As Donald Trump‘s immigration crackdown intensifies, new allegations of ICE brutality emerge. Now, the family of Rafael Veraza accuses ICE agents of pepper-spraying him and his toddler on their way to the grocery store. The incident happened over the weekend in a Sam’s Club Parking lot in Cicero.
According to the claim, the suburban Chicago father and his family were inside their car on Saturday when they heard a helicopter and honking. Like many residents, the family recognized the signals that federal agents were in the area — a frequent sight these days. Veraza and his family decided to leave the spot when a masked agent appeared in front of them.
An Illinois man says his 1-year-old daughter was pepper-sprayed by federal agents during an immigration raid near Chicago.
Cellphone video shows the moment Rafael Veraza says he and his family were pepper-sprayed on Saturday morning by Border Patrol agents in the parking lot of… pic.twitter.com/JwL601JSla
— ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) November 11, 2025
The family recorded the whole exchange, which showed the ICE agent pointing a pepper-spray gun at their vehicle’s open window. Then, he fired it in close range and as a result, the substance hit the father and his 1-year-old daughter, Ariana.
On Sunday, Veraza told reporters that his family did not protest, or honked their horns to warn others, or even tried to interfere. However, they were still hit by the pepper-spray. “My daughter was trying to open her eyes. She was struggling to breathe,” the father told reporters.
Rev. Matt DeMateo, a longtime pastor who resides in the area, also witnessed the incident. He quickly arrived at the scene to help the family, while also recording Veraza’s struggle after being pepper-sprayed out of nowhere. At that time, his daughter was also crying loudly, as the mother tried to comfort her.
DeMateo told reporters, “A family, and I shouldn’t have to say this, but guess what? All U.S. citizens were attacked while shopping. We need a better way.” Despite the family’s claim, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security did not admit to the incident.
NEW: One-year-old girl hospitalized after being allegedly pepper-sprayed by ICE agents in Chicago suburb
Rafael Veraza said he and his young daughter Ariana were sprayed
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin denied the accusations in a social media statement Sunday
‘No.… pic.twitter.com/1pTnBh4KPs
— Unlimited L’s (@unlimited_ls) November 10, 2025
On Monday, Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told the Associated Press, “There was no crowd control or pepper spray deployed in a Sam’s Club parking lot.”
ICE raids have intensified in the Chicago suburb, which sits next to Little Village, a predominantly Mexican community. When the incident involving Vereza’s family occurred, the frustrated residents had already been in a clash with federal agents in that area.
It was a chaotic weekend, as ICE agents made more than 3,000 arrests across the Chicago area. The aggressive method pursued by the federal agents has received significant backlash as well as legal challenges.
