Additional Coverage:
- Charges dropped against activists in Chicago immigration crackdown amid grand jury misconduct claims (cnn.com)
Chicago’s top federal prosecutor has dropped the case against four activists charged in connection with protests during last year’s immigration enforcement actions, following concerns about grand jury misconduct.
U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros announced in court Thursday that he would dismiss the remaining charges after a closed-door review of redacted grand jury transcripts raised troubling questions.
Boutros told U.S. District Judge April Perry that he had only recently become aware of allegations, including a prosecutor meeting privately with a grand juror and the exclusion of jurors opposing dismissal from the process.
He acknowledged the misconduct but said there was no intent to mislead the court.
“No one acted with the intent to mislead your honor, and I think that they were following your order to give the law,” Boutros said. He declined further comment through a spokesperson.
The case, set for trial next week, was one of the most prominent prosecutions stemming from the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration crackdown in Chicago and its suburbs. It also highlights ongoing difficulties the Justice Department has faced in prosecuting protesters accused of interfering with federal officers during that period.
Among the defendants was Kat Abughazaleh, a former Democratic congressional candidate. Her attorney, Josh Herman, criticized the prosecution and said they plan to seek unredacted grand jury transcripts to better understand the misconduct.
“This misguided case should have never been brought against Kat Abughazaleh or any of her co-defendants for exercising their protected First Amendment rights,” Herman said.
Originally, six individuals were charged in October with conspiracy to impede federal officers, a felony count. Prosecutors alleged the group surrounded an immigration agent’s van at the Broadview ICE facility-a focal point of the Trump administration’s enforcement efforts.
Two defendants had their charges dropped earlier, and last month the felony conspiracy charge was dismissed amid scrutiny of the grand jury process. Remaining defendants faced misdemeanor charges of forcibly impeding a federal agent.
Despite objections from media organizations, parts of Thursday’s hearing were closed to the public due to the sensitive nature of grand jury proceedings.
The other defendants included Andre Martin, a member of Abughazaleh’s campaign staff; Oak Park village trustee Brian Straw; and Democratic committeeperson Michael Rabbitt. All charges were dismissed with prejudice, preventing future prosecution.
Judge Perry also suggested the possibility of sanctions against the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their handling of the case.
This is not the first time federal prosecutors have come under fire for their conduct before grand juries during the Trump era. In a separate high-profile instance last November, a Virginia judge criticized the Justice Department for serious investigative errors in the case against former FBI Director James Comey, including misleading legal statements to the grand jury and procedural irregularities. That case was ultimately dismissed due to the improper appointment of the prosecutor, though Comey faced a new indictment earlier this year on unrelated charges.
The dismissal in Chicago underscores the challenges federal prosecutors face in cases involving politically charged protests and the importance of proper grand jury procedures.