Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, assembled top federal law enforcement officials on May 11 for a summit in Chicago focused on collaboration and oversight of key enforcement priorities.
The gathering brought together senior leaders from more than 40 federal agencies operating in the Chicagoland region, as well as nine U.S. Attorneys from the Seventh Circuit (Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin) and other districts. The Head of the Department of Justice’s Trade Fraud Task Force also participated.
The event, called the 2026 Chicago-Area Federal Agency Leadership Summit and informally referred to as “Davos in Chicago,” included presentations and panel discussions on violent crime, national security, narcoterrorism, government fraud, trade fraud, and quantum computing. Boutros said he convened the summit to reinforce collaboration among agencies with a whole-of-government approach aimed at strengthening safety and security in the region.
“As the chief federal law enforcement officer of the third largest federal district in the country—and of a U.S. Attorney’s Office that is one of the most storied in our nation’s history—I have the distinct privilege and honor to lead from the front and make the Northern District of Illinois the envy of the nation when it comes to effectuating positive changes for the betterment of the people,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros. “I convened this important summit because we have reached a critical juncture in Chicago where ‘good enough’ is simply not enough. My goal in bringing together…is to innovate and achieve real, positive, and transformational results both rapidly and fairly.”
Panels at the summit addressed topics such as government fraud and corruption; anti-violence initiatives; homeland security task forces; narcotics trafficking; narco-terrorism; national security threats to research institutions; and developments related to quantum computing led by representatives from agencies including Section Chiefs, office leaders, agency heads—the Federal Bureau of Investigation among them.
Cody Herche presented on behalf of DOJ’s Trade Fraud Task Force about its work targeting importers or supply chain actors who defraud or introduce non-compliant goods into U.S. commerce—a role where Chicago’s office serves as lead prosecutorial partner due to its expansive venue jurisdiction.
A concluding panel featured United States Attorneys from across Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin—as well as Missouri’s Western District and Arkansas’ Eastern District—discussing regional priorities and legal issues affecting their offices.
The informal title “Davos in Chicago” references Switzerland’s World Economic Forum annual meeting that brings together global leaders each January.
Boutros thanked The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago for hosting participants at its downtown headquarters.
