Unpacking the Actions of Border Patrol Brokers Throughout US

This investigation is a part of a collaboration between Bellingcat, Evident Media and CalMatters. You’ll be able to watch Evident’s investigative video right here, and skim CalMatters’ report right here.

In early January 2025, a gardener named Ernesto Campos was pulled over by Border Patrol brokers within the metropolis of Bakersfield, California. 

The brokers have been a good distance from residence: Bakersfield is over 240 miles (386km) from the US border with Mexico.

They have been there as a part of Operation Return to Sender, a Border Patrol surge within the metropolis that acted as a portent of what was to come back throughout the US in 2025.

Video footage reveals one agent threatening to interrupt Campos’ automobile window as they believed he was transporting an undocumented particular person. 

Campos filmed the brokers, who he mentioned slashed his tyres earlier than arresting him and a passenger. The brokers’ faces later appeared on native information experiences detailing the incident.

Ten months later, two of the brokers seen in footage recorded by Campos have been filmed in Chicago as Border Patrol brokers descended on the town for what was dubbed “Operation Halfway Blitz”.

One was seen grabbing a person by the throat earlier than slamming him to the bottom with assist from different brokers.

The different was seen punching a person within the face earlier than pulling his gun on protesters in a Chicago suburb.

These confrontations weren’t remoted incidents.

A federal choose in Illinois mentioned in November that using drive by federal brokers in Chicago – together with using tear fuel and different much less deadly munitions on a number of events –  “shocks the conscience”.    

A restraining order issued by that Illinois choose was vacated on enchantment earlier this month. However what passed off on the streets of Chicago additionally occurred in different places, with among the identical brokers concerned.

Bellingcat has labored with our companions at Evident Media and CalMatters to analyse over 85 hours of social media and bodycam footage, in addition to courtroom paperwork and incident experiences, to attempt to unpack the actions of Border Patrol brokers throughout the nation. 

With brokers typically masked and badge or identification numbers not all the time seen, understanding precisely who has enforced the immigration surges of the previous 12 months has been troublesome. This, in flip, has made public questioning and accountability round use-of-force incidents difficult. 

Nonetheless, we noticed over 25 brokers who appeared in a couple of metropolis, both by recognising their faces or matching badge numbers that have been seen on their vests or arm patches. Many have been seen alongside former Border Patrol Commander at Giant, Gregory Bovino, on no less than one event. 

However that is possible only a fraction of the brokers who moved across the nation to participate in Border Patrol surges in cities like Los Angeles, Chicago and Minneapolis. When talking to reporters in January, Border Czar Tom Homan mentioned he had spoken to some brokers who had “been in theatre for eight months”. Many wore masks within the movies seen by Bellingcat, and it was not all the time doable to determine quantity patches from social media or bodycam footage alone.

Though among the brokers we logged appeared on neighbourhood walkabouts or in footage the place little occurred, others could possibly be seen utilizing drive on a number of events. For this story, we now have centered on the actions of 5 brokers whom we now have been capable of determine and who seem to have repeatedly used drive in no less than two, however typically extra, places. We’ve determined to call these we now have been capable of determine simply as we’d identify any officer concerned in incidents like these detailed. However these have been in no way the one brokers whom we noticed utilizing drive throughout one or a number of cities.

The footage we analysed additionally seems to indicate a gradual escalation of violence and confrontational incidents as 2025 progressed, culminating in widespread use-of-force incidents in Chicago and Minneapolis, the place two individuals, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, have been killed by ICE and Border Patrol brokers, respectively, in early 2026.

Brokers on the Transfer

Whereas former Border Patrol Commander at Giant Gregory Bovino is now not in a nationwide function, among the brokers noticed and documented for this report seem to have travelled from his El Centro sector over the previous 12 months.

These included agent Timothy Donahue and Georgy Simeon, who have been filmed by Ernesto Campos in Bakersfield. Donahue was the agent who was subsequently pictured pointing his gun at residents simply exterior Chicago after a visitors incident (Donahue acknowledged in his incident report that his automobile was rammed by an activist – one thing additionally described in Illinois federal choose Sara Ellis’ opinion – though Donahue’s report made no point out of punching a person within the face or unholstering his weapon). It was Simeon, in the meantime, who was filmed slamming a person to the bottom after grabbing him by the throat.

Donahue was additionally noticed in social media footage in Los Angeles in June final 12 months pushing a citizen who was blocking his automobile, in addition to grabbing a person on an immigration raid inside a automobile wash.

The Chicago publication, Unraveled Press, beforehand reported that Donahue was the proprietor of a social media account that made seemingly racist and sexist posts. Bellingcat and others have checked this account and located that an previous profile image confirmed a picture of Donahue. Bodycam footage from exterior a detention centre close to Chicago additionally confirmed Donahue deal with a journalist from Unraveled with out obvious warning.

Footage from Donahue’s personal bodycam on Oct. 3 additionally seems to indicate him compiling an incident report with ChatGPT. The opportunity of CBP brokers utilizing ChatGPT to compile incident experiences was addressed by Choose Ellis in her ruling issuing a restraining order in November. She wrote that utilizing ChatGPT to jot down experiences “undermines their credibility and will clarify the inaccuracy of some experiences filed by CBP officers”.

