A Chicago father says he and his 1-year-old daughter were hit by a cloud of chemical spray while pulling out of a Sam’s Club parking lot in Cicero on Saturday, sending the toddler into tears and landing both at a hospital for brief treatment. The video the family shared shows the child rubbing her face and struggling to open her eyes. The parents, who identified themselves as Rafael Veraza and Evelin Herrera, say they were trying to leave after spotting a cluster of federal agents nearby.
What the family says
Veraza says a masked Border Patrol vehicle rolled past their car and blasted an orange irritant through an open window, stinging his eyes and his daughter’s. In the family’s footage, the baby coughs and cries as her mother tries to rinse her face; the parents say both were hospitalized and later released. The account and video were documented by People.
What DHS says
The Department of Homeland Security disputes that account. “There was no crowd control or pepper spray deployed in a Sam’s Club parking lot,” Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told The Associated Press. DHS says Border Patrol had earlier faced a hostile crowd in Little Village and that agents used crowd-control measures after vehicles were struck and objects were thrown at officers.
Judge Limits Agents' Tactics
The dust-up comes as a recent federal ruling restricts the use of tear gas, pepper balls, and other riot-control weapons by Border Patrol and ICE in the Chicago area, while also requiring body cameras and visible identification. The judge cited repeated instances of force that raised constitutional concerns and ordered tighter oversight; DHS says it will appeal. Local coverage puts federal agents' tactics under intense scrutiny.
Neighbors And Officials React
Neighborhood clergy and elected officials rallied behind the Veraza family after the video spread. Rev. Matt DeMateo — who recorded footage at the scene — joined a Sunday press conference calling for accountability. Congressman Jesús “Chuy” García and other leaders criticized the federal tactics as heavy-handed while urging calm and continued documentation of enforcement activity. ABC7 Chicago covered the community response.
Legal Implications
The broader enforcement campaign, dubbed “Operation Midway Blitz,” has led to thousands of arrests across the Chicago area and spurred multiple legal challenges and oversight reviews. DHS has appealed the new limits on crowd-control weapons, and videos like the Veraza family’s are already part of the litigation and public record. These developments have been reported by Reuters.
