Seventh Circuit Takes a Blowtorch to Order Issued by Abusive, Anti-ICE Chicago Judge
By streiff | 6:31 PM on March 07, 2026
A panel of the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals scorched a Canadian-born, Obama-appointed judge for her heavy-handed and illegal imposition of operating procedures on all federal officers operating in Illinois. The majority opinion said the order imposed by Judge Sara Ellis, "impermissibly infringes on separation of powers principles. It effectively established the district court as the supervisor of all Executive Branch activity in the city of Chicago." It also hinted that her legal maneuvering was calculated to appear to dismiss an unconstitutional order while preserving the ability of future litigants to breathe new life into the suit.
The case started with the violent protesters obstructing immigration enforcement operations during “Operation Midway Blitz.” When they found out that this was not going to be treated the same as the George Floyd Memorial Riots and Looting Festival and that Border Patrol tactical commander Greg Bovino's guys were more than willing to mix it up, the communists and anarchists ran to mommy. (Unless otherwise noted, all blockquotes are from the court ruling.
In early October 2025, a group of protesters and journalists sued a host of federal defendants. They believed officers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) violated their First and Fourth Amendment rights by using tear gas and other chemical agents to break up protests without justification. The district court agreed with the plaintiffs and entered a sweeping preliminary injunction regulating all federal immigration enforcement efforts districtwide. The government promptly appealed that order.
To say the order was expansive is an understatement.
https://redstate.com/streiff/2026/03/07/seventh-circuit-takes-a-blowtorch-to-order-issued-by-abusive-anti-ice-chicago-judge-n2199974#google_vignette
