A federal law enforcement operation at a taco shop in Tucson, Arizona, turned chaotic on Friday when agents deployed pepper spray to disperse a crowd of protesters who were attempting to intervene. In the fray, U.S. Rep. Adelita Grijalva claimed she was sprayed and expressed concern about the treatment of community members during such operations.
Grijalva, who was sworn into Congress less than a month ago, posted a video on social media detailing the incident, which involved agents from Homeland Security Investigations executing search warrants as part of a lengthy investigation into immigration and tax violations. She stated, '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?'
In response to the confrontation that ensued, federal officials indicated that Grijalva was not pepper sprayed and suggested that she was in proximity to others who were affected by the spraying of crowd control agents. Assistant Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Tricia McLaughlin, termed the protesters a 'mob' and stated that two agents suffered injuries during the encounter.
Protesters gathered outside the taco shop, holding signs and attempting to block federal vehicles from leaving. Video footage showcased Grijalva confronting agents and questioning their actions, as chaos escalated surrounding the enforcement operation.
Tucson police reported that federal tactical agents were deployed to facilitate the extraction of their colleagues, after which chemical munitions were used to manage the crowd. This incident reflects ongoing tensions between lawmakers and federal law enforcement during immigration operations, exemplifying a growing concern for accountability and transparency in such situations.
