by JESSICA A. BOTELHO | The National News DeskFri, September 19th 2025 at 1:35 PMFILE - California National Guard are positioned at the Federal Building, June 10, 2025, in downtown Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer, File)***WARNING: The following article contains graphic content. Viewer discretion is advised.*** CHICAGO (TNND) — An anti-ICE protest erupted outside an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Chicago on Friday amid "Operation Midway Blitz," which is President Donald Trump's crime crackdown in the city. About 100 people gathered at the gates of the facility, according to WGN9, with the media outlet noting that "tear gas and pepper balls began to fill the air."Video circulating on social media shows an ICE agent tackling a protestor -- who was wearing a mask -- as the protestor appeared to grab an agent's can of tear gas and throw it.Footage also shows the demonstrators blocking a driveway outside the facility.Mayor Daniel Biss, who represents Evanston, said he was at the event. He said he was among several people who felt the impacts of the tear gas. I’m back at the Broadview ICE facility, where I was part of a protest just a few minutes ago. Not only did they come with weapons and a violent show of force and drive a van into us, but then they tear-gassed us, and I have to tell you, it was terrifying," the mayor said in a video he posted on X.It was impossible to breathe, and really, really scary. But the point is they are trying to intimidate us -- to stop us from standing up and being a part of a non-violent resistance -- and we will not be intimidated," he added.Bliss, who was also wearing a mask, shared a second video, describing the scene as "a terrifying escalation." Still, he vowed he and other "peaceful" protestors won't "back down." Kat Abughazaleh, a former journalist who is running for Congress, also shared footage from the protest. Video shows an agent appear to grab her before she lands on the ground. This is what it looks like when ICE violates our First Amendment rights," she captioned the post.In a reply to the post, she described it as "a violent abuse of power." And it’s still nothing compared to what they’re doing to immigrant communities," she wrote. "I’ve been fighting the right as a journalist and now I’m running for Congress to do the same in DC."The Department of Homeland Security criticized the protestors, including elected officials and those running for office. Desperate politicians want their 15 minutes of fame, and they're willing to do it off the backs of our law enforcement. They are putting them at further risk to get on TV, just to get a viral tweet. It's pretty despicable," Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin wrote on X.We will not back down. President Trump and @Sec_Noem will always PROTECT Americans and will step in if sanctuary politicians won’t," she added. According to WGN9, Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton was also outside the facility. The media said she and Gov. J. B. Pritzker "have been left in the dark" amid Trump's crackdown. WGN9 reported that at least two protesters were detained and taken inside the facility.__________________