Press, Religious Leaders, and Demonstrators Seek Preliminary Injunction to Stop Federal Officers from Violating Constitutional Rights in Illinois

October 22, 2025: Following a federal judge's questioning of DHS officials over apparent violations of her restraining order, plaintiffs have filed an amended complaint saying DHS forces "have escalated and expanded their suppression of speech and journalism."

CHICAGO — Plaintiffs in Chicago Headline Club v. Kristi Noem, et al—the lawsuit over federal agents’ aggressive use of force against protesters, religious leaders, and members of the press that resulted in a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) on Oct. 9th—filed an amended complaint, a motion for class certification, and a motion for a preliminary injunction, asking the Court to put an end to the federal government’s unlawful violations of their constitutional rights in the Chicago area. A preliminary injunction hearing will take place in federal court on November 5, 2025.

These filings follow a hearing Monday before Judge Sara L. Ellis of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, in which Judge Ellis summoned officials from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) to explain apparent violations of her TRO prohibiting unlawful uses of force and requiring agents to wear identification. During the all-day hearing, Judge Ellis questioned ICE Deputy Field Office Director Shawn Byers and CBP Deputy Incident Commander Kyle Harvick about a number of subjects, including training requirements, use of force policies, body-worn cameras, and who—if anyone—is ultimately coordinating inter-agency efforts under “Operation Midway Blitz.”

During her questioning, Judge Ellis asked about incidents that have occurred since the TRO was issued, including a widely seen photo of an agent in full riot gear pointing a crowd-control weapon directly in the face of an unarmed minor. "Do you believe then," the Judge asked Mr. Harvick, "that how that particular juvenile was treated was consistent with CBP's use of force policies with respect to juveniles?"

In her questioning of Mr. Byers, after asking about reporting requirements for uses of force, Judge Ellis asked whether any officers had been disciplined for violating policy during the many well-documented incidents of violence against Broadview protesters. "No," replied Mr. Byers.

At the end of that hearing, Judge Ellis agreed to allow plaintiff's attorneys to depose three supervising officials within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), including Greg Bovino, Commander-At-Large of Operation Midway Blitz.

The amended complaint alleges that the federal defendants have spread across the region, using violent force against civilians, against peaceful protesters, against people engaged in prayer, and against journalists gathering the news.

New plaintiffs joining the suit today include civilians like David Beale, who was riding his bike in Logan Square when he stopped alongside other neighbors to observe the activity of federal agents. Mr. Beale was imploring the agents not to hurt anyone when, without provocation or warning, a federal agent in the passenger's side of a vehicle threw a tear gas canister into a neighborhood street. Plaintiffs like Mr. Beale have moved to represent classes of similarly situated individuals throughout Northern Illinois.

The plaintiffs are represented by attorneys from Loevy + Loevy, the Community Justice and Civil Rights Clinic at the Northwestern Pritzker School of Law, the Mandel Legal Aid Clinic of the University of Chicago School of Law, First Defense Legal Aid, Protect Democracy, and the ACLU of Illinois.

"Based on the pretext of protecting federal employees and property, the Trump Administration has deployed militarized federal officers to wreak havoc on our neighborhoods, businesses, and homes," said Steve Art of Loevy + Loevy. "Our clients will not tolerate being terrorized by their own government. We will use every legal means available to restore peace and order in our communities."

"This is what it looks like when people across Chicago come together to protect democracy," adds attorney Craig Futterman of the Mandel Legal Aid Clinic.

For a copy of the amended complaint, click here.
For a copy of the motion for a preliminary injunction, click here.
For a copy of the motion for class certification, click here.

PRESS RELEASE: October 9, 2025

Federal Judge Issues Temporary Restraining Order, Reining in Federal Agents’ Use of Violence, and Protecting First Amendment Rights of Protesters, Clergy, and Press

Today, in a major victory for the First Amendment, U.S. District Judge Sara L. Ellis entered a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO), preventing federal officers from using unlawful tactics against peaceful protesters, members of the clergy, and journalists reporting the news throughout the Chicago area.

“Individuals are allowed to protest,” Judge Ellis said in issuing the order today. “They are allowed to speak. That is guaranteed by the First Amendment of our constitution, and it is a bedrock right that upholds our democracy.”

