by JESSICA A. BOTELHO | The National News DeskTue, November 11, 2025 at 3:08 PMUpdated Wed, November 12, 2025 at 11:33 AMRafael Veraza holds his young daughter, Ariana, during a press conference decrying federal agents use of force in Little Village on the Southwest Side, Chicago, Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025. (Candace Dane Chambers/Chicago Sun-Times via AP)CHICAGO (TNND) — An Illinois man said he and his 1-year-old daughter were pepper-sprayed by federal agents during an immigration raid outside Chicago. Rafael Veraza said the incident happened on Saturday in a Sam's Club parking lot in Cicero, which shares a border with the Chicago neighborhood of Little Village. The Department of Homeland Security took to social media to deny Veraza's accusations. DHS LAW ENFORCEMENT DOES NOT PEPPER SPRAY CHILDREN," the agency wrote on X.Here are the FACTS: during an operation rioters began throwing objects at agents and blocking the road. This did NOT occur in a Sam’s Club parking lot. Border Patrol deployed crowd control measures, and safely cleared the area. When rioters impede law enforcement operations they are putting officers, themselves, and others in danger," the agency added.Veraza said he and his wife, along with their toddler, Arianna, were in their car in the parking lot when they heard a helicopter and cars honking. He said a masked agent then approached the car -- and pointed a pepper-spray gun through an open window before firing. Eventually, he started spraying from the beginning -- from the front of the car towards the back," Veraza told reporters a day after the alleged incident. "I had my window down. Basically, I got sprayed all over my face. I never knew when my daughter got sprayed on her face until I eventually -- my wife was the one that reacted and was like, you know what, 'Our daughter, our daughter,'" Veraza said, adding that the toddler was having a hard time breathing.He said he and his family were not protesting, honking their horns to warn others, or trying to interfere.A longtime pastor in the area, the Rev. Matt DeMateo, arrived at the scene to help. He allegedly recorded video of Veraza as Veraza appeared to struggle to open his eyes. The footage also shows his wife holding the child. Rafael Veraza recounts being pepper sprayed by CBP and ICE agents while grocery shopping yesterday morning during a press conference in Little Village on the Southwest Side, Chicago, Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025. (Candace Dane Chambers/Chicago Sun-Times via AP)Earlier on Saturday, DHS said a manhunt was underway after a suspect allegedly fired shots at U.S. Border Patrol agents in Chicago. DHS previously said the agents were conducting "immigration enforcement operations" when "an unknown male" driving a black Jeep fired shots at agents and sped away.DHS said a group of "agitators" at the scene threw a paint can and bricks at Border Patrol vehicles.At least one person was detained, according to FOX 32 Chicago.DHS later announced a suspect -- identified as an undocumented individual from Mexico -- was arrested in connection to the case. The agency also noted the suspect was previously convicted for aggravated unlawful use of a weapon/vehicle, a felony possession of a weapon and illegal entry.The suspect is currently marked as a violator of the Laken Riley Act, according to the DHS.This incident is not isolated and reflects a growing and dangerous trend of violence and obstruction," DHS said. "Over the past two months, we’ve seen an increase in assaults and obstruction targeting federal law enforcement during operations. These confrontations highlight the dangers our agents face daily and the escalating aggression toward law enforcement. The violence must end."In a video posted on Facebook on Saturday afternoon, Chicago Alderperson Michael Rodriguez said agents were "causing all sorts of mayhem" in the neighborhood. He said authorities used a "flash bang" as a crowd gathered, adding that there was "no reason" for them to deploy it.They’re doing things that are unconstitutional, that are illegal," Rodriguez said in the footage. "They are causing fear and mayhem in our communities and that's unacceptable."Saturday marked exactly two months since the Trump administration kicked off "Operation Midway Blitz," an immigration enforcement crackdown focused on the Chicago area. So far, upwards of 3,000 arrests have been made since the start of the operation.DHS said it launched operation in honor of Katie Abraham, who was killed in a drunk driving hit-and-run car wreck by a criminal illegal immigrant in Illinois.Since the start of the crackdown in Chicago, Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin on Tuesday said murders are down by 16%, shootings are down 35%, robberies are down 41%, carjackings are down 48%, and transit crime is down 20%. "We aren't leaving Chicago," she noted in an X post. Trump shared the new statistics on Truth Social. He said he is proud for the drop in crime, adding that it came with pushback from Mayor Brandon Johnson and Gov. JB Pritzker. As we ramp up more assets, these numbers will continue to drop," Trump wrote. "This has been achieved despite the extraordinary resistance from Chicago and Illinois Radical Democrat 'Leadership,' and the constant Violent Leftwing Terrorism against ICE Officers and Federal Agents that Insurrectionist Democrat Officials refuse to stop or prosecute, including constant physical assault and attempted assassination."_________________EDITOR'S NOTE: The Associated Press contributed to this report.