In a significant move, an Illinois judge has mandated that federal officers don body cameras during immigration enforcement activities, addressing mounting apprehensions over potential altercations with demonstrators.

This directive was delivered by U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis on Thursday, following alarming reports of agents deploying tear gas against civilians. The decision was prompted by a widely circulated video that captured federal agents using tear gas on crowds earlier in the week. Judge Ellis expressed deep unease, noting that the agents’ actions might have breached her prior directive, which had stipulated the wearing of identifiable badges and prohibited specific crowd-control measures.