ICE accuses Dem lawmaker of joining 'rioting crowd' in Arizona, interfering in mass arrest

Immigration and Customs Enforcement ICE on Wednesday accused Rep Adelita Grijalva D-Ariz of joining a rioting crowd and attempting to interfere with agents during a mass arrest operation last week The accusation came after Grijalva claimed she was pushed aside and pepper sprayed during an immigration raid on Dec in Tucson an account ICE flatly rejected During the operation U S Representative Adelita Grijalva joined the rioting crowd and attempted to impede law enforcement officers then took to social media to slander law enforcement by falsely claiming she was pepper sprayed ICE mentioned in a message Fox News Digital has reached out to Grijalva s office for comment JUDGE REJECTS REP LAMONICA MCIVER S BID TO TOSS ASSAULT OCCURRENCE SAYS HER ACTIONS HAD NO LEGISLATIVE PURPOSE ICE and its federal partners arrested illegal immigrants during the operation the conclusion of a multiyear scrutiny into a transnational criminal organization involved in labor exploitation tax violations and immigration violations the agency reported ICE revealed over agitators arrived at one of the locations it searched and attempted to impede law enforcement operations Agitators expeditiously turned violent assaulting officers and slashing tires ICE added DEM-BACKED DIGNITY BILL COULD STRIP ICE OF DETENTION POWERS ERASE IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT CRITICS WARNIn a post on X on Friday Grijalva commented she was pushed aside and pepper sprayed after seeking information from officers during ICE s operation near the Taco Giro restaurant ICE just conducted a raid by Taco Giro in Tucson a small mom-and-pop restaurant that has served our region for years Grijalva wrote When I presented myself as a Member of Congress asking for more information I was pushed aside and pepper sprayed Grijalva also called ICE a lawless agency that is operating with no transparency no accountability and open disregard for basic due process in a separate X post MANHUNT UNDERWAY AFTER FEDERAL AGENTS TAKE GUNFIRE AS RIOTERS RAM VEHICLES HURL DEBRIS IN CHICAGODepartment of Homeland Protection Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin instantly disputed Grijalva's account saying she was never directly sprayed but merely in the vicinity of someone who was If her indicates were true this would be a anatomical marvel McLaughlin noted But they re not true She wasn t pepper sprayed She was in the vicinity of someone who was pepper sprayed as they were obstructing and assaulting law enforcement ICE explained two people in the crowd were arrested one for assaulting a federal law enforcement officer and another for damaging a executive bicycle Two Homeland Shield Analysis Special Response Crew operators were also injured When reached for comment DHS referred Fox News Digital to ICE s message on the operation ICE did not right now respond to a request for comment