U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis is requiring Customs and Border Protection Commander Gregory Bovino to procure a body camera for himself and meet with her every weekday to provide updates on operations.

Why it matters: The orders mark the latest escalation in requirements for federal officials amid controversial CBP operations that Ellis suspects violate her temporary restraining order (TRO) on how agents can interact with the public, especially regarding tear gas, tackling and identification.

Driving the news: More incidents, including immigration agents' use of tear gas in Old Irving Park Saturday before a scheduled Halloween parade, prompted Ellis to call Bovino in for testimony on Tuesday.

What they're saying: "Kids dressed in Halloween costumes walking to a parade do not pose an immediate threat to the safety of a law enforcement officer," Ellis said. "They just don't."

Zoom in: Ellis reminded Bovino that they both took an oath to the Constitution and said she hoped her TRO was simply unclear.

• When she asked Bovino if they were now "on the same page," he answered that "we are in that we will abide by the TRO and the accouterments therein."

The fine print: Ellis is also requiring DHS to hand over all use-of-force incident reports and accompanying video from Sept. 2 to Oct. 25 by Friday.

The latest: After the last week of repeated tear gas use, attorneys for journalists asked Ellis to require DHS agents to stop using it completely.

• Ellis denied the request but said she thinks Bovino now knows the rules "and the importance of documentation and video, so I suspect ... that we are not going to see a lot of tear gas deployed over the next week."

What's next: Bovino must start meeting every weekday with Ellis and government lawyers say they will get back to her on whether they can deliver the reports and video by her Friday deadline.

Go deeper

The government shutdown continues to impact both Chicago airports, even as O'Hare sees record growth in 2025.

Why it matters: Air traffic controllers have been calling in sick during the shutdown, forcing full airport ground stops and massive delays.

The latest: Yesterday was the first day of work for air traffic controllers without a paycheck.

• On Sunday, over 8,000 flights were delayed across the country.

State of play: While airline passengers may be inconvenienced in the short term, two major carriers at O'Hare are expanding their flight options for 2026 as the airport sees record traffic.

• United Airlines announced it will add domestic flight routes to places like Santa Barbara, California, and Rochester, Minnesota, next year. The airline says these additions are due to the city rewarding them with more gates.

Yes, but: Not to be outdone, American Airlines added several warm-weather international destinations to its O'Hare lineup.

What's next: Kayak, the travel booking site, ranks O'Hare in the top 10 for busiest holiday travel searches, suggesting that Thanksgiving and Christmas travel could also approach record crowds.

The other side (of town): Chicago's smaller airport, Midway, is also seeing delays. Midway's top carrier, Southwest Airlines, had 45% of its flights delayed on Monday.

• The airport is also facing controversy for abruptly ending a contract with Gene & Georgetti to make way for slot machines.

Keep reading

The Illinois Department of Transportation announced last Friday that the three-year-long Kennedy Expressway construction project was finally finished.

• Let's all take a moment to rejoice!

The big picture: The $170 million project wrapped up a month early, which feels like an early holiday gift for commuters who've spent hours navigating traffic jams, neighborhood gridlock and hazardous driving conditions since 2022.

Zoom in: New national data shows the average U.S. car commuter is spending a record 63 hours annually stuck in traffic amid changes in when and why we drive, a new report finds.

• In Chicago, we experienced a whopping 87 hours in traffic.

Yes, but: We know why.

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🧑‍⚖️ Illinois joined more than 20 other states in suing the Trump administration, saying any stoppage to SNAP benefits is a violation of the Food and Nutrition Act. (Axios)

🩺 State residents who have health insurance through the Affordable Care Act exchange could see a 78% in premiums. (Tribune)

🐀 Chicago has ceded its "rattiest" city title to Los Angeles. (Sun-Times)

Former Talking Heads frontman and artist David Byrne was in Chicago yesterday to give the most detailed description yet of the "Theater of the Mind" experience scheduled to open next spring in River North.

The big picture: Byrne and theater director Andrew Scoville, who grew up in Elmhurst, have teamed up with Goodman Theatre to take over a portion of the historic Reid Murdoch building for an immersive experience inspired by neuroscience and history.

How it works: Every 15 minutes, groups of 16 enter the space with a guide named "David," but, to be clear, it's not David Byrne.

• "David" guides each group through a series of rooms, each of which tells a different story, with one of them utilizing a VR headset.

What's next: Tickets for "Theater of the Mind" go on sale Nov. 7, and the experience runs March 11 through May 31. Byrne said he hopes it becomes a permanent fixture of Chicago's theater landscape.

More about the experience

🗓️ Mark your calendar with our Event Board.

Let It Happen: Tame Impala Dance Party at Subterranean on Nov 15: Dance to the psychedelic sounds of Tame Impala and more. DJ Greg Corner spins indie disco, synth-pop, and psych rock favorites from MGMT, Thundercat, Beach House, and other iconic artists. $0-$20.98

Hosting an event? Email [email protected].

We are down to the final four superstars in our quest to crown the biggest living Chicago celebrity.

State of play: The second round didn't net any surprise results as we said goodbye to Chance, John Cusack, Billy Corgan and Jim Belushi.

This sets up two pretty colossal semi-final matchups:

• Pope Leo XIV vs. EGOT winner Jennifer Hudson
• Michelle Obama vs. Bill Murray

Vote here. The polls will stay open until the end of day!