The shooting came on the same day Illinois Gov. JB Pretzker planned for the Trump administration to deploy 300 National Guard forces to Chicago.
Ice protests exploded in the Chicago area as 800 reportedly arrested in the attack
Protesters confronted the Chicago area ice during Operation Midway Blitz, with more than 800 migrant arrests reported since September 8th.
Chicago’s Border Patrol agents shot an armed woman after she and a group of people plunged her into a vehicle used by US immigrants and customs enforcement agents, authorities said protests intensified and the Trump administration vows to deploy federal forces to Democrats’ bases.
The woman, a US citizen identified as Marimar Martinez, was armed with a “semi-automatic weapon” and was shot dead on Saturday, October 4th, before being driven to hospital for treatment. She was discharged from the hospital and was taken into custody by the FBI.
DHS Deputy Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement that the woman was appointed last week at intelligence news speed on charges of “doxing agent.” Another person accused of plunging into an ice car, Anthony Ian Santos Lewis, was also taken into custody in Chicago.
The incident occurred in Broadview, the western outskirts of the city that became a flashpoint for protests over strengthened immigration enforcement. Several protesters were arrested over the weekend and several border patrol agents were sent to hospitals after clashes outside the Broadview Ice facility, according to the DHS.
The protest escalates amid Trump’s strengthened deportation campaign
Chicago has seen massive attacks that include helicopters and masked agents since last month when the White House ordered the crackdown on immigrants known as Operation Midway Blitz. More than 800 people have been arrested, according to federal tallies.
For weeks, hundreds have been protesting outside the Broadview ice facility, with protesters blocking ice vehicles and federal agents deploying pepper spray, tear gas and non-lethal ammunition.
After DHS agents were fired at Martinez, Homeland Security Secretary Christie Noem vowed to send reinforcements and special operations to the scene.
Trump plans to send hundreds of National Guard to Chicago.
On Saturday, October 4th, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker warned that President Donald Trump’s administration is planning to federate 300 members of the Illinois State Guard.
“The Trump administration’s War Bureau gave me an ultimatum: call on your army or will we do?” Pretzker wrote to X:
Trump has deployed National Guard in other democratically operated cities, including Los Angeles and Washington, and is taking on the move being challenged by courtrooms.
A federal judge appointed by Trump over the weekend has stopped the Trump administration from sending National Guard troops to Portland, Oregon, but lawsuits on the matter will pass court.
Contributions: Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy and Michael Loria, USA Today
