A tense confrontation unfolded in Tucson on Friday when Congresswoman Adelita Grijalva said she was pepper-sprayed during a protest outside the popular Taco Giro restaurant. The protest formed after Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrived as part of a major enforcement operation. Many people gathered with signs, worried that community members were being taken away without proper legal steps.
Adelita Grijalva Describes a Chaotic Protest Outside Tucson Restaurant
Videos shared online show agents in tactical gear stepping toward the crowd of protesters carrying anti-ICE signs. As Adelita Grijalva approached the officers, one agent sprayed an orange-colored chemical toward the group. In the footage, she can be heard coughing and asking the agents to “calm down” and “get out.” Another clip shows a projectile landing at her feet as she moved forward.
Adelita Grijalva said she rushed to the restaurant after hearing that protesters had blocked a group of masked ICE agents. She said she visits the small family-run restaurant every week, which made the moment feel personal to her. According to Adelita Grijalva, when she identified herself as a Member of Congress to demand information, she was pushed aside and pepper-sprayed.
“The protesters were afraid that they were taking people without due process,” she wrote. “When I presented myself as a Member of Congress asking for more information, I was pushed aside and pepper sprayed.”
Tucson police officers later stepped in to calm the crowd and keep the situation from escalating further. The incident quickly gained attention nationwide as more videos and eyewitness accounts surfaced online.
DHS and ICE Deny Targeting Her
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) strongly denied the claim made by Adelita Grijalva. DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin dismissed the accusation, saying agents never directly pepper-sprayed the congresswoman. Instead, she insisted that another person who was obstructing and assaulting officers was the target, and Adelita Grijalva was only close to that individual.
“If her claims were true, this would be a medical marvel,” McLaughlin said. “But they’re not true. She wasn’t pepper-sprayed. She was in the vicinity of someone who was pepper-sprayed as they were obstructing and assaulting law enforcement.”
McLaughlin added that two federal officers were “seriously injured” during the clash. She also argued that being a Member of Congress does not give anyone the right to interfere with an active federal operation. “Presenting one’s self as a ‘Member of Congress’ doesn’t give you the right to obstruct law enforcement,” she said.
ICE spokesperson Fernando Burgos released more details about the operation. He confirmed that ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) team was carrying out 16 search warrants across southern Arizona. These warrants were connected to a long-running investigation into immigration and tax-related violations. Multiple individuals were taken into custody.
The videos circulating online show smoke grenades, chemical agents, and pepper balls being used during the confrontation. Protesters say the response was excessive, while DHS and ICE say officers reacted to physical obstruction and threats.
Tucson police later said their officers helped prevent the scene from spiraling out of control. Local officials thanked them for stabilizing a rapidly escalating situation.
Arizona Leaders Defend Adelita Grijalva After Protest Clash Sparks Outrage
The incident involving Adelita Grijalva drew strong reactions from Arizona leaders within hours. Tucson Mayor Regina Romero and Vice-Mayor Lane Santa Cruz released a joint statement criticizing the actions of federal agents. They said the enforcement operation “rapidly escalated into violence against the public” and specifically pointed out the treatment of Adelita Grijalva.
Their statement condemned the use of “smoke grenades and pepper balls” on protesters and bystanders. “Their disproportionate use of force, smoke grenades and pepper balls against the public, including our own Representative Adelita Grijalva, is not justified and cannot be tolerated,” they wrote. They encouraged people to share video footage for possible investigations.
Arizona Democrats quickly rallied behind Adelita Grijalva.
Representative Greg Stanton called the event “outrageous,” while Representative Yassamin Ansari labeled it “absolutely unacceptable.” Senator Ruben Gallego shared a firm message online: “Pepper-spraying a sitting member of Congress is disgraceful, unacceptable, and absolutely not what we voted for. Period.”
Senator Mark Kelly also addressed the matter during a town hall in Tucson, calling the situation “horrific” and urging for clarity on what happened.
ICE Under Fire After Alleged Pepper-Spray Attack on Family in Cicero — 1-Year-Old Among Victims
Adelita Grijalva, elected in a special election in September, had only recently taken office to fill the seat of her late father, Representative Raúl Grijalva. She had been sworn in just last month after Congress returned from the federal government shutdown. The violent encounter marks one of her first major public incidents since taking office.
After the confrontation, Adelita Grijalva wrote, “If federal agents are brazen enough to fire pellets directly at a Member of Congress, imagine how they behave when encountering defenseless members of our community.”
Her statement spread quickly across the country, further highlighting continued disputes around immigration enforcement and federal presence in local neighborhoods.