On a crisp Saturday morning in Chicago’s Old Irving Park neighborhood, the usual anticipation of a children’s Halloween parade was shattered by chaos and confusion as federal agents deployed tear gas, arrested residents, and left a community in uproar. The incident, which unfolded on October 25, 2025, has since sparked fierce debate about the tactics used by federal authorities and the impact on local families, especially as similar operations continue to ripple across Chicago’s neighborhoods.
According to Block Club Chicago, the trouble began just before 10 a.m. near the intersection of Kildare Avenue and Grace Street. Neighbors reported seeing unmarked SUVs and armed agents turning onto the residential block. Moments later, whistles—used as a rapid response alert for immigration enforcement—pierced the air. Residents, many still in pajamas, stepped outside to witness what would quickly escalate into a full-blown confrontation. Brian Kolp, a former prosecutor and city legal counsel, described the scene to Fox 32: “I started hearing some whistles and when I looked out I saw two fully uniformed Customs and Border Patrol agents tackling a guy to the ground literally in my front yard right here.”
The man in question, 35-year-old construction worker Luis Villegas, was chased down the block and tackled on a neighbor’s lawn. His brother later revealed to Fox 32 that Villegas had been brought to the U.S. at age four and had since built a life, family, and career in Chicago. As agents attempted to arrest Villegas, neighbors poured out of their homes, blowing whistles and shouting protests. “Get out of our neighborhoods!” one resident yelled, while another demanded, “Take your masks off!” The tension mounted as agents, clad in military-style gear, responded by donning gas masks and deploying tear gas into the crowd.
The deployment of chemical irritants was not an isolated incident. According to Block Club Chicago and the Chicago Sun-Times, federal agents have used tear gas and pepper spray in several neighborhoods over the past week as part of “Operation Midway Blitz” and “Operation At Large.” Other areas affected include Avondale, Lake View, Little Village, and Cicero, with residents and advocacy groups accusing authorities of traumatizing communities rather than targeting dangerous offenders, as originally claimed by officials.
In Old Irving Park, the consequences were immediate and deeply felt. The Halloween parade, scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. at Disney II Magnet Elementary School, was canceled. Erin Sarris, a mother of three, told the Chicago Sun-Times, “It’s impossible to explain the concept of this to school-age kids like that and make them feel OK about it, because it’s not OK. It shatters their world view of what’s right, fair and appropriate in witnessing this.” Children in Teletubbies and pirate costumes, who had gathered in anticipation of festivities, were instead rushed back inside as the air filled with white clouds of tear gas.
Three people were arrested during the operation: Villegas, a woman on a bicycle, and a 70-year-old man preparing for a marathon. Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin stated that the two U.S. citizens were arrested for assaulting and impeding a federal officer, while Villegas was accused of a prior assault charge—though no proof of his criminal background was provided. The 70-year-old man was released with injuries, and a 67-year-old woman was reportedly knocked to the ground by masked agents, according to Block Club Chicago.
The federal response drew immediate condemnation from local leaders. State Representative Lindsey LaPointe wrote on Facebook, “These actions are harmful, traumatic, illegal and uncalled for.” Alderman Ruth Cruz echoed these sentiments, describing the use of tear gas in her ward as “unprovoked and deeply troubling attacks on our communities.” She emphasized that Villegas “has built his education, his family and his life here in Chicago.”
Witnesses challenged the Department of Homeland Security’s assertion that multiple warnings were issued before tear gas was deployed. Kolp told the Chicago Sun-Times and WGN-TV, “Although I wasn’t close to where they used the [tear] gas, I never heard them announce they were going to use it. It was an upsetting situation for a lot of people. There are kids on the block right now, there were kids on the block when it happened.” U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis had previously ordered that two verbal warnings must be given before chemical munitions are used and barred their use on people who are not immediate threats. The apparent disregard for this order has fueled further outrage and calls for accountability.
Kolp, who witnessed the agents’ actions firsthand, collected spent tear gas canisters and delivered them to a law firm preparing to sue the federal government. “If a court tells you to do something, and you essentially give the court the middle finger and continue to do that, we’re at a serious point in terms of our country and the rule of law,” Kolp said. He described the crowd as neighbors, not agitators or activists, who had stepped out to film and express concern. “These weren’t activists, these weren’t paid protesters, these were literally my neighbors coming out of their homes at 10 o’clock in the morning because they saw lawless agents acting in violent ways.”
The impact of the operation extended beyond the immediate arrests and canceled parade. Social media posts and local forums were flooded with expressions of anxiety and anger. One resident wrote, “One of my fears is walking outside with my mother who is 83 and her getting tear gassed.” Another described the incident as a “gut-punch,” lamenting the loss of a sense of safety and community. Some parents reported keeping their children home from school and even doctor visits due to fear of further federal actions.
Federal officials, however, have defended their tactics. In a statement, Assistant Secretary McLaughlin asserted, “Our officers are facing a 1000% increase in assaults against them as they put their lives on the line to arrest murderers, rapists, abusers, and gang members. Secretary Noem’s message to the rioters is clear: you will not stop us or slow us down. ICE and our federal law enforcement partners will continue to enforce the law. And if you lay a hand on a law enforcement officer, you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
The confrontation in Old Irving Park is part of a broader immigration crackdown in Chicago that began in early September 2025. Federal agents—often armed and in military-style gear—have been deployed across the city and its suburbs, sparking protests and widespread public anger. Advocacy groups argue that the operation, while described as targeting dangerous offenders, has swept up many non-criminal immigrants and sown fear in entire communities.
As the dust settles and legal battles loom, residents of Old Irving Park and beyond are left grappling with the aftermath. The canceled parade, the images of neighbors pinned to the ground, and the lingering sting of tear gas have become symbols of a city caught between federal enforcement and the fight to preserve community safety and dignity. With lawsuits pending and public scrutiny intensifying, the events of October 25th may prove to be a turning point in Chicago’s response to federal immigration operations.
