Illinois congressional candidate Kat Abughazaleh was forcibly removed by ICE officers Friday morning after attempting to block entry to a federal processing center in Broadview.
Video footage shows her stepping directly in front of an ICE vehicle, prompting agents to intervene and drag her to the ground to restore order.
The protest escalated when an ICE agent accidentally dropped a tear gas canister, which a demonstrator picked up and threw near NewsNation reporter Ali Bradley, according to her X account.
Officers moved quickly to prevent injuries and maintain control of the scene, which drew a mix of local activists, journalists and community members.
The tense confrontation briefly halted operations at the facility and drew widespread attention from both the media and bystanders.
Abughazaleh, running in the Democratic primary for Illinois’ 9th Congressional District, reported being struck with pepper balls during the incident.
She posted a video of the encounter on social media, claiming her First Amendment rights were violated.
“This is what it looks like when ICE violates our First Amendment rights,” she wrote, attracting significant attention online and sparking debate among supporters and critics alike.
Federal agents deployed tear gas to disperse the demonstrators, and at least two other