ICE arrests police officer in Chicago suburb and accuses him of being in US illegally

ICE agents arrested a police officer Thursday morning in the Chicago suburb of Hanover Park, accusing him of being an unlawful immigrant from Montenegro.

The Department of Homeland Security says the officer, Radule Bojovic, overstayed a tourist visa that expired in 2015.

According to the department, Bojovic was “encountered during a targeted enforcement action” in ICE’s immigration-focused operation in Illinois.

The Hanover Park Police Department shared a Facebook post in August announcing Bojovic’s recent graduation from the Suburban Law Enforcement Academy, adding that he had started “an intensive 15 weeks of field training and evaluation as he continues preparing to serve the Hanover Park community.”

CNN has reached out to the Hanover Park Police for comment and has attempted to contact Bojovic.

“Radule Bojovic violated our nation’s laws and was living ILLEGALLY in the United States for 10 years—what kind of police department gives criminal illegal aliens badges and guns? It’s a felony for aliens to even possess a firearm. A law enforcement officer who is actively breaking the law,” said DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin in a statement to CNN Thursday.

Rodney Craig, the mayor of Hanover Park, said Thursday night that village officials will be monitoring Bojovic’s immigration proceedings. If he’s allowed to stay in the US and authorized to work, he will be returned to full duty status at the police department, Craig said at a municipal meeting.

“I encourage all our residents to gather all the available facts before forming their own opinion as to whether hiring the officer was appropriate. I can tell you with the utmost confidence it was appropriate,” he said. “First and foremost, the village and the police department conducted its own thorough due diligence as part of this hiring process. As is the case with the hiring of all police officers.”

Craig said that before Bojovic was hired, the village confirmed that he was legally authorized work in the United States.

“Background checks performed by the FBI and Illinois State Police revealed no criminal history,” he added. “If Officer Bojovic did not hold federal work authorization, he would not have been hired.”

In September, ICE agents arrested the superintendent of Iowa’s largest school district, accusing him of being in the country illegally since the early 2000s. The superintendent was later charged with separate firearm offenses.

This story was updated with additional information.