An Illinois police officer who overstayed a B2 visa and was detained by ICE in October has been released, bonded out, and reinstated to duty by his department with back pay.
An officer identified as Radule Bojovic, originally from Montenegro, was taken into Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody in October after authorities discovered he had overstayed a tourist visa. He has since been released from custody, returned to his duties with the Hanover Police Department, and will be paid for the time he was off the job. Local officials say the personnel decision follows federal authorization to work and the outcome of the immigration process.
The Hanover Police Department confirmed Tuesday that Bojovic has been reinstated and resumed work on Monday. Town and village payroll adjustments will cover the period he was detained, according to the department, which framed the move around the federal determinations that followed his arrest. The case has drawn attention because it touches on hiring practices, immigration enforcement, and public payrolls.
Bojovic had overstayed a B2 tourist visa that required him to depart the United States by March 31, 2015. Two weeks after his detention, an immigration judge granted a $2,500 bond, clearing the way for his release from ICE custody. The timing of the bond and the lack of a contested procedure were central to the Hanover Police Department’s decision to bring him back on duty.
An immigration judge granted a $2,500 immigration bond only two weeks after he was detained.
“Given that his bond was not contested and he remains authorized to work by the federal government, the Hanover Police Department determined that he may return to work,” the department said. “His first shift back since his detention took place yesterday. The Village and Hanover Park will provide Officer Bojovic back pay for the time he was on leave.” Those exact words were released by the department as its official explanation for reinstating him.
Officials say Bojovic was initially hired in January after presenting a federal work permit and clearing background checks required by the department. At the time of hiring, his eligible starting salary was $78,955.70 as listed by Department of Homeland Security records, and public records show his 2025 earnings reached $205,707. That significant payroll figure has prompted questions from residents and local watchdogs about oversight and verification.
Critics argue that an overstayed visa that remained active for years should trigger closer scrutiny before a law enforcement agency puts someone in a sworn position of authority. Supporters point out the department followed federal guidance and that staff decisions often rest on the status granted by immigration authorities. The case highlights a recurring tension: municipalities rely on federal determinations while bearing the political and budgetary fallout when controversial cases surface.
Editor’s Note: Thanks to President Trump, illegal immigration into our great country has virtually stopped. Despite the radical left’s lies, new legislation wasn’t needed to secure our border, just a new president.
