Border Patrol Chief Bovino Faces Federal Inquiry over Chicago Immigration Tear Gas Use

Greg Bovino, a senior Border Patrol official overseeing immigration enforcement operations in Chicago, is facing federal court inquiries over allegations of excessive force, notably the use of tear gas against protesters and residents. Judge Sara Ellis has ordered Bovino to appear in court and produce body camera footage after concerns were raised that agents violated a restraining order restricting riot control methods unless facing imminent threats. Multiple videos and eyewitness accounts, particularly from the predominantly Latino Little Village neighborhood, depict tear gas deployment without prior warning, sparking complaints from community members and legal challenges. Bovino and Customs and Border Protection defend the use of force as the least necessary to accomplish their mission, asserting that agents were under threat during these operations. The judge has extended questioning time to thoroughly investigate incidents and emphasized the need for transparency by requiring agents to wear and activate body cameras. These developments occur amid the Trump administration's intensified immigration enforcement efforts in Chicago, which have resulted in thousands of arrests and significant public controversy.