A federal judge in Chicago on Friday clarified that all immigration
enforcement agents must have body cameras in the field as part of a temporary restraining order over the tear-gassing and rough treatment of protesters and media during the Trump administration?s ongoing "Operation Midway Blitz".

In a hearing at the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse, U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis said she was displeased by the lack of response from the government Thursday when she asked them to come up with suggested language to modify her restraining order when it came to body cameras.

"Nothing came in," Ellis said Friday. "This was not a suggestion, it was not a hint, it wasn't a topic of conversation. It was an order."

The move came in the wake of a public statement from the Department of
Homeland Security. After Thursday's hearing, a DHS spokesperson said there was currently no order requiring body cameras, but if a court were to enter such
an order, it would be "an extreme act of judicial activism".

It?s not clear if Ellis was aware of that statement, but on Friday she said there should be no confusion that she was modifying her temporary restraining order to reflect that body cameras must be worn at all times. "I expect that
it will be followed," she said.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/10/17/judge-strengthens-order-body-cams/

---------------------------

What law is this judge basing her ruling on? That's usually a basic
requirement for a judge. Or do they not bother with citations to law anymore? Do they just say, "I decree it" or "So let it be written, so let it be done"?

I suppose ICE is supposed to just stop enforcement actions until they have bodycams, too? Because it literally takes years to go through the federal procurement process and get thousands of cams shipped and distributed to the field offices. Which, of course, is the whole point: to put all immigration enforcement on hold for most of Trump?s presidency.



--- PyGate Linux v1.5
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

BTR1701 <atropos@mac.com> wrote:

A federal judge in Chicago on Friday clarified that all immigration >enforcement agents must have body cameras in the field as part of a
temporary restraining order over the tear-gassing and rough treatment
of protesters and media during the Trump administration?s ongoing
"Operation Midway Blitz".

This is not a nationwide order but an order to enforce the existing
consent decree that ICE, at least in the Chicago area, is subject to due
to unconstitutional nonsense during the first Trump administration.

. . .

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/10/17/judge-strengthens-order-body-cams/

---------------------------

What law is this judge basing her ruling on?

She's not. She's enforcing the consent decree. I'm assuming there's
lanuage in the settlement that the burden is on the federal government
to prove they are complying, so that's how she could order body cameras.

Elsewhere in the country, without a similar settlement, no, I don't see
how a judge could make such an order.

I agree with you about the impossibility of an instant procurement.

. . .

--- PyGate Linux v1.5
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On Sun, 19 Oct 2025 04:11:44 -0000 (UTC), BTR1701 <atropos@mac.com>
wrote:

A federal judge in Chicago on Friday clarified that all immigration >enforcement agents must have body cameras in the field as part of a temporary >restraining order over the tear-gassing and rough treatment of protesters and >media during the Trump administration?s ongoing "Operation Midway Blitz".

In a hearing at the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse, U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis >said she was displeased by the lack of response from the government Thursday >when she asked them to come up with suggested language to modify her >restraining order when it came to body cameras.

"Nothing came in," Ellis said Friday. "This was not a suggestion, it was not a >hint, it wasn't a topic of conversation. It was an order."

She's *shocked* when she's exceeding her authority that another branch
of government pushes back.

Go figure.

The move came in the wake of a public statement from the Department of >Homeland Security. After Thursday's hearing, a DHS spokesperson said there was >currently no order requiring body cameras, but if a court were to enter such >an order, it would be "an extreme act of judicial activism".

As it absolutely would be. She is NOT the legislative branch.

And to think a bunch of morons were protesting "no kings" when this
judge is acting like one.

It?s not clear if Ellis was aware of that statement, but on Friday she said >there should be no confusion that she was modifying her temporary restraining >order to reflect that body cameras must be worn at all times. "I expect that >it will be followed," she said.

She can not legislate such a thing and should be tossed from the bench
for issuing a King-like order.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/10/17/judge-strengthens-order-body-cams/

---------------------------

What law is this judge basing her ruling on? That's usually a basic >requirement for a judge. Or do they not bother with citations to law anymore? >Do they just say, "I decree it" or "So let it be written, so let it be done"?

Like a king.

I suppose ICE is supposed to just stop enforcement actions until they have >bodycams, too? Because it literally takes years to go through the federal >procurement process and get thousands of cams shipped and distributed to the >field offices. Which, of course, is the whole point: to put all immigration >enforcement on hold for most of Trump?s presidency.

--- PyGate Linux v1.5
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On Sun, 19 Oct 2025 06:04:43 -0000 (UTC), "Adam H. Kerman"
<ahk@chinet.com> wrote:

BTR1701 <atropos@mac.com> wrote:

A federal judge in Chicago on Friday clarified that all immigration >>enforcement agents must have body cameras in the field as part of a >>temporary restraining order over the tear-gassing and rough treatment
of protesters and media during the Trump administration?s ongoing >>"Operation Midway Blitz".

This is not a nationwide order but an order to enforce the existing
consent decree that ICE, at least in the Chicago area, is subject to due
to unconstitutional nonsense during the first Trump administration.

She still has zero authority to legislate this from the bench.

--- PyGate Linux v1.5
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)