A federal appeals court has paused a district judge’s order requiring daily briefings from a senior Border Patrol official on Chicago immigration operations. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) welcomed the decision, calling it a stop to judicial overreach. The order followed tensions and complaints of excessive force during Operation Midway Blitz, which resulted in over 1,800 arrests.
The order was issued by U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis, who had previously ruled on the use of force by federal agents during immigration operations in Chicago. Her initial judgment, which led to this order, was based on a series of incidents involving the use of excessive force, including one where agents broke a car window to arrest an individual. These actions sparked significant public backlash and prompted the judge to demand daily briefings to monitor the situation.
The Justice Department, representing the DHS, argued that the order was an unprecedented encroachment on executive authority, stating that it significantly interfered with the agency’s ability to enforce immigration laws. They described the requirement as