Democratic Rep. Adelita Grijalva of Arizona has come forward with alarming allegations after an encounter with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents during a raid at a local restaurant in Tucson. In a video statement shared on social media platform X, Grijalva described a distressing scene where approximately 40 ICE agents, many of whom were masked and arrived in several vehicles, were stationed in the middle of a street near Taco Giro, a restaurant frequented by her and local residents.
Grijalva recounted her experience, stating that she was pepper-sprayed and physically pushed by ICE agents. She emphasized that her behavior was non-confrontational, as she was simply seeking clarification regarding the situation. "I literally was not being aggressive; I was asking for clarification, which is my right as a member of Congress," she asserted.
In response to Grijalva's claims, Tricia McLaughlin, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, refuted her account. McLaughlin asserted that Grijalva was in proximity to another individual who was pepper-sprayed while allegedly obstructing law enforcement activities. "If her claims were true, this would be a medical marvel. But they’re not true. She wasn’t pepper-sprayed," McLaughlin stated, adding that being a member of Congress does not exempt individuals from obstructing law enforcement.
Furthermore, McLaughlin mentioned that two law enforcement officers sustained serious injuries during the incident. According to Ofc. Frank Magos of the Tucson Police Department, the ICE agents were executing a federal search warrant at Taco Giro when the situation escalated, prompting the use of chemical munitions to secure an exit from the area where community members had gathered.
Tucson Mayor Regina Romero and Vice Mayor Lane Santa Cruz released a joint statement condemning the actions of federal agents, describing the raid as a rapid escalation into violence against the public. They criticized the tactics used, noting that during the Trump administration, unidentified federal agents often wore ambiguous uniforms designed to confuse the public. "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," they stated.
Grijalva expressed her concern for the community, stating that she witnessed individuals, including press members and her own staff, being directly affected by the use of pepper spray. "The biggest problem that we have in this community is that we have [Trump] who has no regard for any due process, the rule of law, the Constitution," she stated. "They're literally disappearing people from the streets."
As this situation unfolds, NBC News has reached out to Grijalva’s office for further comments. Grijalva recently took office, having been sworn in just last month after winning a special election to fill her late father’s seat, the esteemed Rep. Raul Grijalva. The district she represents spans a border region from Tucson to Yuma, including suburban areas of Phoenix, making the implications of this incident particularly significant for her constituents.