ICE Raids Spray Tear Gas and Pepper Spray, Injuring Scores of Kids Across US

Federal immigration raids under the Trump administration are leaving a trail of injured children in their wake. According to a detailed report by ProPublica and KFF Health News, federal agents have deployed tear gas and pepper spray near schools, homes, and public spaces, causing harm to scores of kids going about their daily lives.

Children were caught in the chemical clouds while walking to school in Broadview, Illinois, leaving shopping centers in Columbus, Ohio, sitting in strollers in Chicago, or even attending protests in Portland, Oregon. These toxic substances were not confined to the immediate targets but spread across neighborhoods, drifting for blocks and infiltrating family cars. This reckless use of chemical agents shows a blatant disregard for the safety of innocent bystanders, especially children.

The assaults on children during these raids are part of a broader pattern of authoritarian overreach and cruelty by the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement. Instead of protecting communities, ICE’s aggressive tactics terrorize families, disrupt daily life, and inflict unnecessary physical and psychological harm.

This report lays bare the human cost of the administration’s immigration crackdown. It is a stark reminder that policies driven by fear and hostility come with real victims—many of them the most vulnerable members of society. Holding these agencies accountable is crucial to defending democratic values and civil rights in the face of escalating abuses.