Female Individual Injured by Gunfire by Border Patrol in Chicago During Immigration Operation
A female was injured by gunfire by US border patrol agents in the city of Chicago amid an aggressive immigration and heavily armed operation that has sparked outrage from community organizations and been opposed by city politicians.
Agency Explanation on the Incident
A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security stated to the press that the shooting occurred after patrolling agents felt threatened from approaching vehicles and that the use of firearms was deemed in self-defense.
The exact circumstances of the event and the medical condition of the woman who was shot are not yet known.
Previous Incident and Government Actions
The event follows a recent case in which federal immigration agents shot and killed a Mexican immigrant in a Chicago suburb after he reportedly tried to escape a traffic stop and hit an officer with his car.
Chicago is one of a slew of US cities where federal authorities has deployed or considered sending the national guard to support with enforcement efforts – or, in some cases, to address exaggerated reports about crime levels.
Governor’s Response
Recently, the Illinois governor, from the Democratic party, announced that the US administration plans to federalize 300 national guard troops in the state, despite the state's strong objections.
“Recently, the government gave me an ultimatum: deploy state forces, or they will,” the governor stated publicly. “It is absolutely outrageous and against American values to demand a governor to send military troops inside the country and without consent.”
The governor continued: “This will take citizens out of their regular jobs and away from their loved ones all to be part of a staged effort – not a serious effort to protect public safety. For the administration, this has not been about security. This is about control.”
Recent Escalations
Federal officials recently visited a facility in suburban Chicago, which has become the site of escalations by federal agents against protesters and journalists.
Government authorities targeted Chicago with official personnel starting in August, incorrectly stating there had been a rise in crime in the city in recent years.
Following that, there have been reports of more intense operations in local areas, including helicopters flying above residential searches and detentions of community leaders and political figures who oppose the operations.
