Federal Agents Unleash Chemical Weapons Against Peaceful Immigration Protesters Outside Chicago ICE Facility
- Natalie Frank
- Sep 19
- 1 min read
Shocking scenes unfold as masked federal officers fire tear gas and pepper balls at demonstrators, elected officials, and media in suburban Broadview
Natalie C. Frank, Ph.D September 19, 2025
CHICAGO - The morning sun had barely risen over Broadview’s industrial skyline when chemical irritants began cutting through the September air. A peaceful demonstration outside the Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility quickly broke down into chaos as federal agents used aggressive tactics that left protesters gasping and scrambling for safety.
What happened on September 19, 2025, was a troubling escalation in federal immigration enforcement: agents openly used chemical agents against American citizens exercising their right to peaceful protest. The incident unfolded in full view of news cameras, elected officials, and community leaders who had gathered to witness what many called authoritarian overreach.
The red-brick ICE processing center on 25th Avenue has become a flashpoint between federal immigration authorities and the Chicago-area community. Sitting in an industrial corridor about twelve miles west of downtown Chicago, the facility has drawn growing scrutiny from advocates who say conditions there are inhumane and constitutional rights are being violated.
Activist Rickey Hendon Jr., who arrived at the demonstration at 8:00 a.m., described seeing systematic abuse inside the facility. "This particular facility has been one of the worst that we've heard about for a long time. They have people sleeping on the floor here," Hendon Jr. said. "They're supposed to be here for 12 hours; sometimes they're here for days and even weeks."
