Chicago City Wire

Kat Abughazaleh, a 26-year-old social media influencer and former Media Matters employee, is running for the Democratic nomination in Illinois’ 9th congressional district despite residing in the 7th. Recently, she has gained national attention for her protests at an ICE detainee processing center in Broadview, west of Chicago.

Abughazaleh described an incident two weeks ago where she and other protesters attempted to block a van transporting federal agents participating in Operation Midway Blitz. According to Abughazaleh, “When we tried to get in the way of the van, they picked us up or dragged us away, for some people, shoved people. I was picked up and thrown,” as she told Newsweek.

She continued her activism at the same location the following week. On social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Abughazaleh claimed: “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.”

Daniel Biss, mayor of Evanston and also a candidate for Congress in the 9th district, participated in an earlier protest at Broadview. He admitted on X that he attempted to block an ICE SUV.

Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) referenced these events on X by stating: “Why are Democrat candidates for office filming themselves committing felonies?”

The actions described could fall under 18 U.S. Code § 111, which prohibits forcibly assaulting or impeding federal officers while performing their duties. The law stipulates penalties ranging from fines to imprisonment depending on whether physical contact occurred or another felony was intended.

Abughazaleh responded to recent legal news by posting on X: “In his latest classic authoritarian playbook move, Donald Trump just indicted James Comey despite absolutely no evidence of crimes or wrongdoing.” The process for indictments involves grand juries rather than individuals such as governors or presidents.

During a guest appearance on the Ben Joravsky Show podcast this week, Abughazaleh commented on ICE agents: “Most of the violence that ICE seems to commit on camera, especially the most aggressive and egregious instances, are against unarmed women. And it’s because these men are weak, they feel incompetent, they’re angry because they’re not as big and strong as they’d like to be.”

On the same podcast episode, Abughazaleh acknowledged mocking ICE agents during protests with remarks like: “Did you get your outfit at Spirit Halloween?”

Media reports have mentioned concerns about conditions at the Broadview detention center; however, there is no substantiated evidence confirming claims such as overcrowding or lack of hot meals for detainees.

Two weeks before a fatal shooting involving migrants in Dallas reportedly targeting ICE agents, Abughazaleh posted a photo online holding a sign reading "Warning: Target ICE" next to another sign saying "Warning: Target Rats."

Abughazaleh’s campaign includes calls to abolish ICE entirely—an approach that would eliminate detention facilities if enacted.