(ALBANY PARK, ILLINOIS) U.S. Border Patrol agents arrested 10 undocumented immigrants during coordinated operations on Halloween, October 31, 2025, detaining five people in Albany Park and five more in Evanston and Skokie, according to the Department of Homeland Security. One person remains in ICE custody after an immigration judge previously ordered them to leave the country, federal officials said. The actions sparked angry confrontations at the scenes, led to three arrests of U.S. citizens in Evanston for alleged violence against law enforcement, and prompted local schools to suspend outdoor activities as police and paramedics responded.
The arrests in Albany Park involved five undocumented immigrants from Guatemala, India, Ecuador, and Mexico, DHS said. In Evanston and Skokie, agents detained five undocumented immigrants from Mexico, with federal officials saying their criminal histories included criminal trespass and multiple illegal entries into the United States. The operations, which officials tied to a broader enforcement surge, drew fast pushback from community leaders and residents who said the tactics used by agents unnecessarily escalated tensions and put families on edge during a busy holiday night.
Federal officials framed the events as part of an increasingly hostile environment for agents conducting immigration enforcement.
“Over the past several days, we’ve seen an increase in assaults and deliberate vehicle rammings targeting federal law enforcement during operations. These confrontations highlight the dangers our agents face daily and the escalating aggression toward law enforcement. The violence must end,” said DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin.
The department’s account of the Evanston incident said a red car aggressively tailgated a Border Patrol vehicle near Oakton Street and Ashbury Avenue before rear-ending it. Agents attempted a U-turn to discourage the driver, according to DHS, but the crash happened anyway, after which a crowd surrounded the vehicle, “verbally abusing and spitting on them.”
At the Evanston scene, agents used pepper spray to disperse the crowd. One person was arrested for actively resisting arrest during that confrontation, DHS said. The department also reported three U.S. citizens were taken into custody in Evanston on allegations of violence against law enforcement after the crash and ensuing standoff. Evanston Police confirmed the crash and the use of pepper spray but said no local arrests were made, adding that the investigation remains open. Paramedics treated several people affected by pepper spray in the area as the crowd thinned and officers secured the scene.
In Albany Park, Border Patrol arrests unfolded quickly and drew immediate attention from residents and local officials who converged on the block as agents detained several people. Surveillance and cellphone videos circulating afterward show agents arriving, detaining individuals, and confronting a growing crowd angry over the timing and manner of the operation. 33rd Ward Ald. Rossana Rodriguez-Sanchez, who was present, said she was pushed by agents while trying to assess what was happening.
“They decided to escalate it,” she said, describing the moment tensions flared.
The Albany Park arrests included one person who had been ordered removed by an immigration judge, with DHS stating that individual remains in ICE custody pending immigration proceedings.
In Evanston, residents described a chaotic scene as agents moved in and vehicles clustered at the intersection. Olivia Dunn, who lives nearby, said she recognized a neighbor among those being detained.
“We could see that they were detaining someone and throwing them down on the ground. It happens to be our friend,” Dunn said, adding that agents warned of tear gas before deploying pepper bullets.
The images of people coughing and wiping their eyes traveled quickly through local social media groups, fueling calls for clarity from city officials about federal authority and coordination with local police on Halloween night.
The operations triggered a sharp political response. Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss condemned the federal actions and accused immigration authorities of stoking unrest during a family-focused evening. He said ICE and CBP were “deliberately causing chaos” and issued a stark message aimed at federal teams operating in the city.
“Our message for ICE is simple: Get the hell out of Evanston,” Biss said.
City officials followed with a public alert warning residents of an increased federal presence in Evanston and nearby suburbs and advising caution as investigations into the confrontation continued.
DHS insisted that agents were acting within their authority and facing real threats. Alongside her warning about rising attacks on officers, Assistant Secretary McLaughlin used the moment to urge undocumented immigrants to consider a new path the department is promoting for those seeking to depart the country on their own. According to McLaughlin, officials were encouraging undocumented immigrants to use the CBP Home App for self-deportation, offering “$1,000 and a free flight to self-deport now.“ The department said the incentive is aimed at reducing risks to both agents and individuals by lowering the chance of confrontations during arrests.
The back-and-forth over federal presence coincided with a broader uptick in enforcement activity across the Chicago region, which officials have described as “Operation Midway Blitz,” with more than 1,500 arrests reported in recent weeks. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker had asked Department of Homeland Security to scale back activities on Halloween, hoping to limit potential conflicts as families were out in large numbers, but DHS Secretary Kristi Noem rejected the request.
“We’re going to be out on the streets in full force and increase our activities to make sure kids are safe,” Noem said, underscoring the administration’s stance that stepped-up enforcement and visible federal patrols serve public safety.
