Detained ICE Protesters Sue Benny Johnson for Defamation Over 'Terrorist' Videos

Two Illinois residents detained during a peaceful protest at a Chicago-area Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility have filed a defamation lawsuit against right-wing podcaster and online influencer Benny Johnson, alleging he falsely portrayed them as violent extremists in videos he distributed across multiple social media platforms.

Kyle Frankovich, a data scientist at Harvard University, and Maureen Foody, a contract court reporter, were among protesters gathered in a designated "free speech" zone outside the Broadview ICE detention center on October 3, 2025. According to their complaint, agents shoved, struck, and detained them without provocation while they were peacefully demonstrating. Both were held for approximately eight hours and released without charges. Johnson, who was embedded with then-Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Border Patrol officials, filmed the incident and posted videos to X, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and Rumble describing the protesters as "left-wing terrorists arrested for attacking police officers and ICE officers." One video post claiming he saw "dozens of Democrat domestic terrorists arrested today for VIOLENT ASSAULT on federal law enforcement" accumulated 1.7 million views.

The lawsuit, filed Friday in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, asserts that Johnson knowingly misrepresented the events and that his characterization was entirely false. Frankovich reported experiencing fear and professional consequences following Johnson's videos, including social media posts falsely identifying him as a Chicago antifa leader and calls for violence. An image of Frankovich with zip-tied hands was subsequently used in Department of Homeland Security recruiting material. Johnson has not responded to requests for comment.

Attorneys representing the plaintiffs characterized Johnson's content as "political combat dressed up as news" and said the case aims to hold accountable figures who serve as "a mouthpiece for the government." Johnson, a former BuzzFeed writer fired for plagiarism, has become a prominent member of an informal network of influencers granted special access by the Trump administration to document immigration enforcement operations and protests. His videos were subsequently aired on Fox News, reaching millions of viewers.

Legal experts noted that while government officials typically have immunity from defamation suits, private figures such as Johnson do not. The lawsuit marks the first defamation case filed against a member of the administration's unofficial team of MAGA influencers in connection with the immigration crackdown. Observers said the case highlights a documented pattern in which the Trump administration provides preferred media figures access to create content that shapes the conservative news cycle and the information environment around immigration policy.