In a dramatic escalation of tensions during an immigration enforcement operation, US Congresswoman Adelita Grijalva has claimed she was sprayed with a chemical irritant by federal agents. The incident occurred on Friday outside a restaurant in Tucson, Arizona, where protesters had gathered to demonstrate against a raid by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Confrontation at Taco Giro
The clash unfolded outside Taco Giro, a small family-run restaurant that Congresswoman Grijalva frequents weekly. Video footage from the scene shows agents dressed in tactical gear facing off against demonstrators holding signs critical of ICE. According to Grijalva, she joined the protesters after they had "stopped" a squadron of mostly masked ICE agents.
"The protesters were afraid that they were taking people without due process," she stated. As she approached the agents and identified herself as a Member of Congress seeking information, the situation intensified. In the video, an agent is seen spraying an orange chemical towards the protesters. Grijalva can be heard coughing and urging officers to "calm down." Another clip shows a projectile landing at her feet as she moved forward.
"When I presented myself as a Member of Congress asking for more information, I was pushed aside and pepper sprayed," Grijalva wrote in her account of the event.
Official Denials and Counter-Claims
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) swiftly denied that agents targeted the Congresswoman. DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin dismissed the claims, stating, "If her claims were true, this would be a medical marvel. But they’re not true. She wasn’t pepper sprayed."
McLaughlin asserted that Grijalva was merely in the vicinity of someone who was pepper-sprayed while obstructing and assaulting law enforcement. She added that two officers were "seriously injured" during the operation and emphasized that "presenting one’s self as a 'Member of Congress' doesn’t give you the right to obstruct law enforcement."
ICE spokesperson Fernando Burgos provided context for the raid, explaining that special agents from Homeland Security Investigations were executing 16 search warrants across southern Arizona. This was part of a years-long investigation into alleged immigration and tax violations. Multiple individuals were taken into custody during the operation.
Political Backlash and Calls for Investigation
The incident has triggered a strong reaction from Arizona Democrats and local officials. Tucson Mayor Regina Romero and Vice-Mayor Lane Santa Cruz, both Democrats, issued a joint statement condemning the operation. They said it had "rapidly escalated into violence against the public" and criticized the "disproportionate use of force, smoke grenades and pepper balls."
They urged bystanders to share any video or photographic evidence for a potential investigation. Fellow Arizona Democrats rallied around Congresswoman Grijalva. Representative Greg Stanton called the incident "outrageous," while Representative Yassamin Ansari termed it "absolutely unacceptable."
Senator Ruben Gallego expressed strong disapproval, writing, "Pepper-spraying a sitting member of Congress is disgraceful, unacceptable, and absolutely not what we voted for. Period." Senator Mark Kelly, at a town hall later that day, referred to the event as "horrific."
Adelita Grijalva was elected to Congress in a September special election to fill the seat left vacant by her father, the late Representative Raúl Grijalva. She was sworn in last month. Reflecting on the broader implications, she wrote, "If federal agents are brazen enough to fire pellets directly at a Member of Congress, imagine how they behave when encountering defenseless members of our community."
Local officials commended the Tucson Police Department for its role in de-escalating the situation. The event highlights ongoing tensions surrounding immigration enforcement tactics in the United States and raises serious questions about the use of force during such operations.
