A federal immigration agent throws a tear gas canister at protesters on Oct. 14 at 105th Street and Avenue N in East Side. A Chicago police supervisor who did not have a gas mask washes the irritant from his eyes.
A federal immigration agent throws a tear gas canister at protesters on Oct. 14 at 105th Street and Avenue N in East Side. A Chicago police supervisor who did not have a gas mask washes the irritant from his eyes. (Credit: Sun-Times file photos)

Federal agents deployed tear gas on the Far South Side — sickening protesters and more than a dozen cops — despite a deputy Chicago police chief having told them his officers didn’t have gas masks and offering to clear a path so the agents could safely leave a chaotic scene, according to law enforcement sources.

Angry residents had poured into the street to confront federal immigration agents near 105th Street and Avenue N in the East Side neighborhood on Oct. 14 after agents had rammed a car while trying to make an arrest.

Want to read more?

Our stories are always free! We just need your email address.

By entering my email I consent to receiving additional emails from Illinois Answers Project, such as newsletters, event invitations, and occasional opportunities to support our work. I understand I can unsubscribe at any time.

Or

I agree to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Success! Your account was created and you’re signed in.

Peter Nickeas joined Better Government Association as an investigative reporter in 2023. He previously covered policing for CNN and violence for the Chicago Tribune. He was a 2019 fellow at the Nieman Foundation for Journalism and a 2018 Ochberg Fellow at the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma.

Tom Schuba is a reporter and editor at the Chicago Sun-Times focused on criminal justice issues, and he previously covered the legalization of marijuana across Illinois. He has earned a National Headliner Award for a series of stories investigating the state’s troubled cannabis testing regulations, among other prizes for his reporting.