Federal law enforcement agents deployed teargas and pepper balls to disperse around 100 protesters outside an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Chicago on Friday. The demonstration, which included two Democratic congressional candidates, sought to block government vehicles from entering the building during an immigration crackdown dubbed 'Operation Midway Blitz'.
At least three protesters were arrested during the early morning clashes, which saw masked Homeland Security agents in riot gear fire pepper balls from a rooftop and launch teargas canisters. Kat Abughazaleh, a progressive candidate for Illinois’s ninth congressional district, was shoved to the ground by an agent before teargas was used. She described the events as a 'violent abuse of power' on social media.
Illinois Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton, who attended earlier but left before teargas was deployed, condemned the response. 'The fact that DHS responded with tear gas and by throwing protesters on the pavement tells you everything you need to know – this isn’t about safety,' she said. Another candidate, Bushra Amiwala, called the violence 'an affront to our democracy'.
The protest came amid a surge in ICE raids in Chicago, which has led to nearly 550 arrests, according to Department of Homeland Security statistics. Acting ICE enforcement head Marcos Charles stated there was no end date in sight for the operation. The DHS later posted video of the incident on X, accusing protesters of siding with 'vicious cartels, human traffickers, and violent criminals'.