The proof doesn’t allow us to find out if Donahue used ChatGPT to compile the Oct. 31 incident report by which he didn’t point out he punched a person and unholstered his gun. 

Our reporting companions CalMatters emailed and known as Donahue previous to publication. The e-mail obtained no response. Donahue answered his cellphone however mentioned, “by no means, ever name my cellphone once more,” and hung up.

Simeon didn’t reply to emailed questions previous to publication, and calls to a quantity listed beneath his identify went unanswered. 

DHS didn’t reply to questions posed in regards to the actions of Donahue and Simeon detailed on this report or the company’s use-of-force insurance policies. In addition they didn’t reply to questions on whether or not it was permissible for brokers to make use of generative AI platforms like ChatGPT to compile incident experiences.

Whereas the actions of Donahue and Simeon made information experiences in varied cities, the pair have been removed from alone in having their actions filmed and documented throughout the nation. 

Kristopher Hewson, a supervisory agent primarily based out of Bovino’s El Centro sector, was seen on bodycam footage in Chicago spraying a person who was being held down by brokers with what he detailed in his incident report as oleoresin capsicum (OC), also called pepper spray, from what seems to be only a few inches away. The person was on the bottom and had one hand behind his again, however brokers could possibly be heard asking for his different hand through the incident. Hewson mentioned in his incident report (see right here and right here) that the person had been resisting arrest, however he additionally acknowledged that he deployed the pepper spray from two toes away. Bodycam footage (see beneath) confirmed the canister beside the person’s head proper after a burst of spray will be heard.

Bodycam footage reveals a person being held down earlier than pepper spray is launched whereas he stays on the bottom.

Hewson, who wore a masks however was identifiable in a number of movies by the C-29 ID quantity on his uniform, was later noticed in Minneapolis. He additionally mentioned his identify throughout one incident that allowed us to seek out different bodycam footage releases that belonged to him. In a single video, his masks slipped, which allowed us to match his face to pictures on his social media accounts.

Court docket testimony revealed that he was current in Los Angeles throughout a Border Patrol surge within the metropolis in the summertime of 2025. He was additionally seen alongside Bovino on quite a few events, together with in Chicago, the place Bovino will be heard greeting him by saying, “Hey, Hewson”, in a single video captured by the filmmaker Jeff Perlman.

In bodycam footage from Chicago a person will be heard saying that the individual Hewson pepper-sprayed was his son, who was simply 15 years previous. This seems to be backed up by an incident report displaying the person’s date of beginning. A short while later, Hewson will be heard shouting “get again or you may be gassed” at a bunch of protesters instantly earlier than deploying tear fuel in direction of them. As he throws the canister, an individual will be heard shouting, “You’re not de-escalating shit, bro”. Hewson acknowledged in his incident report (see right here and right here) that he gave a warning that CS fuel was coming, however he didn’t element how that warning was just about instantaneous. 

All of those actions got here two weeks after a choose issued a momentary restraining order on Oct. 9, stopping brokers from utilizing chemical brokers on protesters and journalists except there was an imminent menace of bodily hazard to federal forces. Whereas that order was lifted in March 2026, it was nonetheless in drive through the incidents detailed on this story.

Hewson was seen in Minneapolis in early 2026 alongside Bovino. He was captured on footage marching in direction of and tackling a Goal worker, a teenage US citizen, who was directing insults at brokers. A melee ensued on the entrance door of the Goal retailer earlier than two individuals have been handcuffed and brought away by brokers. Hewson’s C-29 quantity was seen as he led one of many males away. Each of these arrested have been later launched.

Hewson was questioned as a part of a preliminary injunction listening to in Chicago, the place, amongst different issues, he acknowledged (pages 183 and 184) that protesters have the best to shout and even swear at officers so long as they aren’t impeding their capability to hold out their work. He additionally mentioned throughout questioning that tear fuel “doesn’t hurt individuals” (web page 189). A number of people who have been impacted by the discharge of fuel and chemical irritants in Chicago acknowledged in any other case in incidents detailed in Choose Ellis’ ruling. 

When reached on the cellphone by CalMatters, Hewson mentioned he couldn’t remark. DHS didn’t reply to questions posed in regards to the actions of Hewson detailed on this report or the company’s use-of-force insurance policies.  

El Paso Brokers

Hewson was current and visual in footage when ex-Border Patrol Commander at Giant Bovino appeared to push and manhandle a protester who crossed his path on Nicollet Avenue in Minneapolis. 

Additionally beside Bovino and Hewson that day have been two officers primarily based out of El Paso bearing the ID numbers EZ-2 and EZ-17. Each of those brokers are seen sporting vests of the Border Patrol Tactical Division (BORTAC), a specialised unit that, in accordance with the CBP, has a range course of “designed to reflect facets of the US Particular Operations Forces’ choice programs”. 

Bellingcat and Evident Media beforehand reported how EZ-17 fired much less deadly munitions at protesters from shut vary a day after Renee Good was shot and killed by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer in Minneapolis.