The TRO restricts the use of force—including tear gas, pepper-spray, flash bang grenades, and other so-called “less-lethal” weapons and tactics—which, as the plaintiffs explained in their complaint, have been indiscriminately and disproportionately used on both civilians peacefully protesting and reporters covering the protests. In addition, it prevents federal officers from conducting illegal arrests and from preventing lawful demonstrations.

“For weeks, federal forces sent to Chicago have terrorized residents,” says Steve Art, of the civil rights law firm of Loevy + Loevy. “They have used incredible violence against civilians, against demonstrators, against religious and political leaders, and against the press. They hope to scare us into silence and submission. But the community here in Chicago will not be bullied. Today, because of the work of hundreds of brave community members, a federal judge has entered an injunction prohibiting the illegal conduct of federal agents in the Chicago area. We applaud the Court’s ruling, which will protect constitutional rights and many members of our community.”

Father Brendan Curran, a Dominican priest and a declarant in the lawsuit, has been leading prayer vigils at Broadview for nearly 20 years, “to stand in front of the front door and simply offer a prayer, seeking for decency, seeking for humanity, and a sense of decency in comprehensive immigration reform,” he explains. But what Fr. Curran witnessed over the past few weeks he describes as “appalling.” “I saw snipers on the roof of the detention center, pointed down at us simply trying to pray from our beliefs, in what we believed was a country of freedom.”

Bill Paulson, a retired painter from Chicago, is a plaintiff in the case. “I am neither a terrorist nor a violent protester, I’m just an ordinary guy,” he says. He went to Broadview because he wanted the people inside the detention center to know they were not alone. The night he went, however, there was what he describes as “a wholesale attack,” with tear gas bombs and flash bang grenades. “It was terrifying, and I’ve never felt so alone.” The judge’s ruling today, he says, re-instilled his faith in his country.

“This is a special day,” agrees Craig Futterman, Director of the Civil Rights & Police Accountability Project at the University of Chicago Law School, and one of the attorneys for the plaintiffs. “A special day for America, a special day for Chicago. It is a day that reaffirms our fundamental freedoms, a day that reaffirms democracy, a day that should give us all faith. And it came about due to the courage of ordinary people and the press who put themselves on the line to protect our most sacred rights.”

Autumn Reidy-Hamer, another plaintiff in the case, said she went to Broadview to lend her voice to her neighbors. “I used my voice to speak out because I was modeling what it means to be a good citizen for my children: to care for people, to help people when they need help, and—when they’re harmed—to speak out so it doesn’t happen again.”

“This country was born from the idea that free people cannot tolerate an overbearing leader using force to prevent a community from expressing their views, practicing their religion, or reporting on the abuses of the government,” said Hayden Johnson, counsel at Protect Democracy. “Over the last weeks and months, Chicagoans have bravely sought to express and protect these freedoms in the face of severe government abuse. Today’s ruling recognizes that those efforts—peacefully opposing a federal incursion into your city and reporting the events—require the utmost constitutional protection.”

Plaintiffs in the case include media organizations and outlets Chicago Headline Club, Block Club Chicago, the Chicago Newspaper Guild Local 34071, the National Association of Broadcast Employees & Technicians Local 54041, and individual journalists Raven Geary, Charles Thrush, and Stephen Held, whose attempts to report the truth have been met with targeted attacks and widespread government violence. The TRO prevents agents from unlawfully interfering with journalists throughout the Chicagoland area.

Stephen Griswold, President of the NABET-CWA Local 41, spoke on behalf of the media plaintiffs, who joined this case to protect their right to do their jobs safely without the risk of violence or government suppression.

“Today is a good day for the members of CWA, the Chicago News Guild, and the other Chicago media outlets who have the responsibility and privilege of covering historic events here in Chicago,” he said. “Our constitutional First Amendment rights should never be taken lightly, and we should all stand together to protect these rights.”

“The First Amendment protects the right to assemble and speak out against government actions,” said Rebecca Glenberg, Chief Supervising Legal Counsel, First Amendment, at the ACLU of Illinois. “Protesters and journalists like our clients are a crucial part of the public debate that undergirds a working democracy. The court’s ruling recognizes that government violence against freedom of speech violates the constitution and undermines our most cherished national values.”

“Today’s ruling would not have been possible without the bravery of the Plaintiffs and many others who stood up in the face of egregious state violence and misconduct,” agrees Daniel Massoglia, Director of the Civil Rights Clinic at First Defense Legal Aid. “It sends a powerful message in favor of press freedom, religious freedom, and the freedom to dissent against government abuses.”

