U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement disputes an Arizona congresswoman’s allegations that she was pepper sprayed “in the face” by officers during a demonstration blocking an operation targeting organized crime in Tucson.
ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations unit executed 16 search warrants at restaurants and “stash houses” around the city last Friday as part of an investigation into “labor exploitation, tax violations, and immigration violations.” The warrants resulted in the arrest of 46 illegal aliens.
Demonstrators met the operation at a local taco restaurant, where they can be seen in videos blocking law enforcement vehicles in the road. One of the demonstrators was Democratic Congresswoman Adelita Grijalva, who claimed she was pushed and pepper-sprayed “in the face” by ICE.
🚨🇺🇸 WILD SCENE IN TUCSON: PROTESTERS LOCK FEDERAL AGENTS IN PARKING LOT WITH BIKE LOCK DURING HUMAN TRAFFICKING RAID
This wasn't a random immigration sweep.
It was a coordinated federal investigation, and protesters tried to trap the agents inside.
ICE, IRS Criminal… pic.twitter.com/w2zW7dlnkj
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) December 6, 2025
“During the operation, U.S. Representative Adelita Grijalva joined the rioting crowd and attempted to impede law enforcement officers, then took to social media to slander law enforcement by falsely claiming she was pepper sprayed,” ICE said in a statement on Wednesday.
After allegedly being pepper=sprayed in the face, Grijalva posted a video of herself on X talking about the confrontation last Friday.
“I was here … was sprayed in the face by a very aggressive agent, pushed around by others when I literally was not being aggressive,” she said. “I was asking for clarification, which is my right as a member of Congress.”
Video footage posted on X shows Grijalva trying to confront immigration officers, but someone near to her is pepper sprayed.
🚨 BREAKING: Newly released video PROVES Democrat Rep. Adelita Grijalva was LYING about being pepper sprayed by ICE agents
It wasn’t even CLOSE.
In fact, the video shows her ACTIVELY OBSTRUCTING agents from conducting arrests@Rep_Grijalva should be ARRESTED for obstruction!… pic.twitter.com/eerWQze3xu
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) December 5, 2025
ICE arrested two individuals during the melee, one for assaulting a federal officer, and one for damaging a federal vehicle. Two Homeland Security Investigations agents were reportedly injured.
“This multiyear investigation that targeted TCOs alleged to be involved in human smuggling, human trafficking derived from peonage resulted in the shutdown of the restaurants,” ICE HSI acting Special Agent in Charge Ray Rede said in a statement. “These enforcement actions have unequivocally disrupted this criminal organization’s ability to exploit our lawful labor and system of commerce. This agency will not stand for it and those seeking to continue such practices are on notice — there will be more enforcement operations in Arizona.”
