An Illinois police officer taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in October has been returned to duty by the Hanover Police Department despite remaining out of lawful immigration status, according to court documents and statements from the department.
Officials confirmed that Radule Bojovic, a 25-year-old illegal alien from Montenegro, overstayed a B2 tourist visa that required him to leave the United States by March 31, 2015. ICE detained Bojovic in October after determining he had remained in the country unlawfully for more than a decade while employed as a sworn police officer.
Two weeks after his arrest, an immigration judge granted Bojovic a $2,500 immigration bond, allowing him to be released from federal custody while his case proceeds. After his release, the Hanover Police Department reinstated him to “full duty status” and confirmed he would receive back pay for the time he spent in ICE detention.
Federal authorities have not disclosed the current status of Bojovic’s immigration case, and ICE has not indicated that it has withdrawn its interest in taking custody if future court rulings permit it. Bojovic remains an illegal alien with an open immigration case pending before an immigration judge.
The decision to return Bojovic to active duty highlights the ongoing tension between local employment practices and federal immigration enforcement, especially in cases where individuals without lawful status occupy public positions of authority. ICE arrested Bojovic as part of its standard enforcement action against immigration violators, and the agency maintains the legal authority to take custody of individuals with final removal orders or pending cases.
Hanover Police officials have not said whether Bojovic will remain on duty if his immigration case results in further enforcement actions by ICE. His reinstatement occurs as federal immigration authorities continue to emphasize the need for compliance with immigration laws in all sectors, including local government and law enforcement.
