Tear gas and arrests as immigration raid sparks chaos in Chicago neighborhood

reuters

Tension erupted in Chicago’s Old Irving Park neighbourhood on Saturday (October 25) when federal agents deployed tear gas and detained several people during an immigration enforcement operation that coincided with a local Halloween parade.

Video footage showed angry residents confronting agents as clouds of tear gas filled the air and several individuals were pinned to the ground. “Get out of our neighbourhoods!” one resident shouted, while another yelled, “Take your masks off!”

At one point, witnesses said an agent dragged an elderly woman walking her dog and shoved her before a bystander pulled her away.

The confrontation comes amid heightened tensions in Chicago, where U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration has intensified efforts to deport undocumented immigrants, including many without criminal records.

Launched in early September, the Chicago-area immigration crackdown was described by officials as targeting dangerous offenders, but advocacy groups say it has swept up non-criminals and sowed fear in immigrant communities.

Hundreds of agents have been deployed across the city and its suburbs, armed with rifles and dressed in military-style gear, sparking protests and widespread public anger. Residents and local leaders have condemned the operation as heavy-handed and indiscriminate, accusing federal authorities of terrorising neighbourhoods instead of improving safety.

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