Kat Abughazaleh, a progressive Democrat vying for an open House seat in Illinois, is now facing federal charges following her participation in a protest at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) processing center outside Chicago.
According to the indictment, Abughazaleh is accused of conspiracy to impede or injure a federal officer and assaulting or impeding an officer in the performance of their duties at the Broadview ICE detention center. Authorities allege that in September, she and other protesters surrounded a government vehicle, banged on the hood and windows, scratched the body, etched the word “PIG” into the car, and broke a side mirror and rear windshield wiper. Video of the protest, posted by Abughazaleh, shows demonstrators placing hands on the vehicle as it attempted to move through the crowd.
Abughazaleh, a social media influencer who recently relocated to Illinois, described the charges as “political prosecution” and a “gross attempt to silence dissent.” She criticized the Trump administration, saying the case represents an effort to criminalize protest and punish those who speak out.
Other political figures named in the indictment include Catherine Sharp, chief of staff to a Chicago alderman; Michael Rabbitt, a Chicago Democratic ward committeeman; and Brian Straw, a suburban Oak Park Village board member. Sharp’s attorney dismissed the charges as “ludicrous”, framing them as an attempt to intimidate protesters and suppress First Amendment rights.
The Broadview detention center has been the focus of frequent demonstrations since ICE ramped up operations in the city under former President Trump. Abughazaleh has reportedly protested there multiple times, including an earlier incident where she was teargassed and forcibly taken to the ground by agents.
Following the indictment, Evanston Mayor and fellow candidate for the seat, Daniel Biss, condemned the charges as “frivolous” and accused ICE of “violent and dangerous behavior at Broadview.” Biss emphasized that protests at the facility have been nonviolent and accused the administration of targeting political candidates in an attempt to intimidate communities.
As the race to replace Rep. Jan Schakowsky heats up, these charges inject a contentious legal and political element into an already crowded Democratic primary field.
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