Key facts
- Chicago's top federal prosecutor appeared before a grand jury last year.
- The grand jury indicted critics of the Trump administration's immigration sweeps.
- The prosecutor is defending his role in the grand jury process.
The United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, John Lausch Jr., is defending his decision to appear before a federal grand jury last year. The grand jury was considering indictments against individuals who had protested the Trump administration's immigration enforcement actions. Lausch's appearance before the grand jury has drawn scrutiny, with critics suggesting it may have improperly influenced the proceedings. He has stated that his actions were appropriate and necessary to ensure the integrity of the investigation into the immigration protest case.