Democratic Rep. Adelita Grijalva claims she was pepper-sprayed by ICE agents conducting a raid at a taco restaurant in Tucson, Arizona, on Friday.
Grijalva, who House Speaker Mike Jonson finally swore in on Nov. 12 after an unprecedented two-month delay he claimed was due to the government shutdown, posted a video recounting the incident.
In the video, she says she was going to a Taco Giro location in Tucson that she visits every week. There, a raid was being conducted by “about 40 ICE agents,” per her estimation, and they were met with local protestors. Grijalva claims that when she attempted to peacefully get clarification about what was going on, she was “sprayed in the face by a very aggressive agent” and “pushed around by others.”
In a second video she posted to social media, Grijalva, 55, can be seen confronting ICE agents, who ask her to move. As she walks away, an object explodes at her feet, causing smoke to rise. It is unknown if the substance is smoke or pepper spray.
Other videos from the scene show agents firing pepper spray at protestors. One shows the Democratic congresswoman speaking to reporters while wearing sunglasses and rubbing her eyes.
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin cast doubt on Grijalva’s account of the events, saying, “She was in the vicinity of someone who was pepper-sprayed as they were obstructing and assaulting law enforcement. In fact, 2 law enforcement officers were seriously injured by this mob that Rep. Grijalva joined. Presenting one’s self [sic] as a ‘Member of Congress’ doesn’t give one the right to obstruct law enforcement.”
The Daily Beast has reached out to both Grijalva and ICE for comment.
In a statement to local CBS affiliate KOLD, Grijalva said, “Moments ago, while my staff and I were on our way to get lunch, we encountered an ICE raid taking place at one of my favorite local restaurants, Taco Giro, a small mom-and-pop restaurant that has served our community for decades on the west side of Tucson. It’s in the heart of our community—right next to a church and a preschool.”
She added, “When I presented myself as a Member of Congress and asked for more information, my staff and I were pushed aside and pepper-sprayed by masked agents. While I am fine, if that is the way they treat me, how are they treating other community members who do not have the same privileges and protections that I do?“
Tucson Mayor Regina Romero and Vice Mayor Lane Santa Cruz condemned the attack on Friday, saying, “Today, federal officers conducted a raid in Tucson that rapidly escalated into violence against the public. We share the fears in our community created by President Trump’s immoral and inhumane immigration policies… Their disproportionate use of force, smoke grenades and pepper balls against the public, including our own Representative Adelita Grijalva, is not justified and cannot be tolerated.”
An ICE spokesperson told 13 News, “Special agents and officers from ICE Homeland Security Investigations, IRS Criminal Investigation and other federal partners are executing 16 search warrants in southern Arizona as part of a years-long investigation into immigration and tax violations. Multiple individuals are in custody. As soon as the number is confirmed, we will share more details.”
Rep. Grijalva won a special election in Arizona’s 7th district in September. She was the final signature on a discharge petition needed to force a vote on releasing the Epstein files. However, Johnson refused to swear her in until the end of the government shutdown in November, leading to accusations that Johnson was “protecting pedophiles.”
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