Chicago suburb slammed for rehiring police officer arrested by ICE: ‘Crazy as hell’
The police department in Hanover Park, Illinois, is facing significant backlash after announcing that Officer Radule Bojovic, a Montenegran immigrant arrested by ICE for overstaying his visa, will continue to serve on the force. Officials defended Bojovic, asserting that he was hired in “full compliance” with the law and had a valid work authorization card that had recently been renewed. However, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) expressed outrage, with Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin questioning the decision to employ someone she described as a “criminal illegal alien” who should not possess a firearm. McLaughlin highlighted that Bojovic’s tourist visa expired in 2015, raising concerns about how he could be hired after living in the U.S. illegally for nearly a decade. The DHS claimed that Bojovic’s employment could cost taxpayers approximately $205,707, further fueling the controversy.
Despite the backlash, Hanover Park officials maintained that Bojovic had undergone the necessary background checks and had no criminal history in state or federal databases. His return to full duty came after he posted a $2,500 bond related to his DHS case, which was not contested. The situation has ignited fierce debate, particularly among conservative commentators like Chaya Raichik, known as “LibsOfTikTok,” who criticized the employment of an undocumented immigrant in a law enforcement role, questioning the implications for public safety and taxpayer resources. This incident in Hanover Park is not isolated; it aligns with broader discussions about immigration enforcement and public safety, as seen in other jurisdictions like a town in Maine, where an illegal immigrant was arrested while serving as a reserve police officer. The Hanover Park case highlights the complex intersection of immigration status, law enforcement, and community trust, raising important questions about the policies governing police hiring practices in the context of immigration law.
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A Chicago suburb’s
police department
is under fire after it announced a Montenegran immigrant serving on the force that had been arrested by ICE for a visa-overstay will continue on the job.
Officials in Hanover Park, Illinois – which straddles DuPage and Cook Counties — defended Officer
Radule Bojovic, saying
in a statement to
CBS News
he had been hired in “full compliance” with the law, and had proper federal work authorization.
DHS was nonplussed, with Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin commenting, “What kind of police department gives criminal illegal aliens badges and guns? It’s a felony for aliens to even possess a firearm.”
“A so-called law enforcement officer is actively breaking the law,” McLaughlin said, with her agency releasing further statements claiming Bojovic’s employment had an estimated cost to taxpayers of $205,707.
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The agency said Bojovic was “encountered” during
Operation Midway Blitz
, the Chicago ICE and Border Patrol enforcement action led by Commander Gregory Bovino.
Bojovic’s tourist visa reportedly expired in 2015, leading McLaughlin to wonder in a statement how he could be hired after 10 years
living in the U.S. illegally
.
Hanover Park officials told CBS News that Bojovic was hired through the proper checks and channels and he also provided a valid work authorization card that had recently been renewed.
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Bojovic’s first day back on full duty was Tuesday, according to police statements, as officials said the man’s $2,500 bond from his DHS case was not contested.
That did not quell other conservatives, including
commentator Chaya Raichik
, better known as “LibsOfTikTok.”
“Crazy as hell,” Raichik wrote on X. “Why is an illegal alien working as a cop and getting paid by our tax dollars.”
Raichik also criticized a report that Bojovic will receive back pay for the time he has been off duty.
Bojovic has no criminal history in Illinois State Police and federal databases, according to Chicago’s FOX affiliate.
A town in Maine is
also under scrutiny
after ICE claimed an illegal immigrant from Jamaica was serving as a reserve police officer in a “sanctuary jurisdiction” when he was reportedly arrested for unlawfully attempting to purchase a firearm.
Fox News Digital reached out to Hanover Park Police administration as well as a deputy chief listed on a press release about the matter, for further comment.
Eric
Eric is a seasoned journalist covering US Politics news.
