Krishnamoorthi Demands Answers From ICE On Hazardous Chemical Agents Deployed in Elgin And Pattern Of Chemical Use Near Illinois Families

WASHINGTON - Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi is demanding immediate accountability from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) following reports that ICE personnel deployed hazardous chemical agents, including tear gas, and a flash-bang grenade during a December 6 enforcement operation in a residential Elgin neighborhood that sent multiple residents for medical evaluation. In a letter to Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons, Krishnamoorthi warns that the release of hazardous chemical agents near homes, children, elderly residents, and individuals with respiratory conditions "raises serious concerns about public safety and the safeguards ICE employs to prevent unintended civilian exposure."

He notes that DHS's own 2023 Use of Force Policy requires all officers to follow constitutional standards, yet ICE's publicly available guidance "does not detail specific procedures for the deployment of chemical irritants in residential settings" despite the clear risk such deployments pose in densely populated areas.

Krishnamoorthi also underscores that the Elgin incident is not isolated, writing that it "appears to be part of a broader pattern of ICE's use of chemical irritants during enforcement operations, including those conducted under Operation Midway Blitz." His letter details recent deployments in Chicago neighborhoods, including Old Irving Park and Albany Park, near Funston Elementary School, and at a shopping center where "a toddler should never have to know what a tear-gas canister looks like."

The Congressman states:

"Incidents like these, and now the one in Elgin, underscore the urgent need for oversight to ensure that federal enforcement actions do not endanger the safety or trust of the communities they are meant to serve."

To determine whether ICE followed proper safeguards and to ensure future operations do not put families at risk, Krishnamoorthi is demanding answers by December 24, 2025 to the following questions:

What public-safety protocols and risk-assessment procedures were followed before chemical irritants were deployed in this residential neighborhood, and what criteria guide these decisions when bystanders may be present?

1. What specific steps did ICE personnel take before, during, and after deployment to limit the risk of exposure to nearby residents, including families in surrounding homes and individuals on adjacent streets?

2. How does ICE evaluate environmental and public health risks prior to using chemical agents, particularly in densely populated areas where vulnerable individuals may be present?

3. What coordination occurred with local police, fire departments, EMS personnel, or public-health authorities before or after the deployment of chemical irritants? Please describe any notifications, joint planning, or post-incident communication.

4. What follow-up procedures does ICE implement after deploying chemical agents?

The full letter is available here.