Photojournalist struck by projectiles, tear-gassed at Illinois ICE protest

Chicago Sun-Times photojournalist Anthony Vazquez was struck with projectiles fired by federal agents and tear-gassed while covering a protest outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in the Chicago suburb of Broadview, Illinois, on Sept. 27, 2025.

The incident happened during one of a series of demonstrations held outside the facility where detainees are held and processed ahead of deportation.

In an email to the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker, Vazquez said he didn’t believe he was intentionally targeted, as he was photographing among protesters.

“It was three separate instances of conflict among protesters and federal agents that resulted in me getting hit by a total of five of the rubber bullets/pellets and once by a pepper ball on top of the tear gas.”

Vazquez told Poynter in an interview that Chicago police are trained more to control big crowds compared to federal agents, who are instead more likely to disperse crowds with riot-control weapons than let them freely protest. Because of that, he wears extensive personal protective equipment when covering protests, including a full gas mask, a vest and a helmet. He also carries wipes for tear gas and a first aid kit.

The Department of Homeland Security did not respond to a Tracker request for comment. In a press release on Sept. 26, DHS described the demonstrators as “rioters,” some of whom were reportedly chanting “shoot ICE.”

“These violent threats and smears about ICE must stop,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. She also called on Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson to “condemn these riots and tone down their rhetoric about ICE.”

Broadview Mayor Katrina Thompson sent a letter to DHS, Block Club Chicago reported, accusing ICE officials of “making war” on her community. Thompson asked that the agency stop “deploying chemical arms such as tear gas, pepper spray, etc. against American citizens, our residents, and our first responders.”

According to a Sept. 27 news release, the village of Broadview said that in retaliation for Thompson’s letter, “ICE agents this morning informed the Broadview Police Department that there will be ‘a sh*t show’ in Broadview today.”

Indeed, federal officers responded to protests with chemical irritants and crowd-control munitions that day — affecting multiple journalists — and later arrested a reporter.

Editor’s note: This article was updated to identify photojournalist Anthony Vazquez and include his comments.