"Broadview Six" co-defendants want grand jury transcript released after feds change mind on dropped charges

The remaining four members of the "Broadview Six" co-defendants are pushing for grand jury transcripts to be released after federal prosecutors suddenly decided to drop conspiracy charges against them, then just as suddenly changed their minds.

The case is among the highest profile to come of out of the federal immigration crackdown targeting the Chicago area, which the Trump administration dubbed Operation Midway Blitz. Six people, including then-congressional candidate Kat Abughazaleh, were arrested during a protest at the Broadview ICE detention center in September.

The group, and dozens of other protesters, surrounded an ICE vehicle that drove through the crowd of demonstrators, banging on its windows.

Six people were arrested and dubbed the "Broadview Six." In March, prosecutors suddenly dropped all charges against two defendants. The remaining four were set to go to trial on May 26, until prosecutors suddenly dropped their charges at the end of April. Then they reversed course just as quickly, keeping the conspiracy charges pending.

Defense attorneys for the remaining defendants told the Chicago Sun-Times that the unredacted transcripts of the grand jury hearings could include the Assistant U.S. Attorney mis-instructing or not instructing the grand jury on the law.

One of the defense attorneys said in part, "the timing of the government's sudden decision to drop the felony indictment – in lieu of presenting the requested unredacted grand jury transcripts to the court – raises red flags."

Defense attorneys say the federal prosecutors are keeping the conspiracy charges pending until misdemeanor charges are settled at trial. The defense attorneys filed to dismiss the conspiracy charges on Monday. 

Capitol News Illinois contributed to this report.