Federal prosecutor Sheri Mecklenburg has resigned from the Department of Justice, citing what she describes as unfair treatment by U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros. In a detailed resignation letter published by The New York Times, Mecklenburg claimed that Boutros personally directed the prosecution of six protesters arrested outside the Broadview ICE facility near Chicago in 2025. Known as the "Broadview Six," the protesters were initially charged with felony conspiracy and misdemeanor obstruction as part of a federal investigation called Operation Midway Blitz. However, the case collapsed in two stages: first, the felony charges were dismissed, and then, just days before a rare federal misdemeanor trial was set to begin, the remaining charges were also dropped with prejudice—meaning they could not be refiled. The dismissal followed a closed-door hearing before U.S. District Judge April Perry, where redacted grand jury transcripts were reviewed. Boutros, who appeared in court to announce the dismissal, said he had become aware of alleged misconduct in the grand jury process in late April. This included claims that Mecklenburg had vouched for the strength of the case and had improper communications with grand jurors outside official proceedings. He also stated he had known since the fall that grand jurors who disagreed with the government's case had been dismissed and had taken steps to correct the issue. While Boutros did not dispute the allegations, he said the conduct was "upsetting" and the reason for the case's collapse. In her resignation letter, Mecklenburg accused Boutros of using her as a scapegoat and preventing her from defending herself against claims that she lied to the grand jury. She said Boutros and his office kept her and her attorneys in the dark about the misconduct allegations and the court proceedings related to the redacted transcripts. She also disputed claims that she remained silent during the court's handling of the grand jury materials, stating she was unaware of the redactions or the hearings. Mecklenburg further accused Boutros of personally overseeing the felony prosecution of the protesters, despite her belief that the case was better suited for misdemeanor charges. She claims Boutros publicly blamed her for the misconduct without allowing her to explain her side of the story. Mecklenburg, who left the Broadview case in February 2026 to take a role with the Senate Judiciary Committee, was later removed from that position by Illinois Senator Dick Durbin, the committee’s ranking Democrat. In response to the case’s collapse, Boutros announced plans for "sweeping" grand jury reforms and a review of over 1,000 other grand jury cases handled by Mecklenburg and her colleagues. Mecklenburg says she is resigning under protest to protect her healthcare benefits, which she would lose if fired. She expressed hope for a "full and fair opportunity" to address the allegations and restore her reputation. Her attorney declined to comment further, citing ongoing litigation.