Protesters decide to drop lawsuit against immigration officers' tactics in the Chicago area

CHICAGO (AP) On Tuesday, a group of protesters, journalists, and religious leaders decided to withdraw their lawsuit that challenged the aggressive methods of federal immigration officers in the Chicago region. They argued that the Trump administrations Operation Midway Blitz has mostly concluded.

While the plaintiffs called their withdrawal a victory, the case had been facing a skeptical appeals court. The filing on Tuesday noted that the federal officers led by senior U.S. Border Patrol official Gregory Bovino are no longer operating in the Northern District of Illinois. Bovino had relocated to North Carolina last month, though isolated immigration arrests have continued by other federal agents.

We achieved the relief we sought. They left, stated David Owens, attorney for the plaintiffs. When the emergency is over, the circumstances change.

The lawyers also referenced a 223-page opinion by U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis last month, which detailed her findings in issuing a preliminary injunction limiting federal agents use of force. The injunctions future remained uncertain after an appeals court labeled it overbroad and too prescriptive. However, the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals warned against overreading its pause of Ellis order, noting that a swift appeal could produce a more tailored and appropriate ruling. Arguments before the three-judge panel were scheduled for later this month.

Owens declined to provide details on the plaintiffs legal rationale for dropping the case, including whether the appeals courts actions influenced the decision. The injunction originated from a lawsuit brought by news organizations and protesters who alleged that federal officers used excessive force during the immigration sweep, which led to over 3,000 arrests since September across Chicago and its suburbs.

Ellis order prohibited agents from using physical force and chemical agents, such as tear gas and pepper balls, unless absolutely necessary or to counter an immediate threat. She stated that existing practices violated the constitutional rights of journalists and protesters.

Thanks to the efforts of many Chicago residents, including the courageous plaintiffs, the brutality of Operation Midway Blitz was thoroughly documented, the constitutional rights of local civilians were upheld, and the Trump administrations justifications were revealed as false, said attorney Steve Art. Judge Elliss opinion remains the definitive statement on this case and an important historical record.

Requests for comment from the Department of Homeland Security, which supervises the U.S. Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, were not immediately returned.

DHS and Bovino have defended the Chicago operation, asserting that agents were targeting criminals and dealing with hostile crowds. The lawsuit also brought to light new details about the immigration sweep in the area, including private interviews with Bovino, body camera footage, and courtroom witness testimonies. Ellis cited evidence of agents deploying tear gas without warning, firing rubber rounds at journalists, tackling protesters, and laughing as a demonstrator bled from the earactions she noted contradicted the governments official accounts.

Author: Sophia Brooks