U.S. Customs and Border Protection says it requested sweeping restrictions on drone usage within the Chicago area because of a “credible threat of small, unmanned aircraft systems being used against law enforcement.”
CBP did not respond to a question about what the threat was, and the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois blasted the restrictions, saying they “limit the ability of the public and the media to monitor and demand accountability for their actions.”
The drone restrictions, which cover a 15-nautical-mile radius centered on downtown Chicago that spans from Winnetka to Riverdale, are effective until Oct. 12. The ban was put in place suddenly Wednesday by the Federal Aviation Administration.
The FAA said it implemented the restrictions — unusual in both their geographic and temporal scope — at the request of the Department of Homeland Security, of which Customs and Border Protection is a part.
The restrictions come as Chicago is in the crosshairs of President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown, which federal officials claim have resulted in the arrests of around 800 people since Sept. 8. In recent days, armed Border Patrol agents have marched through the streets of downtown Chicago and cruised down the Chicago River on boats.
“CBP requested a Temporary Flight Restriction due to a credible threat of small, unmanned aircraft systems being used against law enforcement during Midway Blitz,” federal officials said in a statement, adding that the administration “will utilize every tool to keep our law enforcement safe.”
In a statement, the ACLU of Illinois slammed the restrictions.
“When redressing claims of the use of excessive force and other abuses by ICE and other Administration agents, video footage gathered by individuals and the media has been crucial,” said Ed Yohnka, director of communications for the ACLU of Illinois.
“Using these military tactics on civilians is inappropriate, given the attempt to eliminate oversight and accountability, is dangerous to the people targeted in these actions and the entire community,” he said.
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