It sounds like a plot point from a gritty prestige TV drama. A sworn police officer, wearing a badge and carrying a service weapon, is suddenly handcuffed by federal agents during a massive immigration sweep. But for Radule Bojovic and the residents of the Chicago suburbs, this wasn't fiction. It was a Tuesday in October 2024.
The "ice arrests chicago police officer" story basically set the internet on fire, and honestly, it’s easy to see why. You’ve got a massive clash between local departments, state "sanctuary" laws, and a federal government that, at the time, was ramping up "Operation Midway Blitz" to a fever pitch.
But if you look past the screaming headlines and the social media chaos, the facts are a lot more complicated—and a lot more bureaucratic—than most people realize.
The Arrest That Shook Hanover Park
Radule Bojovic was a 25-year-old officer with the Hanover Park Police Department. He’d done everything by the book: graduated from the Suburban Law Enforcement Academy, finished 640 hours of basic training, and was deep into his field evaluations. Then, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) showed up.
They didn't find him at a random traffic stop. They targeted him. According to federal authorities, Bojovic is a native of Montenegro who entered the U.S. on a B2 tourist visa back in 2014. That visa expired on March 31, 2015.
Federal agents alleged he had been living in the country illegally for over a decade.
The optics were, frankly, wild. Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin didn't hold back, calling it a felony for "aliens" to possess firearms and questioning how a police department could give a "criminal illegal alien" a badge and a gun.
But wait. There’s a massive "but" here that the feds didn't lead with.
How did he get hired in the first place?
You might be wondering: How does someone with an expired visa pass an FBI background check?
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Hanover Park officials were quick to fire back. They didn't just hire Bojovic off the street. They confirmed his legal authorization to work via a Work Authorization Card issued by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
Basically, the village had two work authorization cards on file for him. They were valid. They were renewed. Even the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) had sent a memo in early 2024 confirming that his specific immigration status allowed him to carry a firearm while on duty.
So you had one branch of the federal government (USCIS) saying "He’s good to work," and another (ICE) saying "He’s a criminal." It’s the kind of right-hand-not-talking-to-the-left-hand situation that drives people crazy.
Why the Ice Arrests Chicago Police Officer Case Still Matters
The Bojovic arrest wasn't just about one man. It became a proxy war for the much larger battle over Illinois’ status as a sanctuary state. Under Governor J.B. Pritzker, Illinois has some of the strictest laws in the country—like the TRUST Act—which generally prevent local police from doing ICE's job for them.
While Bojovic was the headline-grabber because of his badge, he was picked up during "Operation Midway Blitz." This was a targeted federal push in 2025 and early 2026 to bypass local "sanctuary" non-cooperation by going straight after individuals.
The Return to Duty
Here is the part that really confuses people: Radule Bojovic went back to work.
After being arrested in mid-October 2025, he was released on a $2,500 bond on Halloween. Because the federal government didn't contest his bond and—critically—his work authorization was still technically valid in the system, Hanover Park put him back on the streets by December 2025.
He even got back pay for the time he was on leave.
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It’s a bizarre legal limbo. He’s a cop with a gun, patrolling a Chicago suburb, while simultaneously fighting a deportation case in federal court.
The Bigger Picture in Chicago
While the Bojovic case was happening in the suburbs, the actual Chicago Police Department (CPD) was facing its own firestorm. Residents were packing meetings at Thalia Hall in Pilsen, accusing CPD of secretly helping ICE during raids.
People were angry. Really angry.
They cited instances in June 2025 where CPD officers supposedly set up "protective perimeters" for ICE agents in the South Loop. Under the Chicago Welcoming City Ordinance, that’s a huge no-no.
"We’ve seen the tear gas. We’ve seen the children being scared," said Andres Guzman, a local resident, during a raucous January 2026 meeting.
The tension in the city is at a breaking point. You have the feds accusing the state of "shielding criminals," and you have the community accusing the local police of "betraying" the city’s sanctuary promise.
What Most People Get Wrong About These Arrests
There’s a lot of misinformation floating around, so let's clear up a few things:
- It wasn't a "fake" badge: Bojovic was a fully certified, legally hired officer who passed state-mandated training.
- The "illegal" label is nuanced: While his original visa expired, he held federal work permits (EADs). This happens often in the backlog-heavy U.S. immigration system where someone's status is "pending" but their right to work is "active."
- CPD isn't ICE: Despite the confusion, the Chicago Police Department is legally prohibited from asking about your immigration status or arresting you based on a civil ICE warrant.
Practical Insights: What Should You Know?
If you live in or around Chicago and are worried about how these federal-local clashes affect you, keep these things in mind.
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First off, know your rights under the Welcoming City Ordinance. If a CPD officer stops you, they aren't supposed to ask about your papers. Period. If they do, that's a violation of city policy.
Secondly, keep an eye on the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability (CCPSA). They are the ones currently investigating whether CPD broke the law by assisting ICE in 2025. If you witnessed something, they are the body taking testimony.
Finally, understand that the legal landscape is shifting. With the Trump administration's 2026 push for "restoring law and order," the friction between federal agents and local "sanctuary" police is only going to get more intense.
The Bojovic case proved that even being a part of the "system" doesn't make you immune to the complexities of U.S. immigration law. It’s a mess. Honestly, it’s a total mess. But staying informed on the actual legal status of these cases—rather than just the viral clips—is the only way to navigate it.
If you’re following this, stay tuned to the CCPSA meeting notes and the upcoming federal court dates for Bojovic. His case will likely set a massive precedent for whether DACA recipients or other work-authorized immigrants can continue serving in Illinois law enforcement.
Key Takeaway for Residents:
- Document any interactions where local police appear to be coordinating with federal immigration agents.
- Understand that a Work Authorization Card is a federal document that should protect employment, but may not protect against ICE enforcement actions if a visa has expired.
- The Illinois TRUST Act remains your primary legal shield against local police participation in civil immigration matters.
The "ice arrests chicago police officer" saga is far from over. It’s a landmark case of federal vs. state power that will likely end up in a much higher court before it's truly settled.