Broadview launches criminal probe after ICE pepper‑ball strikes CBS Chicago reporter’s truck

🔍 Key Facts

• The Broadview Police Department opened a criminal investigation after a pepper‑ball projectile fired from the direction of the ICE processing facility struck a CBS Chicago reporter’s truck; reporter Asal Rezaei said a masked ICE agent fired the round, that it hit the driver‑side panel and caused acute chemical exposure (face burning, vomiting), she declined medical attention, and Broadview Police Chief Thomas Mills asked DHS for full cooperation (DHS had not responded at time of reporting).
• The incident occurred amid a large DHS/ICE enforcement campaign in the Chicago area called Operation Midway Blitz (launched Sept. 8) that involved ICE, CBP/Border Patrol and other federal partners; acting ICE ERO chief Marcos Charles and other officials said the operation has made hundreds of arrests (reports ranged from 400+ to nearly 550) and has no set end date, with roughly 50–60% of arrests described as targeted and the remainder collateral.
• Federal officers used tear gas, pepper balls and other less‑lethal measures during protests outside the Broadview facility; DHS said multiple people were arrested (reports variously cited 11 and 16), alleged protesters threw rocks, bottles, fireworks and tear‑gas canisters, slashed tires and blocked access, and DHS released images of firearms seized and said an apparent explosive device was found near the facility; independent footage and reporting described roughly ~50 protesters at a midday demonstration and at least two arrests (one person reportedly carrying a firearm).
• High‑level DHS involvement and personnel presence were widely reported: Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem visited the Chicago area and posted enforcement videos, and Border Patrol agent Gregory Bovino—linked to prior LA immigration raids and to an 'Operation At‑Large' effort—arrived in Chicago, posted footage and publicly defended the campaign, saying it had made 'several hundred' arrests and rejecting allegations agents target people by race or language.
• Local and state officials and advocates sharply criticized the crackdown: Chicago leaders (including Mayor Johnson and Ald. Andre Vasquez) and Gov. J.B. Pritzker raised concerns about aggressive tactics and targeting; DHS and operation commanders pushed back—warning that inflammatory rhetoric could lead to violence—and Pritzker’s office denied state obstruction after DHS accused Illinois authorities of failing to assist during chaotic protests.
• On‑the‑ground reporting and ride‑along accounts described predawn tactical actions in suburbs and elsewhere that included 'explosive' entries, agents boxing in vehicles and making collateral arrests; specific enforcement outcomes included ICE re‑arresting Aldo Salazar Bahena (a convicted gang member and murderer) days after his release from Stateville, and reports that two U.S. citizens were briefly detained during the campaign.
• Protests and community responses extended beyond Broadview: clergy led a 'People’s Mass' outside Naval Station Great Lakes (which DHS named as a staging area for deportations), CBS crews spent time embedded on ride‑alongs with ICE agents in Chicago, and demonstrations across the city intensified as the Midway Blitz continued.

📰 Sources (17)