Congresswoman Says She Was Pepper-Sprayed During ICE Operation in Tucson

TUCSON, Ariz. — A newly elected member of Congress said she was pushed aside and pepper-sprayed by federal immigration agents during an enforcement operation outside a family-owned restaurant in Tucson on Wednesday, prompting renewed scrutiny of the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration tactics and raising questions about the treatment of elected officials at federal scenes.

The account came from Representative Adalita Grahava, a Democrat representing a district that includes parts of Tucson, who posted a video shortly after the confrontation. In it, she described approaching a cluster of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers outside Taco Grio, a small restaurant she said she has frequented for years.

“When I presented myself as a member of Congress asking for more information, I was pushed aside and pepper-sprayed,” Ms. Grahava said in the video, which was widely circulated on social media and drew millions of views within hours.

Raw footage filmed by bystanders appears to show a group of agents in tactical gear shouting commands as a chemical irritant is released near the congresswoman. In one clip, she can be heard saying, “You guys need to calm down,” moments before a burst of gas lands near her feet.

ICE officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment. It remains unclear what prompted the use of force, what charges, if any, were involved in the detentions, and why the situation escalated as it did.

According to Ms. Grahava, approximately 40 agents — many wearing masks — arrived in multiple vehicles and were confronted by community members who feared that residents were being taken “without due process.” She said two individuals were arrested and that her office has not yet received information about their whereabouts.

“I was not being aggressive,” she said in her recorded statement. “I was asking for clarification, which is my right as a member of Congress. If they are willing to treat me this way, I can only imagine how they are treating everyone else.”

Several local journalists also said they were affected by the chemical irritant, though none reported serious injury.

The Tucson Police Department, which arrived after the confrontation began, said in a brief statement that its officers were “not involved in the federal action” and were there only to “maintain scene safety.” Traffic in the area returned to normal after local officers secured the block.

The incident touched off a wave of partisan reaction in Washington, where Democrats described the episode as evidence of an increasingly unrestrained immigration apparatus under former President Donald J. Trump. Progressive commentators accused the administration of transforming ICE into a politicized enforcement arm. Ms. Grahava, in her remarks, said the agency had become “disrespectful” and “unchecked.”

Republicans, however, urged caution, saying that federal agents often work in volatile environments and that the full context of the encounter had not been made public.

As lawmakers called for an internal investigation, civil rights groups demanded that ICE release body-camera footage and documentation of the arrests. Community organizations in Tucson planned demonstrations for later in the week, arguing that the episode reflected broader fears about transparency and accountability in immigration enforcement.

Federal officials have not indicated when additional information will be released. For now, the circulation of multiple video angles — and a firsthand account from a sitting congresswoman — has intensified a national debate over the limits of federal authority, due process and the balance between public safety and civil liberties.