Chicago Public Schools students detained, allegedly assaulted by federal agents

CHICAGO (WGN) – Two Chicago Public Schools students were detained and allegedly assaulted by federal agents on their way to school Thursday morning.

The students were reportedly on their way to school when they passed the situation unfolding in Little Village near the Discount Mall and stopped to watch and participate in that protest.

“These kids were en route to school. They saw the horrific scenes when you see masked individuals coming for your neighbors. They were unfortunately detained. One had blood on his face,” Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez (25th Ward) said.

In total, four students from Benito Juarez High School stopped near 27th and Whipple to watch a protest taking place as federal agents surrounded the area near the Discount Mall.

In the 10 o’clock hour, witnesses said agents deployed tear gas on the crowd and assaulted and arrested two of the students.

“I started coughing a bit and went to the park to recover and then they started throwing tear gas closer to Sacramento. They detained two young people,” State Rep. Edgar Gonzalez (23rd District) said.

One of the students was detained on site and released, while the other was taken into custody and not released until around 3 p.m. Thursday.

“What they did is illegal. They detained the over what? There’s no charges. We want to understand why they were detained to begin with,” Sigcho-Lopez said.

WGN-TV was also told a Discount Mall security guard was arrested when he asked federal agents to show a warrant.

One of Sigcho-Lopez’s staff members was on scene and took photos and video of one of the students being detained.

A teacher at Benito Juarez said she realized when she took roll call Thursday morning that one of her juniors in class was missing.

“I am so angry and frustrated that these students have to add this worry to their school day. They should be worrying about college acceptance or if they’re going to get a date for the school dance. It is outrageous and unacceptable. They shouldn’t be worried about being taken by ICE on the way to school in the morning,” Liz Winfield, teacher at Benito Juarez High School, said.

Chicago police responded to the scene after receiving multiple 911 calls, including a call from federal agents in need of help. CPD said they arrested one person for battery to one of their officers.

It’s unclear if any federal agents were injured.

Sigcho-Lopez has been in contact with the families of the children detained and civil rights attorneys.

Sigcho-Lopez said the children are U.S. citizens and he plans to meet with members of a federal delegation visiting Chicago on Friday.