US Border Patrol officers shot an armed woman in Chicago over the weekend, according to the Department of Homeland Security. The incident occurred during a confrontation between protesters and federal immigration agents in the southwest area of the city. Fortunately, no law enforcement agents sustained serious injuries during the altercation.
The group, which included the unidentified woman, deliberately collided their vehicles with those belonging to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials, as stated by a DHS representative. Following the incident, the woman, who is a US citizen, drove herself to the hospital for treatment. Details on her current condition remain undisclosed.
Amidst the tense exchanges with protesters, ICE agents resorted to using pepper spray and rubber bullets. In response to the escalating situation, US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem announced plans to dispatch additional “special operations” to manage the unrest in Chicago’s Brighton Park neighborhood. The woman was reported to have been carrying a semi-automatic firearm, according to assistant secretary Tricia McLaughlin.
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, a member of the Democratic party, revealed that he had been pressured by Republican President Donald Trump to deploy the state’s National Guard. Pritzker condemned the demand, stating that it was unacceptable and against American values.
President Trump subsequently authorized the deployment of 300 National Guard troops to safeguard federal officers and assets, as confirmed by White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson. The Chicago community has been actively protesting against the increased federal presence, with recent clashes between demonstrators and law enforcement outside an ICE facility in Broadview.
Protests have been ongoing in various Democratic-led cities, including New York, Los Angeles, Washington, DC, and Portland, Oregon, criticizing what protesters perceive as aggressive policing tactics. In a related development, a federal judge intervened to temporarily halt Trump’s plan to send 200 Oregon National Guard troops to Portland, reinforcing the ongoing debate surrounding federal intervention in local law enforcement matters.