A protest against an ICE operation at a Tucson restaurant took an unexpected turn when U.S. Rep. Adelita Grijalva reported being pepper sprayed by federal agents. The incident unfolded as the southern Arizona Democrat sought clarity on the situation.
In a video shared on X, Grijalva described how she was sprayed while trying to engage with agents during the raid at a local eatery.
“We just came up on a community that was protecting their people. We had, I would say maybe 40 ICE agents, most of them masked, in several vehicles, that the community had stopped right here,” Grijalva stated. “The biggest problem we have in this community, is that we have Trump, that has no regard for any due process, the rule of law, the constitution, they’re literally disappearing people from the streets.”
ICE is a lawless agency under this Administration – operating with no transparency, no accountability, and open disregard for basic due process.
No family in our community should live in fear, and I will not rest until we get clear answers and accountability. pic.twitter.com/Z2mUuRxHuX
— Rep. Adelita Grijalva (@Rep_Grijalva) December 5, 2025
The event led to the arrest of two individuals, with Grijalva expressing gratitude to the Tucson Police Department for managing traffic in the aftermath.
During an interview with KVOI radio, Grijalva highlighted the community’s efforts to impede ICE vehicles from departing with arrestees, with about 60 people present in solidarity.
“That’s the kind of protection I think our communities are feeling like they have to provide. When you have ICE that is really lawless. It’s like a gang of thugs coming into places,” Grijalva remarked.
Social media footage captured masked agents deploying pepper balls, shrouding the area in smoke. ICE later confirmed that the operation was part of a broader investigation involving multiple agencies.
“Special agents and officers from ICE Homeland Security Investigations, IRS Criminal Investigation, and other federal partners, are executing 16 search warrants in southern Arizona as part of a years-long investigation into immigration and tax violations. Multiple individuals are in custody,” the agency clarified in a statement.
However, the agency did not address inquiries regarding the use of pepper spray.
Arizona’s House Democratic leaders supported Grijalva, asserting her right to question the raid’s proceedings.
“Taxpayer-funded ICE employees responded with violence and aggression. This is unwarranted, un-American and unacceptable, and these agents and their superiors should be held accountable for their actions,” the statement declared.
Rep. Adelita Grijalva’s full statement
“Moments ago, while my staff and I were on our way to get lunch, we encountered an ICE raid taking place at one of my favorite local restaurants, Taco Giro, a small mom-and-pop restaurant that has served our community for decades on the west side of Tucson. It’s in the heart of our community – right next to a church and a pre-school. When I presented myself as a Member of Congress and asked for more information, my staff and I were pushed aside and pepper-sprayed by masked agents. While I am fine, if that is the way they treat me, how are they treating other community members who do not have the same privileges and protections that I do?
While we still do not know the full circumstances of this raid, we do know this: under the Trump Administration, communities across the country are being terrorized by a lawless agency. Our residents deserve to know whether these raids are targeting genuine public safety threats – or law-abiding neighbors who have called our communities home for decades. ICE has become a lawless agency under this Administration – operating with no transparency, no accountability, and open disregard for basic due process. No family in our community should live in fear, and I will not rest until we get clear answers and accountability.”
