A suburban Chicago police officer is at the centre of a growing political and legal firestorm after being detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials for allegedly overstaying his visa by ten years.
Radule Bojovic, a native of Montenegro and a member of the Village of Hanover Park Police Department, was taken into federal custody during ‘Operation Midway Blitz,’ according to a Thursday announcement from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Who is Radule Bojovic?
Bojovic was hired by the department in January 2025, having passed all required background checks and submitted what the department described as a “valid and recently renewed” Work Authorisation Card.
In a press release, the Village of Hanover Park Police Department stated that no red flags emerged during his screening, which included checks with the Illinois State Police and FBI.
“The bottom line is that all information we received from the federal government indicated that Officer Bojovic is legally authorised to work in the United States as a police officer. Clearly, without that authorisation, the village would not have hired him.
Additionally, the Village has not received any notice from any federal or state agency that his work authorisation status has ever been revoked,” Hanover Park Police Deputy Chief Victor DiVito stated in the release.
Despite this, DHS officials asserted Bojovic had overstayed a B2 visa that expired on March 31, 2015. The department sharply criticised his employment as emblematic of broader immigration enforcement failures under Illinois leadership.
“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 so-called law enforcement officer who is actively breaking the law,” said DHS Assistant Secretary of Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin in a press release.
Bojovic has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of immigration proceedings. The department noted that he was allowed to carry a firearm on duty under a 2024 memorandum issued by the Department of Justice’s Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
The Village Board and police officials continue to maintain that all legal requirements were met during Bojovic’s hiring process.
Village Board President Rodney Craig addressed the issue at a Thursday night meeting, stating that federal and state authorities had confirmed Bojovic’s legal authorisation to work in the US
“Background checks performed by the FBI, Illinois State Police reveal no criminal history,” Craig said. “If Officer Bojovic did not hold federal work authorisation, he would not have been hired.”
The Hanover Park Police Department reiterated that no notifications had ever been received regarding a revocation of Bojovic’s work authorisation and that all due diligence was performed legally and thoroughly during his hiring.
Bojovic is currently being held at the Clay County Justice Center in Brazil, Indiana. The exact date and location of his initial arrest remain unclear. The village stated that if he is ultimately allowed to remain and work in the US, he will be reinstated to full duty.