A Hanover Park police officer, who was arrested last month by agents of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), has been released on bond while he awaits the outcome of his immigration case.
Radule Bojović (25) was arrested on October 15 on charges of staying in the USA for more than a decade after his tourist visa expired. However, Hanover Park officials claim he had valid federal work permits.
On Monday, an ICE spokesman confirmed that Bojović was released from custody on October 31, two days after an immigration judge granted him $2,500 bail. His case is still pending.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stated that Bojović, originally from Montenegro, was residing in the U.S. on a tourist visa that expired on March 31, 2015.
The DHS also criticized the Municipality of Hanover Park for hiring Bojović as a police officer, claiming he was not permitted to possess a firearm.
However, local officials emphasize that he was employed in January “in full compliance with federal and state laws.”
“Before Bojović was hired, the municipality confirmed that he had legal permission from the federal government to work in the United States. Upon employment, he provided a Work Authorization Card issued by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The card was valid and recently renewed,” the Hanover Park Police stated in a press release regarding his arrest.
The police added that Bojović passed security checks by the FBI and the Illinois State Police, and that a document from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) dated January 5, 2024, confirmed that his immigration status permitted him to carry a weapon during service.
“The bottom line is that all the information we received from the federal government showed that Bojović was legally authorized to work in the US as a police officer. It is clear that, without that permit, the municipality would not have hired him. Also, the municipality never received notification from any federal or state agency that his work permit status had been revoked,” the statement added.
Bojović is currently suspended and on administrative leave while the immigration proceedings against him are ongoing. The police stated that if he is allowed to remain in the US and retains the right to work, he will be returned to duty.
Following his release from custody, Bojović remains on administrative leave.
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Source: CBS News, Photo: Hanover Park Police Department