Democratic Congressional Candidate Gets Bodied By ICE Officers After Trying To Interfere With Them

Democratic congressional candidate Kat Abughazaleh was slammed to the pavement by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent in suburban Chicago on Friday morning, video shows.

Abughazaleh, a 26-year-old Democrat running in Illinois’ 9th District, joined demonstrators in linking arms to block vehicles at the facility around dawn outside ICE’s Broadview processing center. Agents then moved in, deployed chemical agents and dragged multiple protesters, according to the Chicago Sun-Times and the candidate’s own footage. (RELATED: Nearly A Dozen New York City Officials Arrested After Demanding Access To ICE Holding Cells)

“We have no weapons, we have signs and chants and songs,” Abughazaleh said at the scene, according to CBS News. “They are treating us like it’s a war zone.”

Democrat congressional candidate @KatAbughazaleh attempted to physically block an ICE agent’s car from conducting a lawful operation, causing her to be tossed to the ground.

Impeding a federal ICE operation is a crime.pic.twitter.com/k9PEthUtBv

— Greg Price (@greg_price11) September 19, 2025

Abughazaleh was thrown to the ground by an ICE agent in “fully camouflaged uniform,” the Sun-Times reported, adding that one of the outlet’s videographer’s was hit by a chemical irritant amid the chaos. At least two protesters were arrested and taken inside the facility.

CBS Chicago videos and interviews from the scene describe agents “dragging and tackling” protesters who were blocking the driveway. Armed officers on the roof fired pepper balls and a chemical agent believed to be tear gas to clear a path as a vehicle tried to leave.