Federal appeals court halts Chicago immigration agents’ use of force restrictions

A federal appeals court blocked a lower court ruling that sought to limit how immigration agents can use force during enforcement operations in the Chicago area, calling the judge’s order “overly broad” and “overly prescriptive.”

The Seventh Circuit panel cautioned against “overreading” its stay, noting that an expedited appeal could result in a “more tailored and appropriate” order.

Earlier this month, U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis issued a preliminary injunction after media and protesters accused federal agents of using excessive force during an immigration operation that resulted in more than 3,000 arrests since September in Chicago and nearby communities.

Justice Department lawyers argued the order restricted law enforcement’s ability to carry out their duties and could “subvert” the constitutional structure.

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Federal immigration agents arrest a protester in Chicago’s Little Village neighborhood on October 23, 2025. (PA)

The panel said the order was “overly prescriptive” because it specified riot weapons and other devices in a way that “resembles a federal regulation.”

Ellis’ order prohibited officers from using physical force and chemical agents such as tear gas and pepper balls unless necessary or to prevent “an immediate threat.” The judge said the use of these tools violated the constitutional rights of journalists and protesters.

Witnesses told the court they were tear gassed, shot with pepper balls as they prayed and had guns pointed at them.

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Tear gas fills the air after being used by federal law enforcement officers who were confronted by community members and activists for apparently shooting a woman in the Brighton Park neighborhood on October 4, 2025, in Broadview, Illinois. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

Ellis said the Trump administration’s witnesses were “simply not credible,” including Gregory Bovino, a Border Patrol commander who led the operation in the Chicago area before heading to North Carolina.

Bovino defended the agents’ use of force and supervised about 230 U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents in the region starting in September. Federal border agents are then expected to be deployed to New Orleans.

U.S. Border Patrol Commander-in-Chief Gregory Bovino, right, looks at a detainee sitting near a car, Monday, Nov. 17, 2025, in Charlotte, North Carolina. (AP Photo)

The immigration operation has spawned numerous lawsuits, including allegations of inhumane conditions at a federal immigration facility — allegations that prompted a federal judge and lawyers to visit the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility outside Chicago last week.

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DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin called the suspension “a victory for the rule of law and for the safety of every law enforcement officer.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.