<p>Two Illinois protesters are suing media personality Benny Johnson and his company, alleging he misrepresented them as violent criminals and 'domestic terrorists' following a protest outside an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in October 2025.</p>
<p>The plaintiffs, Kyle Frankovich and Maureen Foody, filed the lawsuit regarding videos and social media posts Johnson produced after the October 3 protest at the Broadview ICE Processing Center in Broadview, Illinois. The suit claims Johnson falsely asserted he witnessed the plaintiffs engaging in violence, committing crimes, and attacking law enforcement.</p>
<p>'All of this was false, which Mr. Johnson knew,' the lawsuit stated.</p>
<p>According to the complaint, Foody and Frankovich were protesting against Operation Midway Blitz, an immigration enforcement initiative by the Trump administration in the Chicago area. The plaintiffs contend they remained in the area designated for First Amendment activities, where they sang songs, prayed, held signs, and recorded federal law enforcement.</p>
<p>The lawsuit alleges that federal officers used force against protesters, including shoving and striking individuals and forcing them to the ground. Foody and Frankovich were detained for hours and released without charges, according to the complaint.</p>
<p>Johnson was present at the protest, and his crew filmed nearby. They claim he later edited footage from the protest into a series of videos and social media posts in which he characterized them as violent and criminal.</p>
<p>Johnson allegedly stated that the plaintiffs attacked or assaulted law enforcement and claimed to have personally witnessed such actions, according to the suit.</p>
<p>The plaintiffs deny all allegations, asserting they did not engage in violence or criminal activity and did not attack or assault law enforcement on October 3.</p>
<p>Johnson repeated the accusations across multiple platforms over several days. The suit claims he did so to increase engagement with his social media following and promote his political agenda. One of the videos was later aired on Fox News during an appearance by Johnson, reaching millions of viewers.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>Frankovich, also an Illinois resident, works remotely as a data scientist at Harvard University and claimed he was filming the protest on his phone while in the designated protest area.</p>
<p>The allegations stem from the Trump administration's Operation Midway Blitz, announced on September 8, 2025, as an immigration enforcement surge targeting the Chicago area.</p>
<p>Approximately 300 federal officers arrived at the complex around 1 a.m., with agents using flashbang grenades and breaking into apartments. Residents, including children and U.S. citizens, were detained.</p>
<p>Johnson accompanied then-Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and senior DHS officials to the Broadview facility, filming federal officers and protesters before publishing the footage on his social media accounts.</p>
<p>Johnson is a prominent right-wing media personality who has produced content for Turning Point USA and operates his own online media channels.</p>
<p>The plaintiffs are seeking compensatory and punitive damages, arguing Johnson's statements damaged their reputations and falsely portrayed them as violent actors.</p>