Protesters Sue Benny Johnson Over Defamatory ICE Ride-Along Videos

Kyle Frankovich, a Harvard data scientist, and Maureen Foody, an independent-contract court reporter, have sued conservative media figure Benny Johnson and his company for defamation. The complaint says Johnson’s footage from the Oct. 3 protest at the Broadview ICE Processing Center was edited into a series of videos that portrayed the pair as violent criminals and “domestic terrorists,” despite their claim that they remained in a legally protected protest area, singing, praying and holding signs.

The lawsuit notes that federal officers entered the crowd, used force, and detained the plaintiffs for hours without charges. Johnson allegedly repeated the false accusations across multiple platforms to increase engagement and advance his political agenda, with one video later broadcast on one outlet. The plaintiffs seek compensatory and punitive damages, arguing the false statements damaged their reputations.