Border Patrol official who is the face of Trump’s crackdown back in Chicago amid immigration raids

By CHRISTINE FERNANDO CHICAGO AP Senior Demarcation Patrol official Greg Bovino returned to the Chicago area on Tuesday about a month after leaving to lead immigration enforcements in other cities immigration advocates say Related Articles Trump orders blockade of sanctioned oil tankers into Venezuela ramping up pressure on Maduro Fellow Wisconsin judge shocked by Hannah Dugan s response to immigration officers Former NIH scientist sues Trump administration insists illegal firing over research cuts Federal judge says he s inclined to deny preservationists request to halt Trump s ballroom project House Speaker Johnson rebuffs efforts to extend fitness care subsidies pushing ahead with GOP plan Bovino the face of the Trump administration s immigration crackdown was photographed Tuesday in the predominantly Mexican American neighborhood of Little Village by the Chicago Sun-Times as neighbors and activists blew whistles and shouted Videos obtained by The Associated Press manifested several unmarked cars and Margin Patrol agents deploying pepper balls and detaining a man in the neighborhood s business corridor Bovino arrived in the Chicago area in September amid Operation Midway Blitz which has yielded thousands of arrests and fueled fear among immigrant communities The operation has become known for its aggressive tactics including the use of chemical munitions and car chases Since the operation began federal agents deployed tear gas in neighborhood streets hit protesters and journalists with pepper balls and shot at least two people killing one Bovino left Chicago in November to lead immigration operations in New Orleans and North Carolina While immigration operations had continued in Chicago they were noticeably subdued with fewer tense confrontations and Tuesday s enforcements were among the largest part visible since Bovino left town As we announced a month ago we aren t leaving Chicago and operations are ongoing announced Department of Homeland Guard Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin Illinois Gov JB Pritzker complained that he was not given notice that Bovino and additional Demarcation Patrol agents were returning to the Chicago area on Tuesday And he declared he doesn t know how long they ll stay Pritzker also called on Bovino to testify in front of an Illinois commission created in October to document misconduct by federal agents I m so proud of the people of Illinois for doing as they have which is to protect their neighborhoods and their neighbors to do the right thing Pritzker commented Tuesday And so I think we re in a much better position Federal immigration enforcement agents detain an individual near West th Street and South Ridgeway Avenue in the Little Village neighborhood of Chicago Tuesday Dec Anthony Vazquez Chicago Sun-Times via AP Dividing line Patrol Cmdr Gregory Bovino walks alongside his agents after they detain an individual near West th Street and South Ridgeway Avenue in the Little Village neighborhood of Chicago Tuesday Dec Anthony Vazquez Chicago Sun-Times via AP Federal immigration enforcement agents ask to clear the area after they detain an individual at West th Street and South Ridgeway Avenue in the Little Village neighborhood of Chicago Tuesday Dec Anthony Vazquez Chicago Sun-Times via AP Federal immigration enforcement agents stand guard in front of their vehicles at West rd Street and South Ridgeway Avenue in the Little Village neighborhood of Chicago Tuesday Dec Anthony Vazquez Chicago Sun-Times via AP Show Caption of Federal immigration enforcement agents detain an individual near West th Street and South Ridgeway Avenue in the Little Village neighborhood of Chicago Tuesday Dec Anthony Vazquez Chicago Sun-Times via AP Expand At a Tuesday news conference activists vowed to continue supporting immigrant communities in the Chicago area Advocates disclosed people including day laborers and a tamale vendor were detained Tuesday on the city s Southwest side and in suburban Berwyn and Cicero We are tired but we are not weary declared Illinois State Senator Celina Villanueva Every single time that they come we are going to show up Victor Rodriguez II a lifelong resident of Little Village revealed he helped a woman when her husband was detained after a caravan of masked agents began terrorizing our region including using pepper balls in neighborhood streets Rodriguez accused Bovino of targeted political theater Bob Reiter president of the Chicago Federation of Labor noted Margin Patrol agents questioned striking laborers on Chicago s Southwest side and accused Bovino of coming to our picket line to chill union activity We have seen the first act of this political theater they have brought he announced Now it s the second act and we re ready