U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros of the Northern District of Illinois acknowledged Wednesday that he personally appeared before a federal grand jury in October 2025 to address jurors before they voted to indict protesters who opposed the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement operations. Boutros released a five-page statement and transcript excerpts in response to claims from defense lawyers that he engaged in unusually direct contact with the grand jury — contact that, according to the lawyers, went beyond normal prosecutorial practice.
MSI previously reported that Boutros’s statement came after the indictment was handed up on the third attempt by prosecutors, and that defense attorneys had questioned the timing and nature of his involvement.
In his statement, Boutros said he appeared before the grand jury solely to remind jurors of their obligation to be fair and that he did not present evidence or try to sway their decision. However, he acknowledged telling the grand jurors, “Please raise your hand” if they “cannot set aside their personal feelings” about immigration or any other case. The exchange occurred at a time when the Justice Department under President Donald Trump was encountering resistance from grand juries in other jurisdictions.
Boutros’s appearance is rare because federal prosecutors typically communicate with grand juries through evidence and legal instructions, not through personal statements about juror impartiality. Legal experts said the move could become a target for defense appeals, though Boutros characterized it as a routine measure to ensure a fair process.
The case involves protesters arrested during demonstrations against federal immigration sweeps that began in early 2025. Boutros’s office has previously faced scrutiny over its handling of immigration-related prosecutions, and the grand jury’s initial failure to indict on earlier attempts had been noted by defense counsel.