Federal immigration agents came under reported gunfire Saturday during an operation in Chicago’s Little Village, according to the Department of Homeland Security. Police said no one was struck, and the suspect, described as a man driving a black Jeep, fled as officers moved in to clear the scene.
Federal and local authorities said agents conducting immigration enforcement in Chicago’s Little Village were targeted by gunfire around West 26th Street and South Kedzie Avenue on Saturday. DHS said a man in a black Jeep fired at Border Patrol agents and then fled; Chicago police said officers responded, secured the area and reported no injuries. The suspect remained at large as of Sunday. (apnews.com)
Officials and local outlets also reported tense confrontations with residents. DHS said agitators hurled a paint can and bricks at agents’ vehicles. Video from the scene showed crowds confronting agents, some blowing whistles, and what appeared to be chemical agents deployed; Border Patrol official Gregory Bovino was seen holding a tear gas canister. (cbsnews.com)
Chicago police said there were no arrests immediately associated with the reported gunfire. Some outlets, citing on-the-ground observations earlier in the day, reported detentions amid the clashes. (cbsnews.com)
The episode unfolded amid heightened judicial scrutiny of federal tactics in the Chicago area. A federal judge issued an injunction last week limiting agents’ use of force during protests after finding a senior Border Patrol official had misrepresented threats from demonstrators. (apnews.com)
Saturday’s confrontation came roughly two months into DHS’s Chicago-area immigration push, commonly referred to as Operation Midway Blitz. Authorities and residents have clashed repeatedly around Little Village and other sites during the operation. (apnews.com)
Separately, disputes over the use of National Guard troops continue. In Illinois, a federal appeals panel has kept in place a block on deploying Guard units in the Chicago area, though some troops were federalized and staged nearby under court-imposed limits. In Oregon, a federal judge on Friday issued a permanent injunction barring deployment of National Guard troops under the conditions asserted by the administration; the ruling could be appealed. (washingtonpost.com)
Note: While DHS maintains agents were fired upon, Chicago police reported no injuries and have not publicly confirmed that gunfire struck near agents; the claim remains under investigation. Some subsequent coverage has also questioned the accuracy of certain statements by a senior Border Patrol official involved in recent Chicago operations. (apnews.com)