Plaintiffs were represented by attorneys from Loevy + Loevy, the Community Justice and Civil Rights Clinic at the Northwestern Pritzker School of Law, the Mandel Legal Aid Clinic of the University of Chicago School of Law, Protect Democracy, First Defense Legal Aid, and the ACLU of Illinois.

For Immediate Release: October 6, 2025

Protesters and Members of the Press Challenge First Amendment Violations by Federal Forces at ICE Facility in Broadview, Illinois

Protesters and Members of the Press Challenge First Amendment Violations by Federal Forces at ICE Facility in Broadview, Illinois

CHICAGO — During the summer of 2025, the Trump Administration has deployed federal forces to cities across the United States with announced missions to deter crime and enforce immigration laws. These federal forces, however, have used violent force against the press, elected officials, religious leaders, and private individuals engaged in peaceful and protected activities.

These federal forces are not trained to conduct local policing, and their tactics involve the indiscriminate use of force and arresting people without any legal basis.

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) processing center in Broadview, IL, has been the site of peaceful, constitutionally protected activity for decades, Over the summer of 2025, as a result of reports of inhumane conditions for detainees inside the facility, protesters have gathered to demand the closure of the facility. These protests have been peaceful and non-threatening.

In recent weeks, however, the Trump Administration has sent federal officials and agents to brutally suppress free speech at the site through intentional and escalating violence, including the dangerous and indiscriminate use of near-lethal weapons such as tear gas, rubber bullets, pepper-balls, flash grenades, and other unwarranted and disproportionate tactics.

A new lawsuit filed this morning argues that this wanton violence by the federal government is a blatant attempt to interfere with the most cherished and fundamental rights enshrined in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of religious belief, and the right to peaceably assemble and express disagreement with the government.

“Never in modern times has the federal government undermined bedrock constitutional protections on this scale, or usurped states’ police power by directing federal agents to carry out an illegal mission against the people for the government’s own benefit,” the complaint states.

Today’s lawsuit is being brought by members of the press, as well as by individuals representing clergy and ordinary citizens who have chosen to speak in opposition to the Trump Administration’s policies, and who now come together to courageously stand up for the First Amendment rights of all Americans. These include:

• Media organizations and outlets such as Block Club Chicago, Chicago Headline Club, the Chicago Newspaper Guild Local 34071, the National Association of Broadcast Employees & Technicians Local 54041, and individual journalists whose attempts to report the truth have been met with targeted attacks and widespread government violence.

  Stephanie Lulay, Executive Editor and Co-Founder of Block Club Chicago, says her outlet has allocated a significant portion of its resources to covering DHS actions at the protests since September 19.

  “During that time, at least four of our employees or freelancers have told me that they were hit with pepper balls and subjected to tear gas by federal agents at Broadview,” Ms. Lulay reports. “We intend to continue to report on the protests, but our ability to do so, to the standards that we hold ourselves to, continues to be impacted by our fears of violence and arrests of our employees and contractors.”

• Members of the clergy, such as Pastor David Black of the First Presbyterian Church of Chicago in the Woodlawn neighborhood, whose peaceful, free expression of his religion has led to his being shot repeatedly in the head with near-lethal projectiles and sprayed in the face with tear gas.

  “I extended my arms, palms outstretched toward the ICE officers, in a traditional Christian posture of prayer and blessing,” Pastor Black recalls. “Without any warning, and without any order or request that I and others disperse, I was suddenly fired upon by ICE officers. In rapid fire, I was hit seven times on my arms, face and torso with exploding pellets that contained some kind of chemical agent. It was clear to me that the officers were aiming for my head, which they struck twice.”

• Individual protesters, such as William Paulson, a 67-year-old retired union painter, who says he went to the protests because he “wanted to appeal to the humanity of the federal agents at the facility and express that what they were doing was wrong on a moral basis.”

  On Sept. 27, Mr. Paulson was there when ICE agents launched an indiscriminate attack on the protesters without audible warning. “Gas canisters had been shot in front of and behind me,” he recalls. “I started to inhale the gas, and I couldn’t see or breathe. Around me, I could hear people being tackled to the ground. Then, flash bang grenades started to go off near me. I was disoriented…My eyes and nose were burning…I fell to all fours and threw up. My eyes and nose were in extreme pain. My skin was burning. I have emphysema and COPD, so the gas affected me very strongly.” Mr. Paulson says he tried to go back the next day but could only stay a few minutes before having to leave. “I felt afraid the entire time I was there,” he says.

