Federal agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) used tear gas during an hours-long standoff in Elgin, Illinois, resulting in the arrest of a man who had barricaded himself on a second-floor apartment balcony. The incident began at around 10am Saturday when someone being pursued by federal agents ran into a second-floor unit of an apartment complex and was pushed onto the balcony by residents inside.
The situation escalated when protesters gathered outside the complex, providing supplies to the man on the balcony. However, the standoff turned violent as ICE agents deployed several tear-gas canisters and at least three flash-bang grenades. Some protesters retaliated with snow and water bottles, but the situation eventually subsided without any serious injuries reported.
Elgin-born state Sen. Cristina Castro was among those present during the standoff, which she described as "heartbreaking." She criticized federal agents for using excessive force and stated that it's "unacceptable" to see the community being torn apart by such actions. Castro urged onlookers to continue recording federal agents as they conduct raids, saying that it means a lot to those who live in the community that there are good people caring.
The incident is not an isolated case, as Elgin has seen several ICE raids in recent months. On September 16, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem led a team of ICE agents on a raid in another home in Elgin, using armored vehicles and breaking through the front door. Seven people were arrested during that raid, including two U.S. citizens who were later released.
As the possibility of future raids looms, Castro recommends staying vigilant but also checking in on neighbors to ensure their safety. The Department of Homeland Security did not respond to a request for comment on this incident.
The situation escalated when protesters gathered outside the complex, providing supplies to the man on the balcony. However, the standoff turned violent as ICE agents deployed several tear-gas canisters and at least three flash-bang grenades. Some protesters retaliated with snow and water bottles, but the situation eventually subsided without any serious injuries reported.
Elgin-born state Sen. Cristina Castro was among those present during the standoff, which she described as "heartbreaking." She criticized federal agents for using excessive force and stated that it's "unacceptable" to see the community being torn apart by such actions. Castro urged onlookers to continue recording federal agents as they conduct raids, saying that it means a lot to those who live in the community that there are good people caring.
The incident is not an isolated case, as Elgin has seen several ICE raids in recent months. On September 16, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem led a team of ICE agents on a raid in another home in Elgin, using armored vehicles and breaking through the front door. Seven people were arrested during that raid, including two U.S. citizens who were later released.
As the possibility of future raids looms, Castro recommends staying vigilant but also checking in on neighbors to ensure their safety. The Department of Homeland Security did not respond to a request for comment on this incident.
the media's gonna run with the tear gas and all that drama, but what about the guy on the balcony? he was literally trying to protect himself from people who were chasing him down 
and then the protesters showed up and were like "hey, we got your back" 
it's not black and white, ICE is doing their job but they're also using excessive force 
and it's always better to give people a chance to explain themselves before jumping to conclusions 
Just watched that crazy scene unfold in Elgin and it's still hard to process. I mean, who needs tear gas and flash-bang grenades to resolve an issue? It's like they're expecting people to just stand down and surrender. 
And what's the point of having a community coming together to support each other if you're just gonna shut that down with excessive force? 
It's like they're more worried about enforcing their rules than understanding the human impact.
We need more people like state Sen. Castro who are standing up for what's right, even if it's hard. And we need more awareness and support for those affected by ICE raids. 
? I mean, who runs out of pepper spray or something? 
Anyway, I'm actually kinda worried about the Elgin community right now... like, multiple raids in a row is not cool. And Cristina Castro was straight fire calling out those federal agents - excessive force is never okay 
. On the bright side, it's awesome that people are still caring and documenting these events 
. ICE needs to rethink their whole strategy, because this isn't helping, it's scaring people and ruining lives 
... we need to support our community members and make sure they feel safe and supported. 
the fact that ppl are showing up with supplies for whoever is being targeted is a sign of community support, but also shows how divided our country is right now 
This is crazy... tear gas and flash bangs used by federal agents? that's like something outta a movie 
but real life too ouch! i feel bad for the guy who was caught in the middle, must've been super scared 
. And what about the protesters, they were just trying to help him out? it's all so unnecessary 
. and another thing, why did the agents have to escalate it like that? didn't they see how much trouble it could cause for innocent people? 
. Tear gas and flash-bang grenades? That's just asking for trouble 
. I mean, what's the point of having a community that's supposed to be helping each other out, you know? It's like they're trying to turn people against each other 
, though. We need more leaders who are willing to call out these kinds of actions for what they are: unnecessary and hurtful