Hanover Park police say officer arrested by ICE was hired legally
ICE arrests suburban Chicago police officer, DHS says
A suburban Chicago police officer was arrested by ICE, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
CHICAGO - A Hanover Park police officer accused of living in the U.S. illegally has been arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement as part of a federal crackdown targeting sanctuary cities like Chicago.
However, the Hanover Park Police Department said Officer Radule Bojovic was hired "in full compliance with federal and state law" and was legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of his employment, according to a statement released Thursday.
What we know:
ICE said Thursday that agents arrested Radule Bojovic, a native of Montenegro, who was working as a sworn officer with the Hanover Park Police Department. Officials said Bojovic entered the U.S. on a tourist visa that expired in March 2015 and remained illegally for a decade.
The arrest came during Operation Midway Blitz, a DHS enforcement campaign launched in September to target undocumented immigrants with criminal records in the Chicago area.
According to DHS, Hanover Park Police Department records confirm Bojovic was approved by the Pension Fund Board of Trustees in January 2025 and eligible for a starting salary of $78,955.
DHS said records also show his total earnings this year cost taxpayers $205,707, including $9,276 for FICA/Medicare taxes.
In a statement, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin sharply criticized Illinois’ immigration policies.
"It's a felony for aliens to even possess a firearm. A law enforcement officer who is actively breaking the law," she said. "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."
What Hanover Park PD Says:
Late Thursday afternoon, Hanover Park police issued a statement saying Officer Bojovic was hired "in full compliance with federal and state law."
Before his hiring, the village confirmed through the federal government that Bojovic was legally authorized to work in the U.S., according to the police department.
"At the time of his hire, Officer Bojovic presented the Village with a Work Authorization Card, which was issued by the federal government's U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The card was valid and recently renewed. We also conducted a full background check, including his criminal history with both the Illinois State Police and the FBI," part of the police department's statement reads.
"The bottom line is that all information we received from the federal government indicated that Officer Bojovic is legally authorized to work in the United States as a police officer. Clearly, without that authorization, the Village would not have hired him. Additionally, the Village has not received any notice from any federal or state agency that his work authorization status has ever been revoked."
Police said the village also confirmed Bojovic’s immigration status allows him to carry a firearm while on duty.
Bojovic has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of immigration proceedings. If he is allowed to remain in the U.S. and retains his work authorization, he will be returned to full duty, according to the department.
The backstory:
Illinois is a sanctuary state, limiting cooperation between local police and federal immigration authorities. The policy has been a frequent target of President Donald Trump and his administration’s immigration agenda.
Just last week, a federal judge in Illinois blocked the Trump administration from deploying National Guard troops to the Chicago area to assist ICE. The next hearing is scheduled for Oct. 22.
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'The tables will turn one day': Pritzker blasts ICE, CBP in Chicago
Governor Pritzker is speaking out about the federal immigration raids of the last few days.
Gov. JB Pritzker has accused the Trump administration of acting illegally, saying ICE operations in Illinois are intended to cause mayhem.
"So this is a dangerous time," Pritzker told FOX 32. "The President of the United States is causing mayhem in the grounds of our state. He is going after his political opponents. I don’t know why anybody would look at the situation and not recognize he’s moving toward an authoritarian regime in his own image."
He added that state officials are exploring possible prosecutions of DHS personnel if they overstepped legal bounds.
The Source: The information in this story came from the Department of Homeland Security, the Hanover Park Police Department's Facebook page, and previous FOX 32 reporting.