The complaint names as defendants Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Kristi Noem; Acting Director of ICE Todd Lyons; Acting Executive Associate Director of ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Marcos Charles; ICE’s Chicago Field Office Director Russell Hott; Commissioner of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Gregory Bovino; Attorney General of the United States Pam Bondi; individual agents of ICE, CBP, DHS, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and the Department of Justice who have largely concealed their identities and culpability behind masks; and Donald Trump, President of the United States.

The plaintiffs are represented by attorneys from Loevy + Loevy, the Community Justice and Civil Rights Clinic at the Northwestern Pritzker School of Law, the Mandel Legal Aid Clinic of the University of Chicago School of Law, First Defense Legal Aid, Protect Democracy, and the ACLU of Illinois.

The attorneys are also filing an Emergency Motion for a Temporary Restraining Order, asking the court for immediate, injunctive relief against the government’s violent suppression of free speech.

A similar motion was filed and granted in Los Angeles last month, after federal troops deployed the same sorts of tactics against journalists and protesters. There, the Court concluded that “federal agents’ indiscriminate use of force…will undoubtedly chill the media’s efforts to cover these public events and protesters seeking to express peacefully their views on national policies,” and that federal agents had endangered large numbers of peaceful protesters, legal observers, and journalists.

“The First Amendment demands better,” the order concluded.

General Membership Meeting Notice

Thursday October 30, 2025
Session 1: 12:30pm-2:30pm
Session 2: 6pm-8pm

Chicago Federation of Labor
180 N Stetson Street, Suite 1529
Prudential Plaza Two
Chicago, IL 60601

Every member in good standing who plans to attend either session must RSVP to Courtney Kuper (courtneyk@nabet41.org) by 2:00pm on October 29, 2025, to be included on the list for building security.

NABET-CWA Local 41 President Stephen Griswold will discuss the end of the trusteeship, the status of Local 41, and any questions raised by the membership.

This meeting will be conducted “in-person” only. We will not be able to accommodate any requests for virtual attendance. Members who are unable to attend are encouraged to submit questions via email to sgriz@nabet41.org. Time permitting, questions will be answered and included in the minutes of the meeting. Meeting minutes can be made available upon request.

Attendance and participation in the meeting are exclusively for Local 41 members in good standing. Non-members, observers, and/or guests will not be permitted to attend unless they have been approved by President Griswold.

If you have any questions about your current membership status, please contact the Local 41 office at 312-372-4111 or email Administrative Assistant, Courtney Kuper at courtneyk@nabet41.org.

Local 41 members take the fight to the streets

Our members were honored with the privilege of leading all unions & non-union floats in the 139th annual Labor Day Celebration in southwestern Indiana as the Grand Marshals in this year's parade. It is the 2nd oldest Labor Day celebration in the United States.

With the celebration taking place over 4 days, members were given a prime location to act as an information center. They had the chance to talk to every single person who attended the event and get as many eyes as possible on the fight for a better wage and working conditions. At our booth, flyers were handed out with QR codes leading to the national petition and articles about the hardships of working at Nexstar Media Group. We also had an old-fashioned legal pad and pen for folks to physically sign their name for a petition to support our local workers at WEHT/WTVW ABC 25 & CW7 in Henderson, Kentucky. That Petition alone, after final count, collected 550 signatures from the surrounding community members. Hundreds of flyers were handed throughout the festivities over the 4-day event. Many political leaders and candidates, all happy to sign our petition, continue to publicly support us.

We also had signers provide their emails so that we may keep them informed about our labor efforts, rallies and any action we take as a unit so that they may stand in solidarity with us.

Our members are strongly supported by nearly 100 different labor unions throughout the Tri-State area, whose membership was in attendance. They are all with us and ready support us when we call. After this incredible Labor Day Celebration weekend, we have garnered more support than we have ever have...and there is still a whole lot more to get.

