CHICAGO (AP) — Newly released transcripts of private interviews with a senior U.S. Border Patrol official and other authorities leading the immigration crackdown in the Chicago area reveal tense exchanges as leaders dodged questions about high-profile uses of force.
Greg Bovino, the Border Patrol leader behind the operation that has netted more than 3,000 arrests since September, sat for a sworn deposition over three days in late October and early November. He left Chicago this month to lead a similar operation in North Carolina and is expected to oversee another in New Orleans starting as soon as next week.
Hundreds of pages of transcripts from the deposition released Tuesday shed light on key moments noted by U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis in a blistering 223-page opinion earlier this month in a lawsuit alleging federal agents used excessive force against protesters, journalists, and clergy members.
Ellis issued a preliminary injunction earlier this month restricting agents from using physical force and chemical agents like tear gas and pepper balls, unless necessary or to prevent 'an immediate threat.' A federal appeals court later temporarily halted the order. Tricia McLaughlin, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, called the appeals court ruling 'a win for the rule of law and for the safety of every law enforcement officer.'
The depositions were heated from the beginning as U.S. Department of Justice attorney Sarmad Khojasteh expressed frustration over the failure to shake hands with Bovino. Tensions escalated with arguments exchanged between the attorneys, highlighting the combative nature of the proceedings.
Throughout the depositions, Bovino evaded questions about immigration agents’ use of force, describing protesters as 'violent rioters.' He was questioned about an incident where he initially claimed he responded to being hit with a rock by deploying tear gas, only to later admit he was mistaken regarding the order of events. Ellis has accused him of lying about this episode in court.
Bovino defended the use of tear gas in a residential neighborhood before a Halloween parade, despite admitting he had not reviewed any footage of the incident. He consistently dodged direct questions and acknowledged that while he made physical contact during a protest arrest, he denied using force.
Other officials, including ICE’s Russell Hott and Deputy Chief Patrol Agent Daniel Parra, exhibited similar evasiveness during their depositions, including miscommunication about training in crowd control and refusal to justify specific uses of force.
'Hott admitted ICE agents do not receive regular training on crowd control and acknowledged that usage of chemical agents ceased once Illinois State Police responded to the protests. Parra, meanwhile, stated he could not recall specific details of incidents but noted Border Patrol agents typically do not operate in urban settings, which have raised concerns from Judge Ellis about inappropriate enforcement methods. 'This isn’t the border,' she remarked.
Greg Bovino, the Border Patrol leader behind the operation that has netted more than 3,000 arrests since September, sat for a sworn deposition over three days in late October and early November. He left Chicago this month to lead a similar operation in North Carolina and is expected to oversee another in New Orleans starting as soon as next week.
Hundreds of pages of transcripts from the deposition released Tuesday shed light on key moments noted by U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis in a blistering 223-page opinion earlier this month in a lawsuit alleging federal agents used excessive force against protesters, journalists, and clergy members.
Ellis issued a preliminary injunction earlier this month restricting agents from using physical force and chemical agents like tear gas and pepper balls, unless necessary or to prevent 'an immediate threat.' A federal appeals court later temporarily halted the order. Tricia McLaughlin, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, called the appeals court ruling 'a win for the rule of law and for the safety of every law enforcement officer.'
The depositions were heated from the beginning as U.S. Department of Justice attorney Sarmad Khojasteh expressed frustration over the failure to shake hands with Bovino. Tensions escalated with arguments exchanged between the attorneys, highlighting the combative nature of the proceedings.
Throughout the depositions, Bovino evaded questions about immigration agents’ use of force, describing protesters as 'violent rioters.' He was questioned about an incident where he initially claimed he responded to being hit with a rock by deploying tear gas, only to later admit he was mistaken regarding the order of events. Ellis has accused him of lying about this episode in court.
Bovino defended the use of tear gas in a residential neighborhood before a Halloween parade, despite admitting he had not reviewed any footage of the incident. He consistently dodged direct questions and acknowledged that while he made physical contact during a protest arrest, he denied using force.
Other officials, including ICE’s Russell Hott and Deputy Chief Patrol Agent Daniel Parra, exhibited similar evasiveness during their depositions, including miscommunication about training in crowd control and refusal to justify specific uses of force.
'Hott admitted ICE agents do not receive regular training on crowd control and acknowledged that usage of chemical agents ceased once Illinois State Police responded to the protests. Parra, meanwhile, stated he could not recall specific details of incidents but noted Border Patrol agents typically do not operate in urban settings, which have raised concerns from Judge Ellis about inappropriate enforcement methods. 'This isn’t the border,' she remarked.
