Democratic Congressional Candidate Kat Abughazaleh Assaulted by ICE During Chicago-Area Protest

Kat Abughazaleh, a 26-year-old Democratic congressional candidate in Illinois's 9th District, was forcefully thrown to the ground by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent during a protest outside an ICE processing facility in Broadview, Illinois. The facility, intended to hold detainees for no more than 12 hours, reportedly holds people for days or weeks under harsh conditions, prompting weekly protests. During the protest, Abughazaleh and other demonstrators linked arms to block vehicles, leading to ICE agents using chemical agents such as tear gas or pepper spray, and deploying force to clear the area, including tackling and arresting some protesters. Abughazaleh described the treatment as a violation of First Amendment rights and emphasized the facility's inhumane conditions, while ICE agents responded by forcibly removing protesters attempting to block operations. Video footage of the incident circulated widely, highlighting the tension and confrontations between protesters and ICE agents at the facility. The episode underscores ongoing disputes over immigration enforcement practices and protesters' rights at such detention centers.