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.
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. The suit alleged Johnson falsely claimed he saw the plaintiffs engage in violence, commit crimes, and attack or assault law enforcement.
“All of this was false, which Mr. Johnson knew,” the lawsuit stated.
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.
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.
The lawsuit alleged federal officers entered the crowd and used force against protesters, including shoving and striking people and forcing them to the ground. Foody and Frankovich were detained for hours and released without charges, according to the complaint.
Johnson was present at the protest, and his crew was filming nearby. 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.”
Johnson also allegedly said the plaintiffs had attacked or assaulted law enforcement and claimed to have personally witnessed such conduct, according to the 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.
Johnson repeated the accusations across multiple platforms and on consecutive days. The suit alleged Johnson did so to increase engagement with his social media following and advance his political agenda. One of the videos was later broadcast on Fox News during an appearance by Johnson, reaching millions of 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.
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.
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.
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.
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. Residents, including children and U.S. citizens, were detained.
Johnson accompanied then-Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and senior DHS officials to the Broadview facility. He filmed federal officers and protesters before publishing the footage through his social media accounts.
Johnson is a prominent right-wing media personality. He has produced content for Turning Point USA and operates his own online media channels.
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The Trump administration has also provided Johnson and other online influencers with access to government officials and immigration enforcement operations. 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.
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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[ H/T Washington Examiner ]
