Judging from the rather unflattering photos below, social justice activist and WGN-TV video producer Debbie Brockman’s arrest for “assaulting a federal law enforcement officer” in Chicago’s Lincoln Square neighborhood on Friday wasn’t quite the moment of glory she’d hoped it would be. The morbidly obese woman, pants falling down exposing half of her ample bottom, resisted arrest forcing three agents to lift her into their vehicle as protesters hurled insults such as “fascists” and “Nazis” at them.
In the second video, a bystander asks her name. She replied, “Debbie Brockman. I work for WGN. Let them know.”
After loading Brockman into their vehicle, agents realized they’d been boxed in. The driver of the car refused to budge when told to move, so the officers simply pulled away — taking the car’s back bumper with them.
The agents alleged that Brockman had thrown objects at a Border Patrol vehicle. However, because the incident was not captured on video and no witnesses were willing to corroborate the officers’ account, she was ultimately released without charges.
The legacy media is up in arms over Brockman’s arrest. They point to a temporary restraining order issued by U.S. District Judge Sara L. Ellis on Thursday — the day prior to this arrest — that “prohibit[s] the use of force against journalists” in Chicago.
The TRO states that federal agents are prohibited from:
Dispersing, arresting, threatening to arrest, threatening or using physical force against any person whom they know or reasonably should know is a Journalist, unless defendants have probable cause to believe that the individual has committed a crime.
The relevant phrase would be “probable cause.”
According to Newsweek:
Agents may order journalists to move to a different location to avoid the disruption of law enforcement officers, but must give them “reasonable time to comply and an objectively reasonable opportunity to report and observe.”The order came after “a lawsuit accused federal agents of using tear gas against reporters covering the anti-ICE protests in Chicago.”
One of the Left’s innumerable attempts to stop the Trump administration’s deportation efforts, this ruling may be difficult to enforce. Journalists, particularly when they are participating in these protests as it appears Brockman was, become indistinguishable from protesters. There is a degree of risk associated with covering these events, particularly when they escalate into violence.
Asked by Newsweek for a comment on the ruling, Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security Tricia McLaughin wrote in a statement:
We remind members of the media to exercise caution as they cover these violent riots and remind journalists that covering unlawful activities in the field does come with risks—though our officers take every reasonable precaution to mitigate those dangers to those exercising protected First Amendment rights….ICE officers are facing a nearly 1000% increase in assaults against them as they put their lives on the line to arrest murderers, rapists, and gang members.
Mark Joseph Stern, a legal analyst for Slate, took to Bluesky to say, “This arrest appears to be in direct violation of a temporary restraining order prohibiting DHS officers from arresting journalists. The officers here may well be subject to contempt of court.”
To give you an idea of Stern’s political leanings, his most recent Bluesky post tells followers he would be appearing shortly on MSNBC’s The Weekend “to talk about the Supreme Court’s ongoing reign of terror over our constitutional democracy.”
This arrest appears to be in direct violation of a temporary restraining order prohibiting DHS officers from arresting journalists. The officers here may well be subject to contempt of court. protectdemocracy.org/wp-content/u…
— Mark Joseph Stern (@mjsdc.bsky.social) 2025-10-10T18:57:56.953Z
Following Brockman’s arrest, Newsweek reported, “At time of writing, Newsweek has found no video evidence, released by the DHS or other sources, showing Brockman assaulting federal agents.” The key word is “video.”
And once again, the magazine reached out to McLaughlin for a comment. She responded:
U.S. border patrol was conducting immigration enforcement operations and when several violent agitators used their vehicles to block in agents in an effort to impede and assault federal officers.
In fear of public safety and of law enforcement, officers used their service vehicle to strike a suspect’s vehicle and create an opening. As agents were driving, Deborah Brockman, a US citizen, threw objects at border patrol’s car, and she was placed under arrest for assault on a federal law enforcement officer.
This incident is not isolated and reflects a growing and dangerous trend of illegal aliens violently resisting arrest and agitators and criminals ramming cars into our law enforcement officers. These attacks highlight the dangers our law enforcement officers face daily—all while receiving no pay thanks to the Democrats’ government shutdown.
As Democrats and the legacy media intensify their opposition to the Trump administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration, they might pause to consider that most Americans back tough action.
A recent poll found that 78% of Americans surveyed support deporting immigrants who are here illegally and have committed crimes. And 56% support deporting all immigrants who are here illegally.
Elizabeth writes commentary for Legal Insurrection and The Washington Examiner. She is an academy fellow at The Heritage Foundation. Please follow Elizabeth on X or LinkedIn.
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