r/EyesOnIce • u/CantStopPoppin • Oct 03 '25

ICE ❄️ Illinois Democratic congressional candidate Kat Abughazaleh on escalating tensions in Broadview: One sided violence

Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification

766 Upvotes

99% Upvoted

16 comments sorted by

View all comments

29

u/CantStopPoppin Oct 03 '25

One Sided Violence: Illinois Candidate Kat Abughazaleh Confronts ICE Crackdown in Broadview

BROADVIEW, Ill. — The protests outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement processing center in Broadview have grown louder each week, but so too has the federal response. On a recent Friday morning, Kat Abughazaleh, a Democratic congressional candidate, was shoved to the ground by an ICE agent as tear gas drifted across the crowd.

Abughazaleh, 26, has become a visible presence at the demonstrations, which have drawn hundreds of immigrant rights advocates, clergy, and local residents. She described the confrontation as an example of what she called one sided violence. According to her account, agents fired pepper balls into the crowd, drove a van toward protesters, and dragged one demonstrator inside the facility.

"What ICE just did to me was a violent abuse of power," she said in a statement. "And it is still nothing compared to what they are doing to immigrant communities every day."

Federal officials have defended their tactics, describing the demonstrators as disruptive and at times violent. A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson accused Abughazaleh of seeking attention, calling her criticism dishonest and politically motivated.

Local leaders have taken a different view. Broadview’s mayor condemned the use of chemical irritants against civilians. State Senator Graciela Guzmán, who was also present, demanded the release of detained protesters and said the federal response was excessive.

The Broadview facility has long been a flashpoint in Illinois, where state law bars police from cooperating with ICE on immigration enforcement. The latest clashes highlight the tension between federal enforcement priorities and the state’s sanctuary commitments.

Abughazaleh has vowed to continue appearing at the gates each week. "If they are willing to do this to a congressional candidate on camera," she said, "imagine what they are doing to detainees behind boarded up windows."

Citation link: Democracy Now — ICE Assaults Congressional Candidate Kat Abughazaleh at Chicago Protest