Ex-FBI Chicago chief sues over Trump pressure on protest cases

Summarised from 3 outlets · Updated 3 Nov, 15:07 · Archive

The former head of the FBI's Chicago office has sued the Department of Justice, alleging he was forced to resign after refusing to pursue politically motivated prosecutions.

Douglas DePodesta, a 24-year FBI veteran who served as special agent in charge in Chicago from 2024 until July 2026, filed a federal lawsuit on Monday accusing the Trump administration of pressuring him to investigate the president's political opponents and of forcing him out of his job.

DePodesta alleges that federal prosecutors, particularly Andrew Boutros, the U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, pursued "politically motivated prosecutions" against Chicago protesters during Operation Midway Blitz, an immigration enforcement crackdown last year. He claims prosecutors pushed felony charges against demonstrators before gathering sufficient evidence.

The lawsuit alleges that Boutros was pressured from Washington to bring charges against protesters and that when the FBI refused to support certain allegations—such as that a protester had assaulted an officer—Boutros became "openly hostile". DePodesta says video evidence showed only "incidental touching" when a federal immigration agent tackled the protester.

The high-profile case against the Broadview Six fell apart earlier this year. DePodesta's complaint accuses Boutros of making "intentionally" false statements to a judge and of launching a "campaign" within the DOJ to blame DePodesta for the collapse. "I was forced to resign. This was by no way voluntary," DePodesta told ABC7 Chicago. "I was ordered by the highest levels of the FBI that I needed to leave my position."

Fox News reports that federal prosecutors brought charges against roughly 30 protesters during Operation Midway Blitz, but many have since been dropped or dismissed. Hours after the lawsuit was filed, U.S. District Judge April Perry ordered Boutros and three assistant attorneys to testify under oath on 16 November, writing that there was "more than an adequate factual basis" to inquire whether willful false statements were made to the court.

How it is being reported

• Former head of Chicago’s FBI office says Trump team ordered ‘politically motivated investigations’ into protesters‘I was ordered by the highest levels of the FBI that I needed to leave my position’Independent World · 3 Nov, 14:56
• Ex-Chicago FBI chief sues DOJ, claims he was ousted over failed anti-ICE prosecutionsThe former chief of the FBI's Chicago field office said he was forced out after being wrongly blamed for failed prosecutions against anti-ICE protesters in the city.Fox News · 3 Nov, 06:49
• Ex-FBI chief in Chicago sues DoJ, claiming he was pressured to investigate Trump’s foesDouglas DePodesta says he was made ‘scapegoat’ after collapse of case against Broadview Six anti-ICE protesters The former head of the FBI in Chicago has accused the Trump administration of pressuring him to investigate the president’s political opponents and making him a “scapegoat” after a major federal case against anti-ICE protesters fell apart. Douglas DePodesta, who served as FBI special agent in charge from 2024 until July 2026, alleged in a federal lawsuit filed on Monday that the Department of Justice (DoJ) had engaged in “misconduct” and “malfeasance” in its pursuit of unjust…Guardian World · 2 Nov, 20:59

In this story: Douglas DePodesta · Kash Patel · Todd Blanche · Andrew Boutros · FBI · Department of Justice · Chicago

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