Two Illinois protesters are suing conservative media personality Benny Johnson and his company, alleging he falsely portrayed them as violent criminals and “domestic terrorists” after a protest outside an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in October 2025.
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he → sue → October
The plaintiffs, Kyle Frankovich and Maureen Foody, filed the lawsuit over videos and social media posts Johnson produced following the Oct. 3 protest at the Broadview ICE Processing Center in Broadview, Illinois.
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Johnson → file → Broadview
The suit alleged Johnson falsely claimed he saw the plaintiffs engage in violence, commit crimes, and attack or assault law enforcement.
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plaintiffs → allege → enforcement
“All of this was false, which Mr. Johnson knew,” the lawsuit stated.
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lawsuit → know → which
According to the complaint, Foody and Frankovich were among protesters demonstrating against Operation Midway Blitz, the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement surge in the Chicago area.
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Foody → accord → area
The plaintiffs alleged they remained in the area designated by authorities for First Amendment activity, where they sang songs, participated in prayers, held signs, and recorded federal law enforcement.
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they → allege → enforcement
The lawsuit alleged federal officers entered the crowd and used force against protesters, including shoving and striking people and forcing them to the ground.
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officers → allege → ground
Foody and Frankovich were detained for hours and released without charges, according to the complaint.
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Foody → detain → complaint
Johnson was present at the protest, and his crew was filming nearby.
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crew → film → protest
They claimed he subsequently repackaged footage from the protest into a series of videos and social media posts in which he characterized them as violent, criminal, and “domestic terrorists.”
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he → claim → them
Johnson also allegedly said the plaintiffs had attacked or assaulted law enforcement and claimed to have personally witnessed such conduct, according to the suit.
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plaintiffs → say → suit
The plaintiffs deny all of the allegations, saying they “did not engage in violence” or criminal activity and did not attack or assault law enforcement on Oct. 3.
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they → deny → Oct.
Johnson repeated the accusations across multiple platforms and on consecutive days.
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Johnson → repeat → days
The suit alleged Johnson did so to increase engagement with his social media following and advance his political agenda.
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Johnson → allege → agenda
One of the videos was later broadcast on Fox News during an appearance by Johnson, reaching millions of viewers.
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One → broadcast → viewers
The Department of Homeland Security later posted footage from Johnson featuring an image of Frankovich with his hands bound behind his back, according to the lawsuit.
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hands → post → lawsuit
Foody, an Illinois resident and independent-contractor court reporter, alleged she was standing in the protest area holding a small cardboard sign and participating in songs and prayers.
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she → allege → songs
Frankovich, also an Illinois resident, works remotely as a data scientist at Harvard University, and he alleged he was filming the protest on his phone while standing in the designated protest area.
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he → work → area
The allegations stem from the Trump administration’s Operation Midway Blitz, which the Department of Homeland Security announced Sept. 8, 2025, as an immigration enforcement surge targeting the Chicago area.
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Department → stem → area
Roughly 300 federal officers descended on the complex around 1 a.m., with agents rappelling from Black Hawk helicopters, using flashbang grenades, and breaking through apartment doors.
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agents → descend → doors
Residents, including children and U.S. citizens, were detained.
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Residents → include → children
Johnson accompanied then-Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and senior DHS officials to the Broadview facility.
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Johnson → accompany → facility
He filmed federal officers and protesters before publishing the footage through his social media accounts.
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He → film → accounts
He has produced content for Turning Point USA and operates his own online media channels.
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He → produce → channels
The Trump administration has also provided Johnson and other online influencers with access to government officials and immigration enforcement operations.
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administration → provide → officials
In 2025, Johnson was given a seat in the White House briefing room and accompanied DHS and ICE officials on ride-alongs, such as the Chicago operation.
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Johnson → give → operation
The plaintiffs are seeking compensatory and punitive damages, arguing Johnson’s statements damaged their reputations and falsely portrayed them as violent actors.
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statements → seek → actors
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