Kat Abughazaleh, Illinois congressional candidate, indicted over Broadview protests, records show
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CHICAGO - Kat Abughazaleh, a Democratic candidate for Congress from the Chicago area, was among six individuals indicted in federal court in connection with their protests at the ICE processing facility in suburban Broadview.
What we know:
Federal prosecutors allege that Abughazaleh, 26, along with Michael Rabbitt, Andre Martin, Catherine Sharp, Brian Straw, and Joselyn Walsh, tried to impede a federal agent at the Broadview facility on Sept. 26.
They allege that the group "surrounded" a government vehicle driven by the agent "with the intent to hinder and impede" the agent. Prosecutors also claimed the defendants "hindered and impeded" the agent driving the car forcing them to drive at "an extremely slow rate of speed" to avoid injurining anyone.
They also alleged that Abughazaleh got in front of the vehicle and "with her hands on the hood braced her body and hands against the vehicle while remaining directly in the path of the vehicle."
Prosecutors also accused them of breaking the side mirrors and rear windshield wiper of a federal vehicle while etching a derogatory message on the car.
"No one is above the law and no one has the right to obstruct it," said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche in a statement. "Federal agents perform dangerous, essential work every single day to enforce our immigration laws and keep our communities safe. When individuals resort to force or intimidation to interfere with that mission, they attack not only the agents themselves but the rule of law they represent. The Department of Justice will never tolerate such conduct and will continue to hold accountable anyone who seeks to impede lawful federal operations."
Abughazaleh responded to the charges on her social media account.
"This is a political prosecution and a gross attempt to silence dissent, a right protected under the First Amendment," she said in a video posted on X. "This case is a major push by the Trump administration to criminalize protest and punish anyone who speaks out against them."
"And because Chicago doesn’t back down from bullies in masks who tear gas our neighborhoods, this administration has resorted to weaponizing the federal justice system to scare us into silence. But we’re not going to be silent," she said.
She’s gained attention for her protests at the ICE facility, including when she was thrown to the ground by an agent last month, a video of which went viral on social media.
Woman thrown to ground during ICE protest in suburban Chicago
Protesters returned to the Broadview ICE processing center Friday for a day of demonstrations, vowing to keep pressure on federal immigration officials after previous tense confrontations.
Even one of Abughazaleh’s opponents in the Democratic field, Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss responded to the news of her indictment.
"The only people engaged in violent and dangerous behavior at Broadview have been ICE. As someone who has protested at Broadview multiple times, I know these protests are nonviolent demonstrations against the kidnapping of our neighbors. Now, the Trump Administration is targeting protestors, including political candidates, in an effort to silence dissent and scare residents into submission. It won’t work," Biss said. "I hope these frivolous charges are dropped immediately and Trump begins to listen to the vast majority of Americans who oppose his terror campaign."
Abughazaleh is running for the Democratic nomination in the 9th Congressional district which includes parts of Chicago’s North Side, northern and northwest suburbs.
Sharp also responded to the charges. She has served as the chief of staff for Ald. Andre Vasquez (40th Ward) and is running for a Cook County Board seat.
"This is a scary moment," she said in a statement. "But I want you to know that I am confident that a jury of my peers will see these charges for exactly what they are - another effort by the Trump administration to frighten people out of participating in protest and exercising their First Amendment rights."
Vasquez said the federal government is "targeting" Sharp and others for "standing up and speaking out against their brutal campaign against immigrants."
The defendants are set to be arraigned on Nov. 5.