Orders Border Patrol Chief to Testify on Use of Force in Chicago Immigration Crackdown

A federal judge in Chicago, Sara Ellis, is scrutinizing the tactics used by federal immigration agents during President Donald Trump's aggressive immigration crackdown, Operation Midway Blitz, in the city. The judge has ordered senior Border Patrol and ICE officials to testify about the use of force by agents, focusing on whether they violated her prior orders limiting the use of chemical agents and requiring visible identification and warnings before deploying riot control measures. Ellis also mandated the use of body cameras by agents during arrests and public interactions to increase accountability. The legal actions stem from complaints by journalists, protesters, and clergy who accuse federal agents of excessive force against peaceful demonstrators and media covering the protests. The federal government defends its actions, citing attacks on law enforcement officers as justification for the enforcement measures. The situation highlights tensions between the Trump administration's portrayal of Chicago as crime-ridden and critics who see the crackdown as heavy-handed and legally questionable.