CHICAGO (AP) — On a sunny Friday earlier this month, federal immigration agents abruptly turned a Chicago street chaotic by deploying tear gas outside a busy elementary school and a children's play café.
Parents, teachers, and caretakers scrambled to protect children amidst the chaos, leading them to question how to communicate the incident's gravity without stripping the children of their innocence. Families, even those who feel secure from future raids, are left fearful, illustrating how deeply the Trump administration's immigration policy affects everyday life.
Why tear gas was used in a residential area?
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stated that federal agents used tear gas in response to being obstructed by protesters during a targeted operation leading to an arrest.
This operation, dubbed “Operation Midway Blitz,” began in early September and involves heavily armed agents patrolling neighborhoods. Residents have expressed their frustrations through protests against what they see as an unrelenting siege on their community.
According to DHS, their agents are facing increased assaults, including attacks during these operations. The statement claimed violence against law enforcement must end, illustrating a tense relationship between the agency and local residents.
Reports from the scene
Witnesses describe being caught off guard, with one teacher noting the absence of any warning prior to the gas deployment. Onlookers reported seeing a drone overhead and hearing cars honk as a warning, but the gas kept coming, leading to pandemonium in the neighborhood.
Parents rushing to the nearby café rushed to shield their children, leading to a surreal moment as an immigration agent threw the first canister into a group trying to ascertain the situation.
Neighborhood's response to protect children
Teachers have reassured students but dread what awaits them once it's time to leave school. Local residents united to form a protective presence around the school, expressing that such actions against children are crossing a line.
Liza Oliva-Perez, a fifth-grade teacher, recalled the shock of gas being thrown in her direction and rallied friends and neighbors to show their support. Fellow residents echoed these sentiments, stating they would continue to monitor the area, stating, “You don’t mess with the kids. You don’t go near the schools.”
Witness accounts reveal the emotional toll the incident has taken on children, many of whom are experiencing heightened anxiety following the tear gas deployment, with reports of nightmares and distress at sirens.
