A dramatic incident unfolded Tuesday in Chicago’s South Side as Border Patrol agents pursuing a suspect in a high-speed chase clashed with protesters after a crash, deploying tear gas amid a tense standoff.
Federal officials say the sequence began when a vehicle suspected of belonging to an undocumented individual rammed a Border Patrol vehicle and then attempted to flee the scene. Agents chased the car until it stopped and the suspect tried to escape on foot.
As the arrest was underway, a crowd quickly gathered around the agents. Videos from the scene show objects being thrown toward law enforcement, prompting the deployment of tear gas to disperse the crowd.
Thirteen Chicago police officers were reportedly exposed to the gas. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker publicly criticized the federal agents’ tactics, calling them “abominable.”
This clash is one more flashpoint in the larger conflict over immigration enforcement in Chicago, tied to Operation Midway Blitz, the Trump administration’s crackdown on criminal noncitizens in sanctuary jurisdictions.
As tensions remain high, local officials and residents alike are bracing for further confrontations as federal forces continue to push enforcement operations in neighborhoods across Chicago
