Chicago Immigration Officers Mandated to Wear Body Cameras Following Protests

Fri Oct 17 2025 08:56:34 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

In a significant ruling, a Chicago judge has ordered federal immigration agents to wear body cameras during their operations. This decision comes amid heightened criticism of the agency's aggressive tactics against protesters.

U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis mandated that Chicago-area federal immigration officers wear body cameras, citing concerns over their treatment of protesters. This order follows an increase in community efforts to monitor U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activities in the city. The judge expressed skepticism about compliance with previous orders restricting certain crowd control methods. Justice Department representatives highlighted logistical challenges related to camera distribution.

In a landmark ruling, U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis ordered federal immigration officers in the Chicago area to wear body cameras while on duty. The judge's decision reflects growing public scrutiny regarding the aggressive tactics employed by officers during protests against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

During a recent court session, Judge Ellis expressed her alarm after witnessing television footage showing confrontations between ICE agents and protesters, stating, I live in Chicago... I’m not blind, right? This ruling comes at a time when local communities are increasingly mobilizing to oppose ICE, particularly after more than 1,000 immigrants were arrested in the region since September.

As part of her order, Judge Ellis emphasized that agents must wear identification badges and are prohibited from utilizing certain riot control measures in peaceful demonstrations. I’m having concerns about my order being followed, she noted, expressing her dissatisfaction with previous compliance from the agency.

In parallel, the Trump administration's plans to deploy National Guard troops in the city were recently halted by another judge, amidst ongoing tensions and opposition to federal immigration enforcement.

Ellis stated that all agents involved in the government's Operation Midway Blitz must utilize body-worn cameras, highlighting the necessity for transparency during immigration enforcement actions. However, the Justice Department's attorney, Sean Skedzielewski, pointed out challenges related to the immediate availability of body cameras for agents.

The judge responded to these concerns by stating, I understand that. I would not be expecting agents to wear body-worn cameras they do not have, indicating a potential for future adjustments to the enforcement of the body camera requirement.

Previously, ICE had begun rolling out about 1,600 body cameras for agents handling Enforcement and Removal Operations across various major cities in 2024, including Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. Other agencies within the Department of Homeland Security have already mandated body cameras for some of their officers, with U.S. Customs and Border Protection having released video evidence in cases where force was used.