Federal Agents Deploy Tear Gas During Arrests in Chicago Neighborhoods

Federal agents deployed tear gas during arrests in Chicago's Old Irving Park and Avondale neighborhoods on Saturday morning, according to witnesses. In Old Irving Park, near Kildare Avenue and Grace Street, agents arrested three individuals, including 35-year-old construction worker Luis Villegas, a woman on a bicycle, and a 70-year-old man preparing for a marathon. Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin stated that the two U.S. citizens were arrested for assaulting and impeding a federal officer, and accused Villegas of having a previous assault charge.

During the Old Irving Park incident, a 67-year-old woman was reportedly knocked to the ground by masked agents. The confrontation occurred just before the scheduled Old Irving Park Association Halloween Parade, disrupting the event.

In Avondale, near Harding Avenue and Roscoe Street, agents deployed tear gas during another arrest, with at least one person detained. Details surrounding this arrest remain unclear.

These incidents follow several instances of tear gas use throughout the week as part of federal actions in Operation Midway Blitz and Operation At Large. On Wednesday, federal agents used pepper spray on neighbors near a grocery store in Cicero; on Thursday, agents tear-gassed dozens of residents, including several high school students, near Little Village's Discount Mall; and on Friday, approximately 50 Lakeview neighbors were tear-gassed near a residential construction site.

Border Patrol Chief Greg Bovino is accused of violating a federal judge's order for tear-gassing a crowd in Chicago's Little Village neighborhood during the Thursday standoff. A Homeland Security Department representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding Saturday's operations.