Woman Shot by Federal Agents in Chicago During Immigration Operation
A female was injured by gunfire by US border patrol agents in Chicago amid an intensified enforcement and militarized operation that has sparked outrage from community organizations and faced resistance by city politicians.
Official Statement on the Shooting
A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security stated to the press that the shooting occurred after officers on duty felt threatened from oncoming cars and that the use of firearms was deemed in self-defense.
Specific details of the event and the health of the individual who was injured are not yet known.
Previous Incident and Political Context
The event follows a previous incident in which federal immigration agents shot and killed a Mexican immigrant in a nearby area after he allegedly attempted to flee a vehicle inspection and struck an agent with his vehicle.
Chicago is among several of US cities where federal authorities has sent or considered sending the national guard to support with immigration crackdown – or, in some cases, to address inflated claims about crime levels.
Governor’s Response
On Saturday, the Illinois governor, from the Democratic party, stated that the federal government plans to federalize 300 national guard troops in the state, against the governor’s firm opposition.
“This morning, the government presented a demand: deploy state forces, or they will,” the official said in a statement. “This is completely unacceptable and against American values to require a governor to send military troops inside the country and without consent.”
He added: “This will take citizens out of their regular jobs and away from their families all to participate in a staged effort – not a serious effort to ensure security. For the federal government, this has never been about safety. This is about control.”
Ongoing Tensions
Government representatives recently visited a detention center in suburban Chicago, which has become the site of increased tensions by officers against protesters and media members.
Government authorities targeted Chicago with official personnel beginning late summer, incorrectly stating there had been a increase in offenses in the city in recent years.
Since then, there have been accounts of increasingly aggressive operations in local areas, including aircraft flying above residential searches and arrests of community leaders and candidates for office who oppose the enforcement measures.
