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A suburban Chicago cop was taken into custody by ICE agents this month, and the arrest has blown open a political fight over sanctuary policies, hiring standards, and who gets to wear a badge in Illinois. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement says Radule Bojovic, a sworn officer with the Hanover Park Police Department, is a citizen of Montenegro who overstayed a tourist visa and remained in the country unlawfully for roughly a decade. He was encountered during a targeted sweep under Operation Midway Blitz, the new Department of Homeland Security campaign focused on the Chicago area. The operation has already produced hundreds of arrests across the region, according to local and federal tallies, and it has drawn national attention with DHS Secretary Kristi Noem visiting Chicago as the surge ramped up. ICE and DHS describe Midway Blitz as a crackdown on offenders shielded by what they call Illinois’s sanctuary posture, while Chicago leaders and immigrant advocates accuse the feds of fear-mongering and overreach. The Bojovic arrest is the kind of headline that both sides seize upon. In announcing the case, DHS officials highlighted that Bojovic worked as a sworn officer despite his immigration status. Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin used blistering language in a statement. “Governor J.B. Pritzker doesn’t just allow violent illegal aliens to terrorize Illinois’s communities; he allows illegal aliens to work as sworn police officers,” she said, adding, “It’s a felony for aliens to even possess a firearm, a so-called law enforcement officer who is actively breaking the law. Under President Trump and Secretary Noem, ICE is restoring law and order. Criminal illegal aliens have no place in our communities, especially on our police forces.” Hanover Park officials quickly pushed back, saying the village followed the rules. In a public statement, the village said Bojovic was hired in January 2025 “in full compliance with federal and state law,” and that before he joined the force he “presented the Village with a Work Authorization Card” issued by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, which the village said was valid and recently renewed. The village added that federal and state background checks were conducted and that the ATF determined in January that his status allowed him to carry a firearm while on duty. “If he is permitted to remain in the United States and remains legally authorized to work in this country, he will be returned to full duty status,” the statement said. The arrest also exposed the dollars and cents behind the badge. DHS said Bojovic was approved by the Police Pension Fund Board of Trustees in January 2025, and that he was eligible for a starting salary of $78,955.70. Federal authorities further cited local records estimating his 2025 earnings at $205,707, including $9,276 in FICA and Medicare taxes. Those figures track with publicly available compensation data showing six-figure pay is not unusual in the department. Local newsrooms noted that Bojovic had recently completed training and field work as he settled into the job, and that community reaction ranged from anger to disbelief. The underlying dispute, however, is bigger than one officer. Operation Midway Blitz has become a test of Chicago’s political will against an aggressive federal posture, and every arrest feeds an already combustible narrative. For now, Bojovic’s case sits at the intersection of immigration law, municipal hiring, and national politics, a flashpoint with pay stubs attached.
