Seventh Circuit Says CBP Commander Won’t Have To Explain Why He’s Violating Court Orders On A Daily Basis
from the go-forth-and-violate dept
CBP commander Gregory Bovino has been given a temporary free pass by the Seventh Circuit Appeals Court to continue violating a court order he’s been violating since the lower court first issued it. So, that’s how things continue to go in terms of checks and balances here in the United States. You know, poorly.
Not that we should have expected anything else, now that it’s clear that if things go far enough, the Supreme Court will step in to give Trump whatever he wants and give the country absolutely zero explanation for its actions.
Gregory Bovino is one of those “old school” guys, which means he’s presumably a hot-headed racist who thinks law enforcement should behave more like vigilantes than public servants. That’s why he decided to engage in his own wide-scale anti-migrant effort before Trump was even sworn back into office — an action that had not been cleared by the still-in-office Biden administration.
Trump liked this preemptive bigotry so much he’s given Bovino a leading role in the federal government’s invasion of Chicago. Things are going the way you’d expect, with powerful bigots punching down to inflict misery on anyone who doesn’t look white/MAGA enough to be allowed to remain in the United States.
Bovino, at least, leads from the front. And that’s getting him in trouble. A federal court recently handed down an order restricting the use of crowd control munitions by CBP, ICE, etc. after lots of credible reports surfaced showing federal officers engaging in unprovoked acts of violence, often in direct violation of their own training and use-of-force guidelines.
And it was Bovino who first demonstrated he’s aligned fully with the Trump administration — at least in terms of believing courts don’t actually have any authority over him. He not only stated he only served one person (Donald Trump), but insulted the judge who had issued the order right after he was caught on tape personally violating the court order.
That act of deliberate defiance understandably irritated Judge Sara Ellis. She issued an order demanding Bovino show up in court each day to give her a rundown on use-of-force incidents. It was a reasonable request, given the circumstances. But we’re dealing with an unreasonable person who has the good fortune to be working for an equally unreasonable administration.
As soon as this order was issued, the DOJ and DHS immediately asked for it to be reversed. It hasn’t gotten that yet, but it has obtained a stay from the Seventh Circuit Appeals Court, which means Bovino won’t have to show up in court until there’s a final ruling on this order.
The unsigned opinion from the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals granted the request from lawyers from the Trump administration to block U.S. District Court Judge Sara Ellis’ order that Bovino appear in her courtroom every weekday at 6 p.m. to recap the events of the day and inform her of any use of force.
Ellis’ order “infringes on the separation of powers,” the appeals court ruled.
Ellis’ order “puts the court in the position of an inquisitor rather than that of a neutral adjudicator,” according to the ruling.
It also sets up the court “as a supervisor of Chief Bovino’s activities, intruding into personnel management decisions of the executive branch.”
That this “opinion” is unsigned really signifies nothing. It isn’t actually an opinion. It’s just a stay, which means the Seventh doesn’t actually have to explain its actions in any detail.
That being said, it’s already paying off for Bovino and the CBP officers he’s overseeing in Chicago, as Heather Cherone points out on Bluesky:
A partial list of what Bovino does not have to tell a federal judge happened today:
*An agent pushed a City Council member in Albany Park
*Agents deployed pepper spray in Albany Park & Evanston
*Agents were involved in a car crash in Evanston
*An agent pointed a gun at a woman in Evanston
There it is. The gloves will stay off, assuming Bovino even considered figuratively putting them on. The legality will remain “unsettled,” which in this legal climate just tends to mean the nation’s higher courts haven’t figured out exactly how they’re going to let this administration keep getting away with it. And Bovino will remain the lawless asshole he’s always been, to the detriment of Chicago and the nation beyond.
Filed Under: 7th circuit, cbp, chicago, dhs, gregory bovino, mass deportation, trump administration
Comments on “Seventh Circuit Says CBP Commander Won’t Have To Explain Why He’s Violating Court Orders On A Daily Basis”
I love how the “government of the people, by the people, and for the people”, is the only one that can also abuse without consequences the people.
If citizens were to actually defend themselves with force it is all the justification the government needs to up the level of force to suppress the people more.
Re:
It’s “the government of Trump™, by Trump™, and for Trump™”, how could you still not understand it?
I wonder how many children the judges have taken as bribes.
Re: No need to.
Trump can probably just work with the Epstein files right now, relying on already molested girls and boys for getting what he wants.
Call him what he is a nazi.
That is a fine republic you have there.
Would be a real shame if something happened to it,
Oops.
The only way to deal with a bully is to stand up to them. Whether that be via punching them in the mouth or more kinetic means, so be it. The “Justice System” isn’t going to do shit to protect the citizens from their own government, so time for the street justice system to do the job.
Dear Judge
Arrest him. Place him in jail and then Port him over to antoher jail and another jail, keep him moving around so the Fed cant find him.
Let him get used to What he himself is doing.
'Now don't you keep doing that or I'll wag my finger again!'
Yeah, pretty sure ‘If you’re going to keep assaulting people and violating their rights I’m not going to tell you to stop, I’m just ordering you to tell me who you assaulted and which rights you violated each day’ is a big part of why thugs like that feel such open contempt towards the legal system and have no hesitation in showing it, in their shoes so would I.
If someone’s breaking the law drag their asses to court, investigate the accusations, and charge them appropriately. Having a badge should never grant you immunity and deference like what’s being shown here, and the fact that it does undermines the courts and their legitimacy by making clear that while all animals may be equal in the eyes of the law and courts some animals are more equal than others.
Re:
Yeah, except judges don’t charge people with crimes. They can refer cases to the AG, but good luck prosecuting a federal agent…
If they are not goint to obey the constitutiin and provide proper checks and balances why are they employed at all? Their existenge hinges on following the constitution not ignoring it. If they are useless purging them should be top priority of the upcoming administration. Removing corrupt judges for the crime of being corrupt will help undo the dumbest policies of the Trump regime.