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A federal appeals court blocked a lower court ruling aimed at limiting how immigration agents can use force during enforcement operations in the Chicago area, calling the judge's ruling “too broad” and “too prescriptive.”
The Seventh Circuit panel cautioned against “overthinking” its decision, noting that expedited appeal may lead to the adoption of a “more tailored and appropriate” order.
Earlier this month, U.S. District Judge Sarah Ellis issued a preliminary injunction after media and protesters accused federal officials of using excessive force during an immigration operation that has arrested more than 3,000 people in Chicago and surrounding communities since September.
Justice Department lawyers argued that the order limits the ability of law enforcement agencies to carry out their duties and could “undermine” the constitutional structure.
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Federal immigration agents detain a protester in the Little Village neighborhood of Chicago on October 23, 2025. (AP)
The commission said the order was “overly prescriptive” because it described weapons and other crowd control devices “reminiscent of a federal regulation.”
Ellis' order prohibited agents from using physical force and chemical agents such as tear gas and pepper balls unless necessary or to prevent an “imminent 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, pepper balls were shot at them during prayers and guns were pointed at them.
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Tear gas filled the air after it was fired by federal law enforcement agents who clashed with community members and activists for reportedly shooting a woman in the Brighton Park neighborhood on October 4, 2025 in Broadview, Illinois. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
Ellis found that 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 oversaw about 230 U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers in the region since September. Federal border agents are expected to be sent to New Orleans next.
U.S. Border Patrol Greater Commander Gregory Bovino, right, looks on as a detainee sits near a vehicle, Monday, Nov. 17, 2025, in Charlotte, North Carolina. (AP Photo)
The immigration operation has sparked a slew of lawsuits, including complaints of inhumane conditions at federal immigration facilities – allegations that prompted a federal judge and attorneys to visit the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Center outside Chicago last week.
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DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin called the decision “a victory for the rule of law and the safety of every law enforcement officer.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
