Immigration raids continued on Halloween night in Chicago and Los Angeles, with confrontations between protesters and federal agents reported in several locations. In Chicago, military troops were deployed alongside Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, leading to multiple arrests and clashes.
In the Chicago suburb of Evanston, a chaotic incident was captured on video after a car rear-ended an ICE vehicle. Footage showed officers pinning two people to the ground as onlookers were ordered to leave. Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss condemned the actions, saying ICE agents had “assaulted Evanston residents, beaten people up, grabbed them, abducted them, taken people off the street.” The scuffle occurred near a middle school and elementary school.
In Los Angeles, ICE agents were observed wearing Halloween-style masks, including one resembling the horror character Chucky, while carrying out enforcement activities. When questioned by LA Taco, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson replied with “Happy Halloween!”
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker had requested a pause in immigration enforcement over the holiday weekend, writing to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, “Illinois children should not be robbed of their innocence.” Noem refused, stating, “No, we’re absolutely not willing to put on pause any work that we will do to keep communities safe.” Pritzker responded on social media, accusing Noem of always dressing “in law enforcement costumes” and refusing to avoid tear-gassing children trick-or-treating.
In Washington DC, where nearly 2,400 national guard troops have been deployed, police and guard troops dispersed a group described as “disorderly” in the Navy Yard neighbourhood. Five people aged 14 to 18 were arrested.
