Next week’s rare federal misdemeanor trial for the remaining Broadview Six is still on track, but Judge April Perry agreed to review unredacted transcripts from three grand jury sessions that could support a defense bid to dismiss the case.
Earlier this month prosecutors dropped the felony conspiracy charge, leaving individual misdemeanor counts tied to a Sept. 26, 2025 protest outside the ICE facility in Broadview; two defendants had already seen all charges dismissed in March.
Monday’s rulings also let prosecutors use protest chants and the word “mob” at trial, while Perry rejected a jury visit to the protest site, citing time, cost and the risk of attracting demonstrators.
The government says video shows the defendants joined a “joint venture” that impeded an immigration agent, though it is not accusing them of the vandalism to an ICE vehicle seen during the protest.
Perry plans to tell 90 prospective jurors the trial could last up to two weeks, underscoring how unusual it is for a federal case to proceed on misdemeanor charges alone.
Will secret grand jury transcripts expose misconduct and halt the 'Broadview Six' trial?
Could this rare trial set a new precedent for policing protests at federal facilities?
When does a protest against federal policy cross the line into criminal assault?