Tear gas still hung in the air as Albany Park neighbors and elected officials hugged and cried, processing the scene they had just witnessed Sunday afternoon after at least four vehicles full of federal agents had taken a man and tear gassed their neighborhood as residents responded.
A man spoke to Chicago police officers in the 3200 block of West Wilson while his hands bled after being shoved to the ground by federal agents.
“We chased federal agents out of Albany Park today,” one person shouted to a cheer from the dozens of residents who were out on the street.
Then a whistle blew several blocks over, followed by shouts. Minutes later, there were more shouts.
Ald. Rossana Rodriguez-Sanchez (33rd) led the crowd of rapid responders, some on bikes and others with dogs, as she sprinted toward each call with state Sen. Graciela Guzmán, D-Chicago, following behind her. Each time they arrived, the vehicles were already gone.
They said at least one person had been taken by federal agents at the intersection of Wilson and Sawyer avenues, but that another had gotten away during the response.
“This is part of the chaos they like to bring to our communities,” Guzmán said. “That person was saved due to the efforts of our communities, but unfortunately, somebody was [still] kidnapped from our neighborhood today.”
Around 12:30 p.m. Sunday, dozens of residents had taken to the streets as federal immigration agents attempted to detain people in Albany Park, shouting “traitor” and “Nazi” at the agents taking a man.
Attorney Samay Gheewala, a 15-year resident of the neighborhood and the man who had been bleeding from his hands, was one of the first on scene to do “usual lawyer stuff” after his wife said someone was being taken outside.
He said agents refused to identify themselves or say if they had a warrant, shoving him and at one point putting his arms behind his back; he wasn’t able to get the name of the man being detained.
“I ran out and tried to do the lawyer thing,” Gheewala said. “They completely stonewalled, just asked me to get out of the way.”
As more neighbors showed up, agents in at least three vehicles got out and started shoving people to the ground, Gheewala among them. His hands were bleeding as CPD arrived, though he declined medical attention.
Another resident, who asked not to be named out of fear of retribution from the government, said he was emboldened seeing the number of other people who jumped into action. He had been playing with his kids outside when he saw agents “bearing down” on a man.
An immigrant from the Philippines, he said he had lived through two presidents being overthrown there before moving to the U.S. — and the actions of federal agents reminded him of what he saw as the government there grasped to maintain power.
“I know what impunity looks like,” he said. “I know what it looks like when people in authority are not held to account for anything they do. … They’re doing it right now here, it’s no different. This is Nazi s—t. When the state is failing, this is what they do.”
He said he had initially been afraid to approach, but as a crowd amassed, he felt empowered to show up himself to defend the immigrants, who he said are “more American” than the agents themselves.
“I was afraid to go over there,” he said. “I got braver the more people came out. I know my neighbors have my back, and I have their back. … These are Americans who know what freedom is — we’re being invaded by strangers.”
Agents shoved people back and eventually threw tear gas canisters in the street. Burn marks on the pavement and pieces of a canister served as reminders of the gas that clouded the air just minutes earlier.
A temporary restraining order issued by a federal judge last week requires agents to issue two warnings before using riot control weapons such as tear gas, chemical sprays, plastic bullets and flash bangs. The order also bars firing at protesters, reporters and clergy members and limits using force such as tackling — unless the person represents an immediate threat.
Keep Resisting Chicago! At Wilson and Sawyer -an hour ago. 10/12/25
— The Sidewalk School (@thesidewalkschool.bsky.social) 2025-10-12T18:14:09.521Z
But witnesses said they heard no warnings, and none can be heard on videos of the incident showing the scene leading up to the gas being thrown in the middle of a residential street.
Officials from Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Department of Homeland Security, and Customs and Border Protection didn’t immediately return requests for comment.
“They’re in complete contempt of the court,” Ald. Rodriguez-Sanchez said. “They can do whatever they want with impunity.”
“There are children all over this place, my kids are right over there, and they threw tear gas, they were throwing people to the ground,” one resident said. “And then they just sped off. … This is making nobody safer. If we don’t stand up now, we’re not going to get a chance later.”