Agents with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) arrived at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Broadview, Illinois in order to combat far-left rioters who have besieged the facility and attacked agents over the last several weeks.
The announcement comes just under 24 hours after Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that elite counterterrorism task forces would be deployed in order to provide additional security and make arrests at besieged facilities.
“I have witnessed the continued onslaught of violence perpetrated against ICE officers across our country. The Department of Justice will not stand idly by in the face of such lawlessness. At my direction, I am deploying DOJ agents to ICE facilities—and wherever ICE comes under siege—to safeguard federal agents, protect federal property, and immediately arrest all individuals engaged in any federal crime,” Bondi announced in an X post.
“Pursuant to President Trump’s recent executive action, I am also instructing the Joint Terrorism Task Forces across the country to disrupt and investigate all entities and individuals engaged in acts of domestic terrorism, including the repeated acts of violence and obstruction against federal agents. The Department of Justice will seek the most serious available charges against all participants in these criminal mobs, including conspiracy offenses, assault offenses, civil disorder offenses, and terrorism offenses. While these never-ending attacks are designed to break our will, they only strengthen our resolve to complete the work begun.”
The Broadview facility is one of many that has suffered repeat attacks from far-left mobs. Several Democrat candidates for an open House seat in Chicago, including Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss and the progressive-aligned Kat Abughazaleh, have filmed themselves committing felonies by blocking federal vehicles and impeding agents.
Other rioters have clashed with agents, pelted rocks at vehicles and slashed tires in near daily disturbances at the facility. Agents have repeatedly attempted to control the crowd with pepper spray, tear gas and rubber bullets, though they have largely been outnumbered by the mob.
On Friday, a mob of rioters, including Abughazaleh, once again blocked a vehicle as it was attempting to enter the facility. “At the Broadview ICE facility, an ICE agent tried to run dozens of protesters over with an SUV as we walked on a public crosswalk,” Abughazaleh posted on X alongside a video of herself and others blocking the vehicle.
Under U.S. law, obstructing or interfering with federal law enforcement officers in the performance of their duties may violate statutes like 18 U.S.C. § 111, which prohibits assaulting, resisting, or impeding federal officers.
Footage obtained by on-the-ground reporter Ford Fischer showed a large contingent of agents with various agencies, including DHS, ATF and Border Patrol, arriving at the facility. U.S. Border Patrol commander-at-large Gregory Bovino also arrived in a convoy of vehicles filled with agents in riot gear, Fischer reported.
Within hours, agents pushed out into the crowd and started to make arrests. They also confiscated items like shields umbrellas from the crowd.
Footage uploaded by Fischer shows Bovino personally assisting with riot control by telling agents to keep eyes on a group of individuals dressed in black bloc. “Got eyes on them,” agents replied.
A large crowd of protesters remain outside the facility as of 8:05 p.m. local time, Fischer reported.
A large contingent of federal agents were also seen arriving in Portland on Saturday after President Donald Trump instructed War Secretary Pete Hegseth to deploy military assets in order to defend agents. Like the Broadview facility, agents have come under sustained attack in the city for several weeks.
“At the request of Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, I am directing Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, to provide all necessary Troops to protect War ravaged Portland, and any of our ICE Facilities under siege from attack by Antifa, and other domestic terrorists,” Trump announced in a Truth Social post. “I am also authorizing Full Force, if necessary. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” the post added.
