A video captured a disturbing scene on a quiet Chicago street Saturday as Border Patrol agents in tactical gear dragged a 67-year-old man from his car while children in Halloween costumes looked on in fear.
The club said he suffered six broken ribs and internal bleeding. The incident took place in the Old Irving Park neighborhood during an immigration enforcement operation that disrupted a children’s Halloween parade. In a statement on Instagram, the Chicago-based DWRunning club confirmed the victim was one of their athletes but did not release his name.
“One of our athletes was on his way home from a team long run yesterday and as he turned onto his block, found that Border Control had the road blocked,” the post read. “The agents threatened to break his window if he didn’t move his car. Before he could act, they pulled him out of his car, knelt on his back, and subdued him, though he never resisted.”
The group condemned the violence, writing, “This really is happening in our country with frightening frequency. It’s terrifying, and it has to stop.” They later thanked the public for an “outpouring of messages and support,” saying the victim was “doing as well as can be expected.”
According to ABC News, Videos from multiple angles show agents tackling residents and deploying tear gas without warning as families gathered for the parade. Some witnesses shouted for agents to stop, including one man, Carlos Rodriguez, who yelled, “You’re scaring our children to death.”
The Department of Homeland Security issued a statement defending the operation. Spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said Border Patrol agents were targeting “a criminal illegal alien from Mexico” and were “surrounded and boxed in by agitators.” She said agents “issued multiple lawful commands and verbal warnings” and used “crowd control measures” only when the group advanced on them.
However, a court filing by the Chicago Headline Club disputes that account, describing “masked CBP agents” who “tackled residents, including one man approximately 70 years old,” and “deployed tear gas without any audible warning.” The filing also alleges that agents violated a temporary restraining order issued by U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis, which prohibits the use of tear gas and requires officers to wear body cameras during operations in Chicago.
Ellis has ordered Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino, who oversees “Operation Midway Blitz,” to appear before her daily this week following accusations that he personally deployed tear gas “without justification.” Bovino defended the operation, saying, “There are no sanctuaries in Chicago or anywhere else in the United States.”