@japdmedia26: Chicago, Illinois: A federal judge in Chicago has warned that immigration enforcement personnel involved in Operation Midway Blitz could be required to hand over their personal phones for examination as part of an ongoing legal battle. U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis raised concerns about whether federal agents used personal devices to discuss official operations. She said: "It's clear to me that agents were using their personal phones for work communication." She also stated: “And what I won’t allow to happen...is for people to hide behind saying that ‘these are our personal phones,’ when they are being used as work phones.” The hearing focused partly on communications involving former Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino, who oversaw Operation Midway Blitz. According to court-related reporting, Bovino's government-issued phone was reported lost in January while he was traveling between Minnesota and South Dakota. Government lawyers said its data had been preserved online. Bovino also declined to surrender his personal phone for examination under a separate federal court order in California, reportedly maintaining that it contained no work-related information. The case stems from a lawsuit filed by Illinois and Chicago challenging the Trump administration's immigration enforcement campaign. The lawsuit alleges that federal authorities exceeded their legal powers and used aggressive tactics to pressure local officials into changing their immigration policies. The operation began in September 2025 and prompted protests and legal challenges over allegations involving warrantless arrests, the use of tear gas and civil rights violations. Federal authorities have defended their enforcement actions as necessary to uphold immigration law and protect public safety. Judge Ellis has not ordered agents to surrender their phones. She indicated that any future review would depend on which parts of the lawsuit survive the administration's request to dismiss the case. She also expressed willingness to consider less intrusive ways to obtain the relevant information. What's next? The judge is scheduled to rule on November 17, 2026, on whether the lawsuit can proceed. If it moves forward, the court could consider further evidence-gathering, potentially including work-related communications stored on personal devices. The central issue remains whether the court will permit access to those communications while balancing the legal concerns surrounding personal devices and government business. #ChicagoIllinois #USA #SaraEllis #GregoryBovino #japd

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Saturday 17 October 2026 17:18:32 GMT