Acting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director Todd Lyons on Thursday pushed back on a federal judge’s ruling in Chicago ordering ICE officers to wear body cameras, calling the mandate “unconstitutional” on Newsmax even as he affirmed his agency is gradually rolling out body-worn camera use.
“I tell you, Rob, it’s unconstitutional the first thing,” Lyons told “Rob Schmitt Tonight.”
He argued that U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis “is using her own views … to dictate how a federal law enforcement agency is going to act.” He added that “the majority of ICE officers and special agents do have body cameras,” explaining that the rollout began under the Biden administration but “hasn’t rolled out to everyone yet.”
His comments came in response to Ellis’ ruling earlier Thursday to expand a prior temporary restraining order to require ICE agents in the Chicago area (especially in Operation Midway Blitz) to use body cameras during enforcement or protest interactions.
The order builds on earlier restrictions that barred indiscriminate use of crowd control weapons (tear gas, pepper spray) and required visible identification badges. Ellis has warned that media images of confrontations suggest her prior limits might not have been fully obeyed.
Lyons contended Ellis, a Barack Obama appointee, overlooked the fact that ICE has already used body-camera footage to refute complaints in past operations.
“We are doing what we can because we want to be transparent,” he said. “It’s the reason why we post all the worst of the worst that we arrest.”
The logistics of applying Ellis’ ruling are not clear. Chicago was not included in earlier pilot programs for ICE body cameras, and not every agent reportedly has access to a functioning camera.
Lyons’ tone was defiant but not dismissive. He underscored that ICE has sought transparency and that full camera rollout is ongoing. Whether the court’s order can be enforced — and whether it passes constitutional muster — is now set to become a major test of judicial authority over federal law enforcement operations.
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