We want to recognize the effort of David Birge, who we called "The Sledgehammer". He stopped at nothing when it came to getting signatures and interacting with every single person he could. His ability to communicate with people, get their attention and target their curiosity is truly unmatched. Without him taking part, we would not have HALF of the signatures we do. David Birge has also been commuting over an hour each way to and from work and to the festival, that shows immense dedication to his colleagues and should not be overlooked.

We also want to recognize Joe Bird & Cody Bailey. Both of whom are on air talent. They are taking massive leaps and risks by publicly showing up and being a part of the union efforts as Nexstar has been really trying to intimidate and threaten the employment of those on air who speak out and show support.

We also want to salute our wrongfully terminated members who have kept up the fight, even though they were wronged by their employer. Even when some have taken up different lines of work to get by, they are still committed and want to be part of change. That speaks VOLUMES to the commitment from our workforce.

Finally, we would like to thank the Labor Day Celebration. They took our signs and put them on their ground maintenance vehicles, drove them all over the property, to show their support for us. They also refused to talk to our reporters and brought them to Brody Shaffer to educate them about the fight for workers' rights and the fight of Local 41 against Nexstar.

As President of our great local, I want to personally point out all the hard work these labor warriors. We stand with you, shoulder to shoulder, in your fight for your first contract.

Chicago Federation of Labor works with Local 41 to strengthen union work

Chicago Federation of Labor (CFL) held a four-day organizing institute for union members to better understand and learn methods of organizing new groups. People from all walks of union life were in attendance, including NABET-CWA Local 41 President Stephen Griswold (third from left).

“I really felt it to be beneficial to better understand the overall process of organizing a new group. I feel better informed now after taking the course as we organize new groups in the years to come."

Dan Delaney Scholarship Awarded

The Dainel B. Delaney Memorial Scholarship drawing was held at the NABET-CWA Local 41 office Friday, May 9th. Karen Delaney Groves, daughter of Dan Delaney, was present to do the drawing with NABET-CWA Local 41 President Stephen Griswold.

Dan Delaney was the president of Local 41 for more than 25 years and a strong advocate for both working people and higher education. I know Dan would be very happy Local 41 continues to support the aspirations of our members and their children in issuing this annual scholarship award.

The recipient of this year's award is Sofia Flynn. Sofia is the daughter of Local 41 member Ed Flynn. Ms. Flynn is attending Illinois Wesleyan University. On behalf of the Dan Delaney family, and NABET-CWA Local 41, thanks to all who applied for the scholarship.

Congratulations to Sofia!

RVP 4 Election Update

The election of Vice President- Region 4 was held in April of this year. Petitions were collected for the position on Sector Executive Council. Patrick Keating of Local 41 was the only petition received by the Election Committee. His petition was confirmed and contained the required number of valid signatures needed. Since he was the only candidate for the office, Patrick was declared the winner by acclamation. Patrick will now serve the full three-year term and will take office July 1, 2025.

Congratulations to Brother Keating on his election! We look forward to having you serve on the Sector Executive Council for all the members of Region 4 and Local 41.

AAJA Chicago-Rose Tibayan Scholarship Fund

Help raise $60,000 to support the next generation of journalists!

Rose Tibayan was an award-winning broadcast journalist and devoted member of the Asian American Journalists Association, who always sought to help younger journalists grow and find success. Rose even wrote the book on the topic: “The Resume Tape Book,” a 700-page job-hunting guide for broadcast media that has helped countless people build their careers. And Rose knew the ropes, climbing the career ladder from TV markets in Guam, to Fort Myers, New Jersey, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Milwaukee before settling down in Chicago, with her husband, former NABET-CWA Local 41 President, Don Villar.

Rose passed away in 2024 after a 14-month battle with cancer, but her legacy as a mentor and supporter of young AAPI journalists and AAJA will continue with the Rose Tibayan Scholarship Fund.

Your generous gift to AAJA's fundraising drive will help build an endowment to provide scholarships to support students and early-career journalists as they navigate a difficult industry. AAJA has long supported scholarships for student journalists, and the Rose Tibayan Scholarship Fund will expand those programs to build a new generation of journalists with Rose’s dedication to reporting and community service.

Please send an email to chicago@aaja.org for donation information or click this link for a downloadable PDF.

80th CWA Convention Delegate Nominations

Nominations are now being accepted for delegate(s) to attend the 80th CWA Convention, in Pittsburgh, PA, on August 11th–12th.

Click this link for a downloadable PDF of the nominating petition .