A Chicago-area family says ICE agents used pepper-spray on them while they were trying to leave a grocery store parking lot, sparking outrage and raising questions about law enforcement conduct. The pepper-spray incident allegedly involved a 1-year-old girl and her father, Rafael Veraza, along with other family members.
ICE Allegedly Targets Family in Chicago Suburb
The episode reportedly took place last Saturday in the parking lot of a Sam’s Club in Cicero, a suburb west of Chicago. According to Veraza and his supporters, the family had canceled their shopping plans after noticing a helicopter and hearing sirens nearby, indicating a possible protest or law enforcement operation.
Veraza said he was driving with his windows down when he saw ICE trucks entering the parking lot. As his vehicle passed one of the ICE trucks, a person inside allegedly pepper-sprayed the family.
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“Basically, I got pepper-sprayed all over my face,” Veraza told reporters. He said he quickly realized that his daughter and other family members were also affected. “My daughter appeared to struggle to breathe,” he added. The family sought medical attention shortly afterward.
“I didn’t really have to go through this. My daughter neither had to go through this,” Veraza said, expressing distress over the incident.
ICE Pepper-Spray Operation Under Scrutiny
This alleged pepper-spray incident comes amid heightened scrutiny of ICE operations in Chicago. The Trump administration had previously launched what it called “Operation Midway Blitz,” targeting immigration enforcement in the city. Critics say the operation has led to overreach and excessive force.
A federal judge recently issued a preliminary injunction that prevents ICE officers involved in the operation from using tear gas or pepper-spray on individuals who are not posing a threat. Judge Sara Ellis specifically mentioned Gregory Bovino, a senior U.S. Border Patrol commander overseeing the operation, stating he “admitted that he lied” about being struck in the head by a rock before deploying tear gas.
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Supporters of Veraza’s family say this alleged pepper-spray incident is part of a broader pattern of ICE overreach in the area, raising serious concerns about the safety of ordinary citizens.
DHS Disputes Alleged Pepper-Spray Attack
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees ICE, has disputed Veraza’s account. DHS said in a statement on social media that its agents do not pepper-spray children and that the incident did not take place at the Sam’s Club parking lot as described.
DHS claimed that “rioters” were throwing objects at agents and blocking roads during an operation in the area. They also reported that on the same day, an unidentified man driving a black Jeep shot at ICE agents about two miles east of the Sam’s Club. Authorities have since arrested the man, a Mexican national with prior convictions for felony weapons possession and illegal entry.
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ICE has not yet responded to requests for comment on the specific allegations regarding the Veraza family. Meanwhile, the family and their supporters continue to call for accountability and clarification regarding what they say was an unprovoked pepper-spray attack.
The incident has drawn attention due to the involvement of a minor, highlighting the tensions between federal immigration enforcement and local communities in Chicago. While the family received medical care and is recovering, questions remain about law enforcement procedures and the use of pepper-spray or other force in areas with civilian activity.