Chicago City Wire

Federal immigration authorities and several Chicago-based journalists and media organizations are at the center of a legal dispute following recent protests in the city. The controversy began after President Donald Trump initiated "Operation Midway Blitz," which led to clashes between protesters and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers.

According to the lawsuit, multiple journalists and media organizations allege that they were "targeted" and "attacked" by ICE officers during their coverage of the protests. The plaintiffs include the Chicago Headline Club, Block Club Chicago, the Illinois Press Association, as well as unions such as the Chicago Newspaper Guild and The National Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians–Communications Workers of America (NABET-CWA). Individual journalists like Stephen Held, Raven Geary, Charles Thrush, Leigh Kunkel, civilians Autumn Reidy-Hamer and William Paulson, and Presbyterian minister David Black have also joined the suit.

The lawsuit claims: "Never in modern times has the federal government undermined bedrock constitutional protections on this scale" and asserts that ICE is impinging on "the right of the demonstrator Plaintiffs to exercise their First Amendment rights to peacefully protest and to exercise their religion."

Further allegations in the filing describe what it calls "a pattern of extreme brutality in a concerted and ongoing effort to silence the press and civilians." The complaint states: "Dressed in full combat gear, often masked, carrying weapons, bearing flash grenades and tear gas canisters, and marching in formation, federal agents have repeatedly advanced upon those present at the scene who posed no imminent threat to law enforcement. Snipers with guns loaded with pepper balls, paintballs, and rubber bullets are stationed on the roof of the Broadview ICE facility with their weapons trained on the press and civilians. Federal agents have tackled and slammed people to the ground; they have lobbed flash grenades and tear gas canisters indiscriminately into the crowd; they have fired rubber bullets and pepper balls at selected individuals; and they have cursed and shouted at demonstrators to provoke them."

The lawsuit also argues that protesters and members of the press are being harmed by riot control tactics. It maintains there is "no legitimate purpose exists for this brutality or for these arrests."

In response to criticism about law enforcement's actions during these events, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin posted on X: "If you are obstructing law enforcement, you can expect to be met with force." She further commented: "This is the same 'pastor' who flipped @Sec_Noem and our team the bird when we were there last week."

The case raises questions about whether local media figures are acting primarily as journalists or activists through their participation in both covering protests and joining related litigation.