On the morning of September 19, 2025, the usually quiet streets outside the Broadview Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) processing center in suburban Chicago erupted into chaos. Demonstrators, including 26-year-old Democratic congressional candidate Kat Abughazaleh, linked arms before dawn, blocking vehicles and voicing their opposition to current immigration detention practices. What started as a peaceful protest quickly escalated when ICE agents, clad in full camouflage, moved in. According to CBS News and the Chicago Sun-Times, the agents deployed chemical agents, dragged multiple protesters—including Abughazaleh herself—and forcibly cleared the driveway.
“We have no weapons, we have signs and chants and songs,” Abughazaleh told CBS News at the scene, her voice echoing frustration and disbelief. “They are treating us like it’s a war zone.” Video footage, both from the candidate and local media, captured the moment an ICE agent slammed Abughazaleh to the pavement. Armed officers stationed on the roof fired pepper balls and what was believed to be tear gas to disperse the crowd and allow a vehicle to exit the facility. At least two protesters were arrested and taken inside, according to reports from the Chicago Sun-Times.
This dramatic confrontation in Illinois was not an isolated incident but rather the latest flashpoint in a summer marked by mounting tensions over immigration enforcement and detention policy nationwide. Just days earlier, on June 12, 2025, four male migrants escaped from Delaney Hall Detention Facility in Newark, New Jersey, a privately operated 1,000-bed center that has become a symbol of both security lapses and community unrest.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) responded to the Delaney Hall escape by offering $10,000 rewards for information leading to the arrest of each of two escapees still at large, totaling $20,000 for both. The escape immediately triggered safety and security concerns for Newark residents and surrounding communities. Federal officials described the four detainees as "criminal illegal aliens" and "public safety threats," urging the public to report any information to law enforcement. Additional law enforcement resources were deployed, and a "Be On the Lookout" (BOLO) alert was disseminated to agencies at every level.
The identities and arrest records of the four escapees were released to the public, underscoring the seriousness of the situation. Franklin Norberto Bautista-Reyes, a Honduran national, entered the U.S. in 2021 and was arrested on May 3, 2025, for aggravated assault, attempt to cause bodily injury, terroristic threats, and possession of a weapon for unlawful purposes. Joel Enrique Sandoval-Lopez, also from Honduras, entered the U.S. as a minor in 2019 and was arrested by New Jersey police on October 3, 2024, for unlawful possession of a handgun, and again on February 15, 2025, for aggravated assault. Colombian national Joan Sebastian Castaneda-Lozada, who entered the U.S. in 2022, was arrested on May 15, 2025, for burglary, theft, and conspiracy to commit burglary. Finally, Andres Pineda-Mogollon, another Colombian, entered in 2023 and overstayed a tourist visa, later arrested in New York and New Jersey for petit larceny, residential burglary, and possession of burglary tools.
Authorities made progress over the weekend following September 22, 2025, capturing Sandoval-Lopez and Castaneda-Lozada. Still, two escapees—Bautista-Reyes and Pineda-Mogollon—remain at large. The DHS and FBI have maintained their reward offers, and the ICE tip line (1-866-347-2423) and online tip form remain active 24/7, accepting anonymous tips from the public and law enforcement alike.
Despite the gravity of the escape, DHS officials emphasized that no widespread unrest occurred at Delaney Hall during the incident, and the facility continued to provide uninterrupted medical, legal, and religious services to detainees. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem directed additional resources to expedite the search, with federal, state, and local agencies working in close coordination. "Delaney Hall Detention Facility continues to provide essential services without disruption," a senior DHS official reassured, countering some media reports of broader unrest.
Yet, the incident has reignited scrutiny of the facility itself. Delaney Hall was already the focus of protests in May, culminating in Newark Mayor Ras Baraka filing a federal lawsuit in June against interim U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Alina Habba and a DHS official, alleging false arrest and defamation after his own detainment outside the center. U.S. Senator Andy Kim didn’t mince words about the facility’s vulnerabilities, stating, "[Delaney Hall is] essentially just drywall with some mesh inside and that led to an exterior wall. It shows just how shoddy how construction was here." Such criticism has only intensified calls for reform and greater oversight of private detention centers.
Back in Chicago, the events at the Broadview processing center have also fueled the debate over the use of force by federal agents and the treatment of protesters—especially when those protesters include political candidates. Abughazaleh, who announced her bid for Congress in March, was participating in a demonstration that, by her account and that of others present, was nonviolent. Footage and eyewitness accounts described agents "dragging and tackling" protesters, with at least one media videographer hit by a chemical irritant in the melee.
These recent events have sent ripples through communities and political circles alike. For some, the escapes and subsequent manhunt highlight the need for stricter security measures at detention facilities and more robust enforcement. For others, the aggressive response to peaceful protest—culminating in the forceful treatment of a congressional candidate—underscores concerns about civil liberties and the militarization of immigration enforcement.
The ICE tip line and online reporting form remain open, with law enforcement urging anyone with information about the two remaining Delaney Hall escapees to come forward. Meanwhile, DHS and FBI officials have committed to providing updates as new information becomes available, promising that all necessary resources will remain dedicated to the investigation until the fugitives are apprehended.
The twin stories unfolding in Newark and Chicago reflect the broader tensions at the heart of America’s immigration debate: balancing security and public safety with the rights of detainees, protesters, and the communities that surround these facilities. As the search continues and the political fallout grows, both sides of the issue are left grappling with difficult questions about justice, accountability, and the nation’s ongoing struggle to define its approach to immigration and civil protest.
For now, the nation watches and waits—hoping for answers, accountability, and perhaps, a way forward from the turmoil of recent weeks.
