Rep. Grijalva Pepper Sprayed at Tucson ICE Raid Protest

During a protest against an ICE operation at a well-known Tucson eatery, U.S. Representative Adelita Grijalva claims she was pepper-sprayed by federal officers. The Arizona Democrat shared a video on X, noting the incident occurred as she sought information on the ICE activity.

Grijalva described the scene, “We just came up on a community that was protecting their people. We had, I would say maybe 40 ICE agents, most of them masked, in several vehicles, that the community had stopped right here.” She criticized the Trump Administration, stating it showed “no regard for any due process, the rule of law, the constitution, they’re literally disappearing people from the streets.”

According to Grijalva, the raid resulted in two arrests and the Tucson Police Department later arrived to manage traffic. Speaking with KVOI radio, she mentioned a crowd of approximately 60 people trying to prevent the departure of ICE vehicles with detainees.

Grijalva commented on the community sentiment, saying, “That’s the kind of protection I think our communities are feeling like they have to provide. When you have ICE that is really lawless. It’s like a gang of thugs coming into places.”

Social media footage captured masked agents deploying pepper balls, creating clouds of smoke along the street. ICE confirmed the detention of multiple individuals, stating, “Special agents and officers from ICE Homeland Security Investigations, IRS Criminal Investigation, and other federal partners, are executing 16 search warrants in southern Arizona as part of a years-long investigation into immigration and tax violations. Multiple individuals are in custody.” However, they did not address inquiries about the use of pepper spray.

The Democratic leadership in Arizona’s House defended Grijalva’s actions at the scene, asserting her right to inquire about the raid. Their statement criticized the actions of ICE agents, declaring, “Taxpayer-funded ICE employees responded with violence and aggression. This is unwarranted, un-American and unacceptable, and these agents and their superiors should be held accountable for their actions.”

Rep. Adelita Grijalva’s full statement

“Moments ago, while my staff and I were on our way to get lunch, we encountered an ICE raid taking place at one of my favorite local restaurants, Taco Giro, a small mom-and-pop restaurant that has served our community for decades on the west side of Tucson. It’s in the heart of our community – right next to a church and a pre-school. When I presented myself as a Member of Congress and asked for more information, my staff and I were pushed aside and pepper-sprayed by masked agents. While I am fine, if that is the way they treat me, how are they treating other community members who do not have the same privileges and protections that I do?

While we still do not know the full circumstances of this raid, we do know this: under the Trump Administration, communities across the country are being terrorized by a lawless agency. Our residents deserve to know whether these raids are targeting genuine public safety threats – or law-abiding neighbors who have called our communities home for decades. ICE has become a lawless agency under this Administration – operating with no transparency, no accountability, and open disregard for basic due process. No family in our community should live in fear, and I will not rest until we get clear answers and accountability.”