Community speaks out after chase sparks standoff between residents and federal agents on Chicago’s Southeast Side

CHICAGO (WGN) — Residents of Chicago’s Southeast Side are speaking out against the actions of federal immigration officials during a tense standoff in their neighborhood Tuesday.

Members of the community and different organizations held a press conference Wednesday morning condemning what happened when a chase involving Border Patrol agents ended in a crash Tuesday afternoon in the East Side neighborhood on Chicago’s Southeast Side. The chase and crash sparked the standoff between residents and law enforcement, in which tear gas was used to disperse protesters.

Two teenagers, both U.S. citizens, say they were wrongly detained during the incident.

The situation began after a person, suspected of being in the country illegally by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), allegedly rammed a Border Patrol vehicle with a red SUV and attempted to flee.

A pursuit was initiated for about 30 minutes and a DHS vehicle performed a PIT (precision immobilization technique) maneuver, bringing the SUV to a stop. Two people inside the SUV, allegedly undocumented immigrants from Venezuela, fell out and began to flee on foot. They were eventually caught and taken into custody.

As news of Border Patrol activity in the area spread, DHS says a crowd began to form nearby in the 10500 block of South Avenue N.

At around 12:39 p.m., officers with the Chicago Police Department responded to the scene when they realized federal authorities were involved.

A minute later, two small bottles were observed being thrown toward a law enforcement vehicle, and a large amount of tear gas was subsequently deployed.

That cleared the protestors, and SkyCam9 later observed some putting water in their eyes.

Those who spoke out Wednesday morning said the use of tear gas violated a federal judge’s ruling last week saying federal agents can’t use tear gas, pepper spray and other weapons against peaceful protesters and journalists.

Speakers also said since Operation Midway Blitz was announced last month, such stories have become commonplace.

“Every week since Sept. 8, our communities have been terrorized by the federal administration,” one speaker said. “And every week since Sept. 8, we have heard of lawless arrests, murder, children crying, Black men getting choked, women getting dragged out of their cars and slammed into the floor, babies getting tear-gassed, Black and brown babies zip-tied, our families afraid of the helicopters as this federal administration tries to normalize the militarization of Chicago and the state of Illinois.

“None of this is normal. None of this is right.”

Two teenagers detained

An individual at the scene, who wanted to remain anonymous, said two U.S. citizens, a 15-year-old and a 19-year-old, were detained even though they didn’t throw any objects.

“As the tear gas was thrown into the community members, we all ran. They attacked two people that I know because they were close,” she said.

SkyCam9 observed what looked like two small objects, like eggs, being thrown toward law enforcement earlier, at around 12:25 p.m.

Police responded by moving toward protestors, and some ran away with smoke being deployed.

Juanita Garnica says she was at work when she got a call saying Border Patrol agents had taken her 15-year-old son.

“They said, ‘Juanita, you have an emergency. ICE took your son. They beat him up. They body-slammed him,'” Garnica said.

Garnica says her son was held for five hours in the garage of a federal building, without being charged or allowed to call his family or an attorney. Lawyers for the family have launched a civil investigation, saying the 15-year-old was “slammed to the ground, kneed in the back, and zip-tied” by Border Patrol agents.

In a news release, the family’s attorneys say, “A 15-year-old American citizen was detained by Customs and Border Patrol agents today in a manner reminiscent of authoritarian regimes, holding him incommunicado in a federal building garage for five hours without informing his family, stating any charges, or allowing him to call an attorney.”

The boy was eventually released to his family, with no charges filed.

A DHS spokesperson issued a response Wednesday morning, stating “any claims that CBP (Border Patrol) ‘kidnapped’ a U.S. citizen and held him in a warehouse are categorically false. These are more disgusting smears peddled by the media and billboard law firms.”

The DHS statement continues:

“Here are the facts: immediately following illegal aliens ramming law enforcement with their vehicle, which resulted in the arrest of two illegal aliens from Venezuela, a violent mob began to surround law enforcement. Among them, a U.S. citizen teenager threw eggs and hit a CBP Officer in the head. Agents observed him gathering rocks after objects had already been thrown at law enforcement officers. The individual was arrested for the assault and taken to the FBI Field Office in Chicago where he freely admitted without questioning to throwing eggs at agents. His attorney met with him at the field office, and he was released without charges.

“Our officers are facing a surge in assaults against them — without pay during the Democrats’ shutdown — as they put their lives on the line to arrest murderers, rapists, and gang members. (DHS) Secretary (Kristi) Noem’s message to the rioters is clear: you will not stop us or slow us down. CBP 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.”

Additionally, a woman named Yarelly, who did not wish to provide her last name, was documenting everything with her friends Tuesday. She says 19-year-old Warren King was grabbed by one agent and slammed to the ground, as she repeatedly yelled that he’s a U.S. citizen.

From there, King says he was taken downtown and then brought to Calumet Park for an unknown reason. His family was tracking his location and showed up with his birth certificate to prove he is a citizen.

King was released from custody without charges.

“It don’t make sense to me,” he said. “People are trying to build their lives here, and they’re trying to take that away from people.”

Immigration attorneys arrived in the aftermath of the incident and advised that the best thing people can do is know their rights and record everything on their phones. They say the response by federal agents was excessive.

“The judge last week made it very clear that this conduct is unacceptable,” Berto Aguayo of the Latino Leadership Council said.

CPD responds

WGN News learned that Chicago police originally responded to a call of a crash at the scene just after 11:05 a.m., and one white SUV was towed.

Police confirmed tear gas was deployed by federal agents after the objects were thrown at them. CPD said 13 officers were exposed to tear gas. Their full statement is below:

“Chicago Police Department officers responded to the 10500 block of S. Avenue N at approximately 11:07 a.m. for a call of an auto accident involving federal authorities. CPD was not involved in any of the federal operations occurring at that location. Upon arrival to the scene, officers documented the traffic crash. Because this incident involved federal authorities, additional CPD supervisors responded to the scene to ensure the appropriate course of action was taken. A crowd began to form and as federal authorities were leaving the scene, CPD members attempted to de-escalate the situation for the safety of everyone, including community members who were gathering at the location. Individuals then began throwing objects at the federal agents, at which point the federal agents deployed tear gas into the street. Thirteen CPD members were exposed to the tear gas. Exposure reports will be completed for all CPD members who were exposed to the tear gas.”

DHS’ full statement from Tuesday is below:

“This morning while conducting an immigration enforcement operation in Chicago a vehicle, driven by an illegal alien, rammed a Border Patrol vehicle and attempted to flee the scene. Border Patrol pursued the vehicle and was eventually able to stop it utilizing an authorized precision immobilization technique (PIT) maneuver. Once the vehicle was stopped, the suspects, who are both illegal aliens, attempted to flee on foot. As Border Patrol arrested the subjects and attempted to secure the scene a crowd began to form and eventually turned hostile, and eventually crowd control measures were used.

“This incident is not isolated and reflects a growing and dangerous trend of illegal aliens violently resisting arrest and agitators and criminals ramming cars into our law enforcement officers. The fact that this attack was carried out by two illegal immigrants highlights the need for federal law enforcement to continue to do their job of enforcing the laws of our nation — all while receiving no pay thanks to the Democrats’ government shutdown.”

State Sen. Elgie Sims (D-Chicago) said he’s monitoring the situation and released the following statement.

“I am monitoring the situation between federal agents and bystanders in my district. Using a chemical agent to disperse a crowd is unjust. No person should be targeted by the color of their skin and no group should be attacked for standing up for what is right. Let me be clear: Now is not the time for hate and divisiveness. Now is the time to stand united as a community and to protect our neighbors.”