Federal immigration agents shot a woman Saturday morning in Chicago’s Brighton Park neighborhood, triggering a tense and chaotic day of protests, tear gas, and growing political fallout. The incident marked the second shooting involving federal officers in the city since the Trump administration launched “Operation Midway Blitz,” an aggressive immigration enforcement campaign that began in September.
The shooting occurred near 39th Street and South Kedzie Avenue around 10:30 a.m. when Department of Homeland Security officials said Border Patrol agents were surrounded and rammed by several vehicles during a patrol. DHS stated that agents fired when they saw one of the drivers—a woman allegedly armed with a semi-automatic weapon—attempting to impede their movement. The woman, identified as Marimar Martinez, was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital in fair condition, treated, released, and later taken into FBI custody. A firearm was recovered at the scene, according to law enforcement sources. A second man was also arrested for boxing in the Border Patrol vehicle.
Marimar Martinez, 30, and Anthony Ian Santos Ruiz, 21, allegedly used their vehicles to strike another car, with three U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents inside, near West 39th Street and South Kedzie Avenue in Brighton Park, ABC7 Chicago reported.
According to ABC7, prosecutors said Martinez and Ruiz used their vehicles to box in the agents’ car. Unable to move his vehicle, the Border Patrol agent who was driving got out of the car and fired about five shots at Martinez.
Martinez drove off, but paramedics found her at a repair shop about 1 mile away from the scene. An ambulance took her to a hospital, where her gunshot wounds were treated, according to ABC7.
According to ABC7, Ruiz also drove away, but law enforcement officers located him and his vehicle at a gas station about a half-block away, the prosecutors said.
DHS also said Martinez was named in an intelligence bulletin last week for allegedly doxxing agents online.
Federal officials said no agents were seriously injured. However, several officers were later hospitalized with non-critical injuries, and at least one ICE vehicle was abandoned after being damaged during the confrontation.
Witnesses and local activists presented a conflicting account, saying an ICE vehicle struck a civilian car before agents opened fire. Pro-immigrant organizations, including the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, alleged that federal officers escalated tensions and endangered nearby residents.
In the aftermath, protesters gathered at the scene, quickly growing to about 100 people along South Kedzie Avenue. The initially peaceful demonstration turned volatile as agents used tear gas, pepper balls, and flash-bang grenades to disperse the crowd. Some protesters threw water bottles and street signs, and several were detained. Video from the scene showed federal agents in tactical gear confronting demonstrators and pushing individuals to the ground.
Ald. Julia Ramirez (12th), whose ward includes Brighton Park, said the situation reflected an “escalation” by federal forces and that residents felt provoked. She confirmed a U.S. citizen was detained during the incident.
State Senator Celina Villanueva (D-Chicago) released the following statement in response to the day’s events:
“First, I want to acknowledge that no individual deserves to be harmed in their neighborhood because they’re simply doing something that is protected by the constitution. Violence is always a tragedy, never the answer.
“However, we can no longer sit back and pretend the ICE agents are here to do a job — they’re here to provoke violence in our communities. They’re here to tear us apart.
“Just yesterday, their chaos caused a multi-vehicle crash, and a woman being shot, among other terrors and traumas. They had a blockade on a large main street in the city for hours. They threw tear gas and pepper spray at residents. We were alone. We were helpless. We were scared. There is absolutely no reason — none — that our communities should feel like a warzone, that our safety and lives should be at risk for simply existing.
“ICE’s aggressive enforcement actions are tearing apart families and creating fear in communities that have called this city home for generations. Now more than ever, we need to stand in solidarity with our neighbors, protect vulnerable community members, and ensure that Chicago remains a place where everyone can live without fear of being separated from their loved ones or attacked solely because the color of their skin.”
The Chicago Police Department said it responded only to document the shooting and manage safety but did not participate in the investigation. Internal police messages obtained by reporters showed CPD leadership instructed officers not to intervene in calls involving armed federal agents surrounded by crowds. DHS officials later criticized CPD for declining to assist, while city officials maintained that the situation was being handled at the federal level.
Mayor Brandon Johnson’s office declined immediate comment. The White House later announced that 300 National Guard troops would be mobilized to support federal enforcement operations, a move opposed by Gov. JB Pritzker.
Community members reported seeing tear gas canisters launched into residential areas and described the scene as resembling a “war zone.” Religious and community leaders urged calm, with local advocates encouraging protesters to remain peaceful.
Federal prosecutors defended the agents’ actions, calling the woman’s behavior a threat to officer safety. Immigrant-rights groups, meanwhile, condemned the shooting and accused federal officers of reckless escalation.
The Brighton Park shooting followed a fatal incident last month in which federal agents shot and killed Silverio Villegas-González during an attempted arrest. That case also drew scrutiny after body camera footage appeared to contradict DHS claims that an officer had been dragged by the victim’s vehicle.
Saturday’s confrontation underscored the growing tension between federal immigration operations and local communities in Chicago, as protests against “Operation Midway Blitz” continue outside the ICE processing center in Broadview and throughout the city.
Six people people were arrested near the Broadview Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility on Saturday. Cook County Unified Command said there were no arrests on Sunday.
The Cook County Sheriff’s Office said those arrested are facing charges such as resisting, obstructing and simple battery.