On Friday, federal agents used tear gas and pepper balls to break up chaotic protests aimed at blocking immigration and customs facilities near Chicago.
Over 100 demonstrators surrounded the Ice Broadview Processing Center, where they reportedly clashed with law enforcement by throwing tear gas canisters, slashing car tires, blocking entrances, and trespassing on private property.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed that three arrests were made during the protest.
As agents utilized tear gas and fired non-lethal pepper balls to control the crowd, footage emerged showing one protester—dressed in a helmet and gas mask, wielding a Captain America shield—throwing a tear gas canister back at them. This scene was shared on social media.
The DHS characterized the protest as a coordinated attempt to obstruct law enforcement actions pertaining to ICE, noting that vans were seen picking up and dropping off protesters throughout the day.
Among the participants was Daniel Biss, the Democratic mayor of Evanston, Illinois. He expressed his fear regarding the protests, commenting, “We. Will. I’m sure. I’m scared,” in a post on social media.
Biss described the atmosphere outside the facility as “terrifying,” accusing the Trump administration of trying to intimidate protesters. “It’s impossible to breathe; it’s really, really scary,” he said in a video accompanying his message.
The DHS alleged that local law enforcement declined to provide assistance, attributing this to the sanctuary policies implemented by Democratic Governor JB Pritzker. Tricia McLaughlin, Deputy Chief of the DHS, called the targeting of law enforcement by protestors “despicable” and urged for an end to the violence, saying that ICE officials are there to ensure public safety.
She pointed fingers at several Democratic politicians, claiming their language has fueled violence against ICE officers, stating, “From comparisons to the modern Nazi Gestapo to praise the rioters, the violent rhetoric of these sanctuary politicians would kill law enforcement.”
The clashes stemmed from an ongoing initiative in Chicago aimed at addressing illegal immigration, dubbed Operation Midway Blitz. This ICE operation has reportedly led to the arrest of “hundreds,” including members of the Tren de Aragua gang, linked to serious criminal offenses like child sexual assault and drug trafficking.
