A U.S. federal judge ordered all Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Chicago to begin wearing body cameras during their operations, following allegations of excessive use of force, assaults on protesters and violations of press freedom.
The decision was issued by U.S. Magistrate Judge Sara Ellis of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, who expressed “deep concern” over videos and press reports showing federal agents using tear gas, rubber bullets and aggressive tactics against civilians during peaceful protests in recent weeks.
Court order with immediate effect
Federal immigration agents in the Chicago area will be required to wear body cameras, a judge has ruled. Here are the details. https://t.co/9BiMZFTLak
– Telemundo Chicago (@TelemundoCHI) October 16, 2025
Judge Ellis extended a previous October 9 order that expressly prohibited ICE and Border Patrol (CBP) agents from using force against journalists, religious or non-threatening protesters.
In the most recent hearing, the magistrate expanded the mandate, ordering agents to wear body cams to ensure transparency and accountability.
“I am looking at images and reports that make me seriously doubt that my order is being complied with,” Ellis testified at the hearing, according to local media reports including ABC7 Chicago and The New York Times.
The measure will be in effect for an initial period of 15 days, during which time agencies must demonstrate compliance and submit records on internal procedures for monitoring the use of force.
The context: protests and raids under the new immigration policy
Since the restart of mass deportation operations in Chicago under President Donald Trump’s administration, human rights groups have denounced an increase in ICE’s militarized presence in Latino communities.
In some recent operations, federal agents were videotaped using tear gas and shoving protesters, including clergy and volunteers, who were providing legal assistance to detained immigrants outside the Broadview detention center.
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) attorney Sean Skedzieiewski argued that implementing body cameras could be “technically and logistically challenging,” especially given the partial shutdown of the federal government, which has limited agencies’ operating budgets.
A historic decision for transparency
This is the first time a federal court has imposed the mandatory use of body cameras on immigration agents, a practice already partially implemented by local police departments and the Southwest Border Patrol.
Civil rights experts celebrated the decision, noting that it “marks a crucial step toward transparency in immigration operations, where historically there has been little oversight.”
Judge Ellis also announced that she will subpoena the director of the ICE field office in Chicago to appear next Monday to explain the actions taken following the court order.
Organizations such as the ACLU of Illinois and the National Immigrant Justice Center praised the ruling, stating that it will help document potential abuses and protect immigrant communities.
“Cameras serve not only to record, but to prevent abuse and restore trust in institutions,” said an ACLU statement.
With this ruling, Chicago becomes one of the first cities in the country where judicial oversight temporarily imposes the use of body cameras on ICE agents while multiple allegations of human rights violations are investigated amid the ongoing mass deportation campaign.
With information from EFE
