79 Children Harmed by Tear Gas and Pepper Spray in Trump-Era Immigration Raids, Investigation Finds

Children walking to school in Broadview, Illinois, or leaving a shopping center in Columbus, Ohio. Infants in strollers in Chicago, a teen with asthma gasping for air in Minneapolis, and a 1-year-old girl struggling to breathe after pepper spray was fired into her family’s car in Portland, Oregon. These are just some of the scenes documented by ProPublica, which identified 79 children harmed by tear gas or pepper spray as federal immigration agents dramatically escalated their use during President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown.

Federal agents deployed chemical irritants near homes, schools, and family vehicles, often without warning. The chemicals seeped into bedrooms, clung to skin, and forced children to flee in distress. In one case, an infant temporarily stopped breathing after exposure. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has repeatedly defended its agents, blaming “agitators” in crowds and parents for placing children in harm’s way.

Videos Contradict DHS Claims of Responsible Use

ProPublica’s investigation, based on videos and testimonies, reveals a pattern of indiscriminate and aggressive use of chemical weapons by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents:

• Tear gas fired into a crowd with at least seven children present, captured on video just before a bystander shouted, “There’s children here.”
• Agents hurling tear gas canisters at protesters without apparent provocation, followed by a CBP agent in a bodycam video firing pepper balls while shouting, “Fuck yeah” and “Woo!”
• Pepper spray fired through a car window, striking a 1-year-old girl in the backseat. A bystander’s video shows her in tears, struggling to breathe. The DHS dismissed the incident as a “disgusting pepper spray hoax,” but a local pastor testified before an Illinois state commission, stating, “There’s literally video evidence.”

Legal Challenges and Historical Comparisons

Historians have drawn unsettling parallels between the scope and intensity of the agents’ chemical weapon deployments and brutal crackdowns by Southern law enforcement during the Civil Rights Movement. The legality of these tactics has faced intense scrutiny, with judges across the country condemning ICE and CBP for using excessive force.

In multiple cities, courts ruled that agents showed “deliberate indifference” to the risks posed to children and others. Judges ordered officers to limit the use of chemical weapons in areas targeted by lawsuits—but these rulings had no nationwide impact. ProPublica found that children in other communities continued to be harmed despite the legal pushback.

Lack of Accountability and Inconsistent Policies

The controversy has exposed glaring inconsistencies in how and when chemical irritants are deployed. While some jurisdictions faced court orders to curb their use, others operated without oversight. The absence of a unified federal policy has left children and families vulnerable to repeated exposure, raising serious questions about accountability and the ethical use of force by federal immigration authorities.