A former senior FBI official has filed a federal lawsuit alleging he was forced from his position after refusing to pursue what he describes as politically motivated prosecutions against immigration protesters in Chicago.
Douglas DePodesta, who served as chief of the FBI’s Chicago field office, claims in legal filings submitted Monday that he faced mounting pressure from Justice Department officials to pursue criminal charges against demonstrators before adequate evidence had been gathered. According to his complaint, he was ultimately pushed out of his position after prosecutors’ cases against the protesters collapsed in court.
The lawsuit names top Justice Department officials and alleges that FBI Director Kash Patel personally advocated for DePodesta’s removal. DePodesta resigned over the summer after being informed his superiors sought his dismissal.
“I saw the writing on the wall,” DePodesta stated in remarks to the press.
The case centers on prosecutions stemming from Operation Midway Blitz, a federal immigration enforcement operation conducted in Chicago. Federal prosecutors initially brought charges against approximately thirty protesters who demonstrated against the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement activities. However, many of those charges have subsequently been dropped or dismissed by the courts.
DePodesta’s lawsuit specifically accuses U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois Andrew Boutros of orchestrating a campaign within the Justice Department to assign blame to the FBI official after the prosecution of six protesters, known as the “Broadview Six” case, fell apart earlier this year.
According to the complaint, Boutros repeatedly sent DePodesta communications demanding the FBI open investigations into individuals based on their political views and affiliations opposing the Trump administration. The lawsuit further alleges that Boutros pressured assistant U.S. attorneys to file charges before completing thorough investigations of the evidence.
In several instances, the complaint states, Boutros pushed for felony charges when his own assistant prosecutors recommended misdemeanor charges or no charges at all.
In a significant development following the lawsuit’s filing, U.S. District Judge April Perry issued an order Monday requiring Boutros and three assistant attorneys to provide sworn testimony on November 16 regarding the failed Broadview Six prosecution.
“There is more than an adequate factual basis for the Court to pursue an inquiry as to whether willful false statements were made to the court,” Judge Perry wrote in her order.
The judge’s directive suggests serious concerns about the integrity of representations made to the court during the prosecution’s proceedings.
This case raises substantial questions about the intersection of federal law enforcement authority and political considerations in prosecutorial decision-making. The allegations, if proven, would indicate a troubling pattern of prioritizing political objectives over established investigative protocols and prosecutorial standards.
The lawsuit seeks DePodesta’s reinstatement and damages for what he characterizes as retaliation for refusing to pursue investigations and prosecutions without proper evidentiary foundations. The Justice Department has not yet publicly responded to the specific allegations contained in the filing.
The November hearing ordered by Judge Perry may provide additional clarity regarding the conduct of federal prosecutors in these immigration-related cases and the circumstances surrounding the collapse of multiple prosecutions.
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