CICERO, ILLINOIS — A suburban Chicago family claims they were pepper-sprayed by federal immigration agents while leaving a local shopping center on Saturday, an incident that allegedly affected both the parents and their 1-year-old daughter.
Rafael Veraza, 25, and his partner Evelin Herrera, 24, say they were preparing to leave a Sam’s Club parking lot in Cicero when a vehicle of masked agents sprayed a “cloudy substance” into their car. Veraza’s sister was also reportedly in the vehicle. The couple’s daughter, Arianna Sofiaa Veraza, was exposed during the incident and briefly hospitalized along with her father. Both have since been released.
Veraza described the experience as “terrifying,” noting that his daughter struggled to breathe and attempted to open her eyes as the spray filled the vehicle. He added that he has asthma, which worsened the effects.
The family maintains they were not participating in any protests or aggressive activity at the time, and say they were simply leaving after noticing a helicopter and unusual vehicle activity overhead.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has denied the family’s account, stating that no crowd control measures or pepper spray were used at the Sam’s Club location. DHS said agents were responding to a “hostile crowd” in a different area and that reports of the incident were “inaccurate.”
This incident occurred during a large-scale immigration enforcement operation in the Chicago area, referred to in media reports as “Operation Midway Blitz,” which has raised concerns over the use of chemical agents in public spaces, especially near children.
Civil rights advocates and local leaders are monitoring the situation closely, emphasizing the need for clear guidelines on the use of force by immigration enforcement officials in community settings. Legal experts note that the family may pursue further action depending on the outcomes of any official investigations.
The case has sparked broader conversations about federal enforcement tactics and the safety of families in neighborhoods affected by immigration operations.