On September 19, 2025, the usually quiet suburb of Broadview, Illinois, became the epicenter of a dramatic confrontation between federal law enforcement and protesters, drawing national attention to the ongoing immigration enforcement campaign known as Operation Midway Blitz. What began as a small, determined demonstration outside the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility quickly escalated into a chaotic scene marked by tear gas, pepper balls, and a flurry of arrests—including those of political candidates and local officials.
According to reporting by CNN, the protest was sparked by weeks of mounting tension in the Chicago area as ICE intensified efforts to arrest undocumented immigrants. Protesters, some of whom had been demonstrating at the facility for three consecutive weeks, arrived early that Friday morning after learning that deportations were taking place before sunrise. Among them was Kat Abughazaleh, a former journalist and progressive candidate for Illinois’s ninth congressional district, who described how federal agents responded to their nonviolent resistance. “We stood in front of the van and they (an officer) came out and picked me up and threw me on the ground,” Abughazaleh recounted. “I got shot all over my body.”
Video footage captured by WBBM and shared by CNN shows Abughazaleh being thrown to the pavement by a masked federal agent clad in camouflage, sunglasses, and a helmet. The footage quickly spread online, fueling outrage and calls for accountability. Abughazaleh later told reporters, “Anything that we’re dealing with out here doesn’t hold a candle to … the people that are trapped in that facility are dealing with. They aren’t supposed to be there for more than 12 hours. They’re being held for days or weeks at a time. We need to get it shut down.”
By mid-morning, the protest had grown to about 100 people, including two Democratic congressional candidates and several local officials. Among them was Daniel Biss, the mayor of Evanston and a current congressional candidate, who described the experience as “terrifying.” In a video posted to social media, Biss said, “Not only did they come with weapons and violence, show of force and drive a van into us, but then they teargassed us, and I have to tell you, it was terrifying. It was impossible to breathe, and really, really scary. But the point is: They are trying to intimidate us, to stop us from standing up and being a part of a nonviolent resistance, and we will not be intimidated.”
That morning, federal agents in riot gear fired pepper balls and tear gas from the rooftop and ground level, dispersing the crowd and taking at least three protesters into custody. Later in the afternoon, as reported by The Guardian, additional arrests were made, including a female protester who was swarmed by masked agents in front of the media. Some demonstrators were seen slashing the tires of a minivan entering the facility, and ICE described the protesters as “rioters” who assaulted law enforcement, blocked entrances, and trespassed on private property.
ICE’s response was swift and unapologetic. Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary for public affairs at the Department of Homeland Security, stated, “Every arrest is a testament to DHS and its law enforcement’s dedication to enforcing the laws of our nation. We will not be deterred by sanctuary politicians or violent rioters.” The Department’s official X account went further, accusing protesters of “siding with vicious cartels, human traffickers, and violent criminals.”
Despite the crackdown, local officials and activists remained defiant. Byron Sigcho-Lopez, a member of the Chicago City Council, told The New York Times, “This facility should be shut down, that’s what it comes down to.” The sentiment was echoed by Bushra Amiwala, another candidate for Illinois’s ninth congressional district, who called the federal response “an affront to our democracy.”
Illinois Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton, a frontrunner for the U.S. Senate in 2026, was present earlier in the day and condemned the use of force. In a statement, she said, “Protesters showed up today with handmade signs and cellphones. They were singing, chanting, praying, and linking arms to stand up for their neighbors and to speak out against the cruelty happening inside ICE’s Broadview facility and across Illinois. The fact that DHS responded with tear gas and by throwing protesters on the pavement tells you everything you need to know – this isn’t about safety. This is about fear, control, and the Trump administration’s attempt to intimidate Illinoisans into silence. We will never be silent.”
The Midway Blitz Operation, which began in early September, has resulted in nearly 550 arrests according to DHS statistics reported by the Associated Press. Marcos Charles, the acting head of ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations, told AP, “We’re going to be conducting this operation until we feel that we’ve been successful. There’s not an end date in sight.” ICE has described many of those arrested as “criminal illegal aliens,” including alleged gang members and people with prior criminal histories.
The protests have not been without tragedy. Just a week prior, on September 12, 2025, an ICE officer fatally shot Silverio Villegas-Gonzalez, a 38-year-old father of two, during a traffic stop in Franklin Park, another Chicago suburb. While DHS maintains that the officer “followed his training, used appropriate force and properly enforced the law,” Villegas-Gonzalez’s family and immigrant rights advocates have questioned the justification for the shooting, pointing out that he had no violent criminal record. At the Broadview protest, demonstrators chanted his name, underscoring the human cost of the ongoing enforcement campaign.
Throughout the day, the scene outside the Broadview facility remained tense. CNN correspondent Maria Santana and her crew were hit by pepper balls and tear gas while reporting live, describing the experience as “very hard to breathe, very hard to talk, your eyes begin to water.” Cook County Board of Commissioners President Toni Preckwinkle called the incidents “deeply troubling,” stating, “We have seen reports of people exercising their First Amendment rights being tear gassed, pushed, threatened and pepper sprayed by masked federal agents. Members of the press were also targeted with tear gas.” The Cook County Board has since passed a resolution condemning ICE’s tactics, including the use of unmarked cars and masked agents.
As the sun set on September 19, protests continued into the evening, with demonstrators holding signs and cellphones aloft outside the facility’s barbed-wire fence. The events in Broadview have become a flashpoint in the national debate over immigration enforcement, civil liberties, and the role of federal power in local communities. With no end in sight for Operation Midway Blitz, the standoff between ICE and its opponents appears likely to continue—raising urgent questions about the future of immigration policy and protest in America.
