Democratic congressional candidate Kat Abughazaleh speaks at a protest outside the Broadview ICE processing facility on Sept. 26, 2025. (Reuters/Jim Vondruska)
Abughazaleh introduced herself on Friday as "one of hundreds of people who have been brutalized by ICE while protesting the inhumane conditions" at Broadview, which she described as a "war zone" where the government is "waging war on peaceful protesters."
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McLaughlin accused Abughazaleh of putting "law enforcement at risk" in her pursuit to "obstruct justice" before she was shoved to the ground two weeks ago.
"You can not say you are against political violence while celebrating American civilians getting beat up by masked federal agents," former DNC vice chair David Hogg said in response to the video of an agent shoving Abughazaleh to the ground.
The congressional candidate, who went viral earlier this year for questioning why it's controversial that illegal immigrants should have access to taxpayer-funded healthcare, demanded on Friday for "transparency" from DHS pertaining to "what is happening behind those boarded-up windows."
"Over the last month, we have watched as ICE operates with impunity in Chicago," Abughazaleh said. "They destroy homes, kill our neighbors, and disappear hundreds in the name of unlawful and racist orders, and all roads of their crimes lead here to Broadview."
As prisoners stand looking out from a cell, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks during a tour of the Terrorist Confinement Center (CECOT) on March 26, 2025, in Tecoluca, El Salvador. (Alex Brandon-Pool/Getty Images)
Pritzker said Noem "should no longer be able to step foot inside the State of Illinois without any form of public accountability."
McLaughlin quickly fired back on Friday, telling Pritzker to "grow up and start protecting the people of your own state."
"Federal law enforcement has to be here because JB Pritzker refuses to do his job and has allowed violent illegal alien criminals to terrorize Illinois communities for years," the DHS Assistant Secretary said.
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Illinois State Police armed with riot gear were on the scene for crowd control on Friday as dozens of protesters gathered outside the Broadview ICE facility.
Fox News cameras were rolling as more than a dozen protesters were arrested by federal agents.
Fox News' Patrick McGovern contributed to this report.
Deirdre Heavey is a politics writer for Fox News Digital.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/dhs-rips-dishonest-desperate-gen-z-candidate-who-raged-against-kristi-noems-crimes-anti-ice-protest