The ICE across the mainland U.S. is carrying out a massive number of detention drives, all thanks to Donald Trump‘s recent announcement and efforts to get rid of alleged illegal immigrants. One such case, which took place in Illinois, brought to light the presence of a Chicago Police Officer, who has now been identified as an illegal immigrant. He was arrested on Thursday morning in the suburb of Hanover Park in Chicago after the ICE agents identified him as an undocumented immigrant who came from Montenegro.
The officer, identified by the name of Radule Bojovic, has apparently overstayed a tourist visa that had long since expired in 2015. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was able to get hold of him during a targeted enforcement action during one of ICE’s operations in Illinois. For the unfamiliar, Bojovic was announced as a recent graduate by the Hanover Park Police Department in August, as confirmed from a Facebook post they dropped earlier. He took off from the Suburban Law Enforcement Academy, where he had additionally undergone an intensive 15-week on-field training and evaluation.
ICE announces it arrested a suburban Chicago cop and claims he’s in the US illegally https://t.co/6zquU7Dr1i pic.twitter.com/GDsaRxWK8r
— The Independent (@Independent) October 16, 2025
This detention has left many in the community in shock. Radule, who had been serving as a police officer for the Chicago Police, was found to be living illegally in the U.S. for ten years. This has raised serious questions about the thoroughness of the background verification process, which seems to have been overlooked. DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin echoed this sentiment, expressing surprise at the lack of responsibility shown by the police department.
In a statement to CNN, she said, “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 even to possess a firearm. A law enforcement officer who is actively breaking the law.”
Meanwhile, the mayor of Hanover Park, Rodney Craig, later on Thursday night, commented on the situation and assured that a complete monitoring will be done on Radule Bojovic’s immigration proceedings by the village officials. If he gets a clean chit and then is allowed to stay in the U.S. as well as authorized to work, he will be duly returned to his post in the Chicago Police, along with his full duty status.
Mayor Craig, further connecting the dots in the case, spoke at the municipal meeting and emphasized, “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 that it was appropriate. First and foremost, the village and the police department conducted their own thorough due diligence as part of this hiring process. As is the case with the hiring of all police officers.” This reassurance from the mayor aims to instill confidence in the village’s hiring procedures.
Rodney also confirmed that Radule Bojovic had no criminal history in his previous records and substantial background checks were already performed by the FBI and Illinois State Police before giving him employment. Moreover, the officer also had the valid eligibility to obtain the federal work authorization, without which it would have been impossible for anyone to hire him. This information is intended to reassure the audience that thorough background checks were carried out before the officer was hired.
