
Federal Judge Questions Immigration Agents' Actions in Chicago
Clip: 10/20/2025 | 3m 19sVideo has Closed Captions
Trump administration officials were questioned in court over immigration enforcement tactics.
Two federal officials defended a series of increasingly aggressive raids across Chicago and the suburbs to a federal judge, saying agents were forced to deploy tear gas and pepper balls in the face of intense opposition from residents.
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Federal Judge Questions Immigration Agents' Actions in Chicago
Clip: 10/20/2025 | 3m 19sVideo has Closed Captions
Two federal officials defended a series of increasingly aggressive raids across Chicago and the suburbs to a federal judge, saying agents were forced to deploy tear gas and pepper balls in the face of intense opposition from residents.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship>> Federal immigration agents were on the hot seat today over their use of tear gas on protesters.
A federal judge grilled officials with ICE and Border Patrol who defended a series of increasingly aggressive immigration raids across Chicago and the suburbs after 5 hours of testimony, the judge said she had even more questions about the conduct of federal agents.
Our Heather Sharon joins us now with more about today's high stakes hearing.
Heather, so us District Court Judge Sarah Ellis called today's hearing after she said she was concerned that federal agents had violated her court order to stop firing tear gas and other non lethal projectiles at protesters.
Did she reach a conclusion on She did not.
She said she needed more information from ICE and Border Patrol about exactly what they're doing in the streets of Chicago.
>> Throughout the hearing today, she seemed to be struggling to reconcile the images that we've all seen of federal agents pointing pepper ball launchers at protesters and tackling people with what she was hearing from 2 representatives want from the Border Patrol and one from ice.
He said that they had no choice but to take those actions because officers were in danger.
So Sean Buyers, deputy field office, director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Kevin Harvick of the Border Patrol.
They testified for hours today.
>> What do they tell the judge that essentially that they had no choice but to result to tear gas and other forms of less than lethal munitions to make sure that agents could carry out their orders from the president to, of course, a said this is.
>> We are deporting all undocumented illegal immigrants from Chicago as he calls them.
But they said that they had listened order and followed it, that there was no defiance of her.
But that simply the people of Chicago is making it impossible for do their jobs.
They had been pelted with eggs and rocks and that in one case in Albany Park, not too far away from our studio here.
People locked their arms and prevented agents from leaving.
And that's when they said they deployed tear gas.
Did we learn anything new about how the federal agents are operating here in Chicago?
Not really that most of the hearing was that featured meticulous questions about when exactly force can be used against protesters.
And, you know, other people around, it's not necessarily clear that Sarah Ellis, the judge sees her sort of cases sort of value aiding what the Trump administration is doing.
Instead, she's trying to make sure that federal agents only use force when they're allowed to when officer safety is at risk.
And there are no other option.
So what happens next?
Well, she ordered that 2 high-profile officials with the Border Patrol and ice come back and answer those questions in depositions includes Gregory Bovino who's been all over the news and he's in charge of operations in Chicago.
She heard today and Russell hot who until Friday was the head of ICE operations Chicago.
He has now been sent back to Washington, D.C., she set the next hearing in the case for November 5th after those depositions are taking when she could decide whether to make her temporary order permanent.
Ok, we'll be keeping an eye on that.
I'm sure you will have Sharon around you so much.
Thanks,
Chicago City Council Members on Mayor Johnson's Budget Proposal
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Clip: 10/20/2025 | 13m 55s | City Council members debate Mayor Brandon Johnson's proposed new taxes and city budget. (13m 55s)
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