CHICAGO (AP) — A Democratic congressional candidate in Illinois has been indicted along with five others accused of blocking vehicles during September protests outside a federal immigration enforcement building in suburban Chicago, according to court documents.
The indictment, filed last week by a special grand jury, accuses Kat Abughazaleh of blocking a federal agent outside the immigration processing center.
“This is a political prosecution and a gross attempt to silence dissent, a right protected under the First Amendment. This case is a major push by the Trump administration to criminalize protest and punish anyone who speaks out against them,” Abughazaleh said Wednesday in a video posted to BlueSky.
Protesters have been gathering outside the immigration center to oppose enforcement operations in the Chicago area that have led to more than 1,800 arrests and complaints of excessive force.
Federal prosecutors accuse Abughazaleh and others of surrounding a vehicle driven by a federal agent on Sept. 26 and attempting to stop it from entering the facility. The group allegedly banged on the car, pushed against it, broke a mirror, and scratched the text “PIG” on the vehicle.
Abughazaleh is running in a crowded Democratic primary to replace retiring U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky.
Protesting immigration enforcement has emerged as a top issue in campaigns for the upcoming Illinois March primary.
