The top federal prosecutor in Chicago has defended his personal appearance before a grand jury that indicted protesters against Trump-era immigration sweeps, a rare intervention in a secretive process. US Attorney Andrew Boutros issued a five-page statement on Tuesday, including transcript excerpts, after defence lawyers alleged unusual contact with the grand jury last October before an indictment was secured on a third attempt.
Boutros said he appeared solely to remind jurors of their duty to be fair and did not attempt to sway them. However, he asked jurors to raise their hands if they could not set aside personal feelings about immigration or other cases. “It's not normal,” said former federal prosecutor Sol Wisenberg, noting that such remarks typically come from a judge.
The case against four activists was later dropped on 21 May due to alleged misconduct by an assistant US attorney during the grand jury process. There were also claims that jurors who opposed an indictment were prevented from participating. Boutros told a judge: “No one acted with the intent to mislead, your honour.”
Boutros said his appearance was an “extraordinary measure” needed to restore the rule of law when a grand jury might not impartially receive evidence. Defence attorney Josh Herman called it “chilling” that Boutros asked jurors to identify themselves if they could not be impartial, adding that the dismissal of the indictment does not cure the wrongs.
The Chicago case mirrors other instances during the second Trump administration where the Justice Department faced grand jury issues. In Wyoming, a panel of judges dismissed charges after the US attorney called defendants “bad guys” and “murderers”. In November, a magistrate judge criticised a Trump loyalist for a “disturbing pattern” in securing an indictment against former FBI Director James Comey.
Boutros, appointed in 2025, has faced calls to resign from Illinois senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth, who cite “deep internal dysfunction” in his office.