EZ-17 was accompanied throughout that incident by EZ-2, who could possibly be seen spraying a chemical irritant within the face of a person who appeared to have thrown a snowball at him. EZ-2 was additionally seen throwing two feminine protesters to the bottom exterior Roosevelt Excessive College in Minneapolis on Jan. 7. 

Each EZ-17 and EZ-2 have been current in Chicago. EZ-17 was seen passing a tear fuel canister to Bovino at an incident within the metropolis’s Little Village neighbourhood on Oct. 23. 

The Chicago publication, Unraveled, beforehand recognized EZ-17 as Edgar Vazquez and EZ-2 as Michael Sveum. Bellingcat was capable of corroborate these identifications utilizing related methods. Firstly, for Vazquez we in contrast pictures on his Fb web page with footage from EZ-2’s bodycam, which confirmed Vazquez inside a automobile with out a masks.

EZ-2 was recognized in an identical method. Bodycam footage from EZ-2 confirmed him his cellphone. On the lockscreen was an image of a person smiling and sporting a blue jacket. That very same image was posted on Sveum’s social media accounts and appeared to have been taken at an ultramarathon occasion whose organisers posted Sveum’s identify alongside that very same picture.

When reached by cellphone by CalMatters reporters, Vazquez mentioned that he couldn’t remark. Sveum hung up instantly after CalMatters’ reporter launched himself. DHS didn’t reply to questions posed in regards to the actions of Vazquez or Sveum detailed on this report or the company’s use-of-force insurance policies.   

Dozens of different incidents the place brokers appeared to escalate fairly than de-escalate conditions, in addition to use drive or much less deadly munitions, have been logged as a part of this investigation. This included brokers pointing weapons at protesters (see right here and right here) in addition to utilizing violent drive and fewer deadly munitions on protesters, journalists and bystanders.

Bovino himself appeared to instigate confrontations with individuals, akin to in Chicago, when he will be seen throwing a person to the bottom earlier than brokers pounce on him, though he acknowledged throughout his Illinois deposition that he didn’t suppose such actions represented a use-of-force incident. 

The previous Border Patrol Commander at Giant advised CalMatters that he couldn’t communicate to the media with out DHS approval previous to publication of this story. Requests despatched to DHS to talk with Bovino went unanswered.

‘Uncommon and Past the Pale’

Based on John Roth, a former DHS Inspector Common, and Steve Burnell, a former DHS Common Counsel, the occasions of the previous 12 months, involving masked brokers descending on choose cities, have eroded belief and credibility in DHS and regulation enforcement.

Whereas each agreed that there needed to be skilled immigration enforcement operations, they mentioned that must be finished in a means that’s accountable and ensures accountability when strains are crossed. 

“That is form of a scary Orwellian factor”, Roth mentioned. “I don’t suppose the general public understands how uncommon and past the pale it’s to have these roving form of teams of masked brokers, on the market dealing with the general public.”

Burnell mentioned that the shortcoming to determine brokers finishing up their work as enforcement officers was a selected concern: “On the finish of the day, ICE and everyone at DHS are public servants. They’re imagined to be working for the general public. And, you realize, if any individual is working for you, you must have a proper to know who they’re, and you must have a proper to carry them accountable and protest what they’re doing.”

Roth and Burnell each served beneath President Barack Obama and through President Donald Trump’s first time period. The pair have testified to Congress in current months, elevating the alarm about what they see as a dismantling of accountability at DHS. Distinguished members of the US authorities, together with President Trump, have provided repeated assist to Border Patrol brokers, even after the loss of life of protesters akin to Renee Good.

Our companions at Evident and CalMatters confirmed Roth and Burnell among the footage described on this report. Whereas they shunned commenting on particular person incidents, Roth described the footage usually as “troublesome to look at”.

“The query I’d ask. Have [agents] inserted themselves into one thing that requires them to make use of drive,” mentioned Roth. “During which case that will be a violation of DHS coverage,” he added, referring to use-of-force insurance policies that element how regulation enforcement officers could use drive when no “moderately, secure and possible various seems to exist”.

“It’s truly DHS coverage that you just [are required] to aim to de-escalate when that’s doable. I imply, they don’t have an obligation to retreat, however they do have an obligation to not insert themselves into a spot the place use of drive is important,” Roth mentioned.

Burnell described a number of what has occurred over the previous 12 months as a kind of “dominance show”.

“It’s there to ship a message. And that isn’t de-escalatory. It’s the other,” he mentioned.

Bellingcat, CalMatters and Evident Media collectively sought to contact DHS in addition to all the brokers talked about on this story previous to publication. 

We requested DHS whether or not any of the incidents detailed on this report violated DHS use-of-force insurance policies or whether or not these insurance policies had been up to date beneath the present administration. 

We additionally requested if DHS was taking any motion or offering additional coaching to brokers to make sure the general public’s constitutional rights are revered throughout immigration enforcement operations carried out by Border Patrol.

DHS didn’t reply earlier than publication.

Youri van der Weide, Kolina Koltai and Eoghan Macguire from Bellingcat, in addition to Sergio Olmos from CalMatters and Kevin Clancy from Evident Media, contributed reporting to this piece.

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