Leftist Anti-ICE Protesters Sue Benny Johnson for Calling Them Terrorists

Two people detained outside a Chicago-area ICE facility last year are suing podcaster Benny Johnson, claiming he defamed them by calling them left-wing terrorists who attacked federal officers during a ride-along with Homeland Security officials.

Maureen Foody, a contract court reporter, and Kyle Frankovich, a data scientist at Harvard, filed the case Friday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

The suit names Johnson and Benny Media LLC and accuses him of “knowingly making false statements.”

The plaintiffs say they were at a protest outside the Broadview ICE Processing Center in Broadview, Illinois, opposing the Trump administration’s Operation Midway Blitz.

They claim that they were in a designated free-speech zone, were not violent, and did not attack anyone.

ICE detained them that day.

Johnson was on scene with then-Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and then-Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino.

According to the complaint, Johnson filmed them lined up on the street with their hands bound and described the scene.

He referred to the protesters as “left-wing terrorists arrested for attacking police officers and ICE officers.”

In one clip, the complaint says he stated, “These individuals assaulted ICE officers as they were trying to clear out the area behind us over here.”

Another post from that day read, “I saw dozens of Democrat domestic terrorists arrested today for VIOLENT ASSAULT on federal law enforcement. Every activist here attacked ICE agents in broad daylight just for enforcing American law.”

The complaint says he also called them criminals and domestic terrorists and claimed he had seen them act violently.

The suit describes the videos as “political combat dressed up as news.”

Johnson’s post from the ride-along said he rode with Noem and ICE “on intense raids across left-wing violence-ridden Chicago,” from “tunnels under Trump Tower to the most targeted ICE facility,” and that they “faced violent Antifa, chaos, and criminals on the run.”

Johnson has not deleted the footage, which can be viewed here:

I rode with DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and ICE on intense raids across left-wing violence ridden Chicago.

From tunnels under Trump Tower to the most targeted ICE facility, we faced violent Antifa, chaos, and criminals on the run.

It was insane. Watch: https://t.co/QvL09gIhst

— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) October 6, 2025

The Department of Homeland Security later used footage of Frankovich’s arrest in recruiting materials.

The protesters are seeking damages above $75,000, plus interest, attorney fees, costs, and punitive damages.

The Gateway Pundit has reached out to Johnson for comment. We will update this article if one is provided.

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