The Justice Department has decided to drop conspiracy charges against former Democratic congressman Kat Abu-Ghazaleh and three others related to obstructing federal immigration enforcement.
At 27, Abu-Ghazaleh, who previously worked for Media Matters for America, came close to winning the Democratic primary for a House seat in a Chicago-area district this March. She was part of a protest at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Broadview, Illinois, on September 26, 2025. The Justice Department had accused her and her co-defendants of physically surrounding and harming ICE. However, reports indicated that the Chicago Sun-Times unexpectedly removed the major charges against them.
If found guilty of the dropped felony conspiracy charge, Abu-Ghazaleh and her co-defendants could have faced up to six years in prison. Now, with their trial scheduled for May 26, each of them is charged with a misdemeanor for obstructing a federal officer, which carries a penalty of up to a year in prison.
Originally, Abu-Ghazaleh, along with Andre Martin, Michael Rabbitt, and Brian Straw, were part of a group known as the “Broadview Six.” The indictment accused them of conspiring to obstruct ICE officers in their official duties, as reported by various sources.
Two other members of the group, Kat Sharp and Jocelyn Walsh, had their charges dropped in March.
Neither the Justice Department nor Abu-Ghazaleh provided comments following the developments.
At the Broadview ICE facility, an ICE officer attempted to run over dozens of protesters with an SUV as they were walking in a public crosswalk. He ran the length of a football field until ICE barraged us with pepper balls. pic.twitter.com/bGX7vh5o84
— Kat Abughazaleh (@KatAbughazaleh) September 26, 2025
On the day of the incident, Abu-Ghazaleh shared a video showing herself and other protesters surrounding a vehicle, some wearing masks. In her post, she claimed that ICE agents attempted to run over the protesters and responded with pepper balls.
According to reports at the time, chemical agents were used against demonstrators, and one officer even forced Abu-Ghazaleh to the ground. Additionally, ICE officers noted damage to their vehicles, including vandalism with derogatory phrases, but no remaining co-defendants faced charges for this.
In a statement, Abu-Ghazaleh expressed surprise at the sudden change in the charges, suggesting it was to avoid releasing grand jury transcripts. She described the news as a relief, saying, “The psychological and economic harm is immense,” noting that such targeting by the federal justice system has become too common. With a trial on the horizon, she remained hopeful and declared the situation a significant victory for her.
Lastly, she expressed confidence for the upcoming trial, anticipating a verdict of not guilty.
