Disturbing video has emerged showing Border Patrol agents forcibly removing a 67-year-old man from his vehicle during an immigration operation amid a children’s Halloween parade in Chicago.
The incident occurred when the man was returning home after a morning run. He came across a roadblock set up by Border Patrol agents in the Old Irving Park area, which he was trying to navigate to reach his home and running club.
According to the running club, the man—who was identified as a U.S. citizen—was forcibly taken from his car after agents threatened to break his window if he didn’t move.
The video captured by the club reveals the elderly man gasping for air while he lay on the ground, saying, “Move…get down,” as agents handcuffed him and pressed down on his back.
Witnesses expressed outrage, yelling at the agents to stop and accusing them of harming the man.
The club later reported that the man sustained six broken ribs and internal bleeding while in custody.
Local residents accused Border Patrol of disrupting a children’s Halloween event and deploying tear gas without warnings. Footage showed agents using tear gas and arresting individuals, including the American citizen, near homes adorned with Halloween decorations.
Tricia McLaughlin, Assistant Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, stated they had to implement crowd control measures due to confrontations with an agitated crowd.
Authorities mentioned the operation aimed to apprehend individuals in the city illegally, particularly those with prior assault allegations.
“During the operation, agents faced a group of agitators and issued multiple lawful commands, which were ignored,” McLaughlin explained.
Two Americans were arrested for allegedly assaulting and obstructing federal officers during the incident.
“After repeated warnings and the presence of crowds, Border Patrol was forced to implement crowd control measures to ensure safety,” the assistant secretary added.
The Department of Homeland Security has yet to respond to inquiries regarding the man seen in the video.
In a follow-up message, the running club expressed gratitude for the support they received, noting that the overwhelming reaction provided them with hope during a challenging time.
“Thank you to everyone who reached out about our member. He is recovering as expected,” they added.
The running club has not provided further comments to the media.
The recent immigration initiative, called Operation Midway Blitz, has led to several confrontations between federal agents and protesters since its launch in Chicago.
The department claimed this operation focuses on “criminal illegal aliens” who have come to the area due to protective policies from local leadership.
