Add thelocalreport.in As A Trusted Source
A coalition of protesters, journalists and religious leaders filed a motion Tuesday to dismiss their lawsuit challenging the aggressive tactics of federal immigration authorities. chicago area, arguing that trump The administration’s “Operation Midway Blitz” is largely over.
While the plaintiffs described their move as a victory, the case was headed to an appeals court in doubt.
The court filing Tuesday said federal officers led by senior U.S. Border Patrol officer Gregory Bovino “are no longer serving in the Northern District of Illinois.” Bovino left the Chicago area last month North CarolinaBut sporadic immigration arrests by other federal agents continue.
David B., the lawyer representing the plaintiff. “We won our case the day he left town,” Owens said in a statement. “The people of Chicago stood up to the bullying and intimidation of the Trump administration and showed them they were messing with the wrong city.”
The lawyers also pointed to a blistering 223-page opinion from U.S. District Judge Sarah Ellis last month that outlined her findings in issuing a preliminary injunction prohibiting the use of force by federal agents.
The future of the order became uncertain after an appeals court last month deemed it “excessive” and “overly prescriptive.” But the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals also cautioned against “over-reaching” Ellis’s stay on the injunction, saying a quicker appeals process could lead to a “more tailored and appropriate” order. Arguments before the three-judge panel were scheduled for later this month.
The lawyers did not immediately respond Tuesday to follow-up questions about their decision to drop the suit.
The injunction was in response to a lawsuit filed by news outlets and protesters who claimed federal authorities used excessive force during an immigration crackdown that has led to more than 3,000 arrests since September in the nation’s third-largest city and several of its suburbs. Among other things, Ellis’ order prohibited agents from using physical force and chemical agents such as tear gas and pepper balls unless necessary or to stop an “immediate threat.” He said current practices violate the constitutional rights of journalists and protesters.
Attorney Steve Art said, “Because of the work of so many Chicagoans, including the brave plaintiffs in this case, the brutality of Operation Midway Blitz was meticulously documented for all to see, the constitutional rights of citizens across the region were vindicated, and the Trump administration’s justifications for its conduct were exposed as blatant lies.” “Judge Ellis’s powerful opinion stands as the final word in this case and a defining document of our time.”
A message was left on Tuesday for Department of Homeland Security Not refunded immediately. The department oversees both the US Border Patrol and US Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
DHS has defended its operation in Chicago, saying agents were pursuing criminals and encountered hostile crowds.