ICE Releases Hanover Park Police Officer After Controversial Arrest
A Hanover Park police officer has been released on bond following what local officials are calling a questionable arrest by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, raising concerns about federal immigration enforcement tactics.
The controversial arrest
Radule Bojovic, 25, was arrested by ICE agents on October 15, 2024, despite having what village officials describe as valid federal work authorization. The officer, originally from Montenegro, spent over two weeks in custody before an immigration judge granted him a $2,500 bond on October 29, allowing his release on October 31.
ICE’s disputed claims
Federal immigration authorities allege Bojovic overstayed a tourist visa that expired in March 2015. However, this claim appears to contradict documentation from other federal agencies that authorized his employment and firearm possession.
The Department of Homeland Security criticized Hanover Park for employing Bojovic as a police officer, claiming it was illegal for him to possess a firearm—a statement that directly conflicts with approval from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Evidence of legal authorization
Hanover Park officials have provided substantial documentation supporting Bojovic’s legal right to work:
- Valid work authorization card issued by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, recently renewed before his January 2024 hiring
- FBI and Illinois State Police background checks that he successfully passed
- ATF memo from January 2024 explicitly confirming his immigration status permitted him to carry a firearm on duty
- No revocation notice from any federal or state agency regarding his work authorization
“The bottom line is that all information we received from the federal government indicated that Officer Bojovic is legally authorized to work in the United States as a police officer,” the Hanover Park Police Department stated, emphasizing they hired him “in full compliance with federal and state law.”
Questions about federal coordination
The case raises troubling questions about coordination—or lack thereof—between federal agencies. How can one branch of the federal government issue and renew work authorization while another arrests the same person for being unauthorized? The apparent contradiction suggests either a breakdown in inter-agency communication or an aggressive enforcement approach that disregards documentation from other federal entities.
Current status
Bojovic remains on administrative leave while his immigration case proceeds. Village officials have stated that if his legal work authorization is confirmed—as their documentation suggests it should be—he will be returned to full duty.
The village maintains it followed all proper procedures and has received no official notice that Bojovic’s work authorization was ever revoked, raising questions about why ICE moved forward with the arrest in the first place. To me, this is an ongoing pattern where ICE breaks the law to enforce the law.