ICE Agents Pepper-Spray Father and Baby Outside Illinois Store

CHICAGO, Ill.- A young Illinois father says federal immigration agents pepper-sprayed him and his one-year-old daughter during an encounter outside a suburban Sam’s Club, prompting outrage from local residents and renewed scrutiny of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) tactics.

According to The Guardian, 25-year-old Rafael Veraza was sitting in his vehicle with his U.S.-citizen daughter when a masked man in a pickup truck allegedly sprayed a cloudy substance through the car window. Veraza said his baby began crying uncontrollably, struggling to breathe, while he suffered severe irritation to his eyes and throat.

“I thought we were going to die,” Veraza told reporters, recalling how the child “was trying to open her eyes” as he attempted to wipe away the spray.

Local pastor and community advocate Pedro Lopez, who assisted the family, said he witnessed the aftermath and recorded a video showing Veraza’s face red and swollen and the infant crying in distress. “No one should ever attack a baby,” Lopez said. “This is beyond enforcement — it’s cruelty.”

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and ICE have denied the allegations. In a statement, DHS assistant secretary Tricia McLaughlin said, “No ICE officers used pepper spray during operations in the Chicago area on that date.” The agency did not release details about the agents involved or confirm whether an investigation had been opened.

Civil rights advocates are calling for an independent inquiry into the incident. The Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights said the alleged assault highlights “a disturbing escalation in the use of force” during ICE’s ongoing Operation Midway Blitz, a campaign that has resulted in dozens of arrests across Chicago and its suburbs in recent weeks.

“This case shows how far these operations can reach — even affecting U.S. citizens and children,” said coalition director Maria Sanchez. “People are terrified, and they deserve accountability.”

Local officials in Cicero, where the incident occurred, said they had not been notified of any ICE actions in the area and would cooperate with any investigation. The Cicero Police Department confirmed it had received calls about a disturbance at the Sam’s Club parking lot but declined to comment further.

Veraza said he is consulting with attorneys and plans to file a formal complaint. “They sprayed my baby for no reason,” he said. “They need to answer for what they did.”

The alleged attack comes amid heightened criticism of federal immigration enforcement practices, with advocacy groups demanding greater oversight, especially when U.S. citizens or minors are involved.