The ICE Homeland Security Investigations area in Arizona carried out an operation in Tucson where they executed search warrants against nine restaurants and seven safe houses. Agents arrested 46 undocumented immigrants, some of whom had prior convictions for sexual assault or illegal re-entry into the country. The operation, conducted by ICE in conjunction with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in Tucson, was the culmination of a multi-year investigation into a transnational criminal organization involved in labor exploitation, tax evasion, and immigration violations, ICE detailed in a statement. “Agitators Tried to Obstruct Operations” “At one of the locations, more than 100 agitators appeared and attempted to obstruct law enforcement operations, closing a door to trap agents inside the restaurant perimeter. The agitators quickly became violent, assaulting agents and slashing tires,” ICE stated. Authorities justified the agents' behavior toward the individuals, including Democratic Representative Adelita Grijalva, as necessary to regain control of the situation, and therefore called in a response team. special.

“During the operation, U.S. Representative Adelita Grijalva joined the rowdy crowd and attempted to obstruct law enforcement officers. She subsequently took to social media to defame law enforcement, falsely claiming that she had been pepper-sprayed,” they said in the statement.

The representative reported being pepper-sprayed

The Arizona representative was present when federal agents were conducting the immigration raid. On her social media, she posted the moment she was pepper-sprayed, expressing her displeasure online.

“ICE is a lawless agency under this administration: it operates without transparency,“Without accountability and with blatant disregard for basic due process,” the Democratic congresswoman stated. ICE noted that during the operation, one person in the crowd “was arrested for assaulting a federal law enforcement officer and another for damaging a government vehicle.” They added that two HSI SRT officers were injured, one suffering a fractured biceps and the other a knee injury. Human Trafficking Criminal Organization “This multi-year investigation, focused on transnational criminal organizations allegedly involved in the trafficking and smuggling of people derived from servitude, resulted in the closure of the restaurants,” stated Acting Special Agent in Charge Ray Rede. “These enforcement actions have unequivocally disrupted this criminal organization’s ability to exploit our legitimate workforce and our trading system.” This agency will not tolerate it, and those who attempt to continue these practices are hereby warned: there will be more enforcement operations in Arizona,” he stated. HSI and the federal agencies that worked together confirmed that the law enforcement operation dismantled a criminal organization that used a family-owned restaurant chain operating in and around Tucson, Sierra Vista, Green Valley, Casa Grande, and Apache Junction. “DHS and ICE HSI remain committed to working with their partners to protect the homeland, uphold the rule of law, and defend the interests of American taxpayers.”HSI and the federal agencies that worked together confirmed that the law enforcement operation dismantled a criminal organization that used a family-owned restaurant chain operating in and around Tucson, Sierra Vista, Green Valley, Casa Grande, and Apache Junction. “DHS and ICE HSI remain committed to working with their partners to protect the homeland, uphold the rule of law, and defend the interests of American taxpayers.”HSI and the federal agencies that worked together confirmed that the law enforcement operation dismantled a criminal organization that used a family-owned restaurant chain operating in and around Tucson, Sierra Vista, Green Valley, Casa Grande, and Apache Junction. “DHS and ICE HSI remain committed to working with their partners to protect the homeland, uphold the rule of law, and defend the interests of American taxpayers.”