Arizona congresswoman claims she was pepper-sprayed at ICE protest.

On December 5, U.S. Representative Adelita Grijalva stated she was pepper-sprayed while participating in protests following an immigration enforcement operation in Tucson. The demonstration took place near Taco Giro, a Mexican restaurant that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) had targeted earlier that day.

Grijalva, a progressive Democrat known for her criticism of former President Donald Trump's immigration policies, was present after being informed by her staff of the ongoing protest, according to her aide Nate Sigal. She approached the area to observe the situation and speak with officers on site.

Local news footage showed protesters holding signs against ICE and confronting officers as they detained individuals. In one video shared by Grijalva, a cloud of pepper spray is visible near her feet as she approaches the officers, while protesters shout in the background. It remains unclear whether the spray was directed at Grijalva specifically or used for general crowd control.

Grijalva described the incident on social media, stating that a group of about 40 ICE agents, many masked, were attempting to detain people, which alarmed the community. "When I presented myself as a Member of Congress seeking information, I was pushed aside and pepper-sprayed," she wrote.

The ICE operation that prompted the protest was part of a broader enforcement sweep across southern Arizona. ICE spokesperson Fernando X. Burgos noted that multiple federal agencies, including ICE Homeland Security Investigations and IRS Criminal Investigation, executed 16 search warrants as part of a long-term investigation into immigration and tax violations. Several individuals were taken into custody.

This event occurred just two days after Grijalva criticized a Border Patrol raid on November 23 at a humanitarian aid camp operated by No More Deaths. Volunteers claimed Border Patrol agents entered a trailer without a warrant and detained three undocumented migrants. Grijalva condemned the raid as "cruel" and "unconstitutional."

Arizona Democrats voiced strong support for Grijalva following the pepper-spray incident. Representatives Greg Stanton and Yassamin Ansari described it as "outrageous" and "unacceptable," while Senator Ruben Gallego called it "disgraceful" and emphasized that such treatment of a sitting member of Congress is unacceptable.

Similar confrontations with immigration enforcement have previously led to legal consequences for protesters. In one case, Democratic congressional candidate Kat Abughazaleh was charged with "impeding" an officer after blocking an ICE vehicle.

Author: Natalie Monroe