As details filtered out on Friday, neighbors in Albany Park recounted how quickly the situation escalated from a few agents on a quiet block to a street crowded with federal vehicles, residents filming on phones, and shouts echoing between apartment buildings. The video clips, some from doorbell cameras and others from bystanders, showed agents grabbing individuals and attempting to move them into vehicles while people shouted from sidewalks and stairwells. A witness said agents told the crowd to back away before more units arrived. Rodriguez-Sanchez said she tried to identify herself and ask questions but was shoved aside in the commotion, a claim DHS did not address in its statement.
In Evanston, the intersection at Oakton Street and Ashbury Avenue turned into the most volatile point of the night after the Border Patrol vehicle was rear-ended. Federal officials described the red car’s driver as aggressive and said the collision happened as agents were performing a U-turn to try to shake the tailgater. Local residents, drawn by flashing lights and the loud burst of shouting, converged on the scene just as tensions peaked. The use of pepper spray sent people scrambling, with some residents carrying water and milk to help those hit by the aerosol. Evanston’s fire department later confirmed it dispatched paramedics to treat several people who were exposed to the spray.
Evanston Police, while not making any local arrests, said they were assisting in the aftermath and would continue investigating the crash. City officials said the evening’s turmoil led two school districts—Evanston/Skokie School District 65 and Evanston Township High School District 202—to suspend outdoor activities for the remainder of the night as a precaution. Parents swapped messages about avoiding certain blocks, and several local organizations urged residents to stay calm and record interactions if they encountered federal agents.
The uneven records of those detained became a flashpoint for debate over the necessity and proportionality of the Halloween operations. DHS said the five undocumented immigrants detained in Evanston and Skokie had criminal histories that included criminal trespass and multiple illegal entries into the U.S. In Albany Park, three of the five detainees were from Guatemala, India, and Ecuador, with the fifth from Mexico; DHS did not release the names of those arrested. Immigrant advocacy groups argued that the timing of Border Patrol arrests on a holiday night risked public safety by provoking confrontations in crowded areas, while federal officials countered that recent behavior toward agents—including vehicle rammings—justified forceful responses and rapid dispersals when crowds formed.
The political reaction extended beyond Evanston. In Albany Park, elected officials and community leaders demanded clarity on whether Chicago police assisted or coordinated with federal agents, and what safeguards were in place to avoid conflicts in residential areas. Community groups pointed to the videos of people being pinned to the ground and shouted at as signs that the operations were not narrowly targeted. Meanwhile, DHS highlighted what it described as a surge in hostility to its personnel and reiterated that those attempting to obstruct federal arrests could face charges—an assertion echoed by the report that three U.S. citizens were arrested in Evanston for alleged violence against law enforcement.
Even as arguments sharpened, the practical aftermath focused on the detainees’ next steps and the investigations around the Evanston crash. DHS said one of the Albany Park arrestees remains in ICE custody because an immigration judge had previously ordered them to leave the country, a decision that positions the case for faster removal unless new proceedings intervene. For the others, federal officials indicated cases would move through standard processing channels. Residents in Albany Park said families were trying to find legal help and track where their relatives had been taken, a familiar scramble following sudden immigration enforcement in dense neighborhoods.
The national spotlight on the Chicago-area operations reflects a broader divide over how and where immigration enforcement should occur, particularly in sanctuary jurisdictions and on high-traffic community days. Mayor Biss’s rebuke—“deliberately causing chaos” and “Get the hell out of Evanston”—captured the anger of local officials who say federal activity is undermining trust built by city policies. DHS’s response, embodied in McLaughlin’s warning—“The violence must end”—framed the night as evidence that agents face unacceptable risks as they carry out arrests of undocumented immigrants with prior violations. Those dueling narratives set the stage for further clashes as federal operations continue.
As residents across Albany Park and Evanston replayed video clips and swapped accounts, a quieter undercurrent ran through the community: uncertainty. Families asked how long the enforcement surge would last, whether similar operations were planned, and what might happen if a street encounter escalated again. Federal officials, for their part, emphasized the availability of a new self-deportation pathway via the CBP Home App, paired with McLaughlin’s promise of “$1,000 and a free flight to self-deport now.“ Advocates questioned whether such offers would be clearly communicated or accessible to people who fear using government platforms, especially after a night marked by confrontation.
The Department of Homeland Security said its agents will continue to conduct operations in the region as part of ongoing enforcement. Local officials said they expect federal authorities to share more information with city departments and residents in advance of future actions, especially when they intersect with busy public events. For now, the aftermath includes pending immigration cases, federal and local reviews of the Evanston crash, and a community reckoning with images of pepper spray drifting across a neighborhood intersection. DHS has posted general guidance on immigration enforcement and public safety on the Department of Homeland Security website, where officials say they will provide updates as investigations proceed.
What remains clear is the divide over what unfolded on Halloween night. For DHS, the scenes at Oakton Street and Ashbury Avenue and the confrontations in Albany Park illustrate the hazards of on-the-ground enforcement and the need to rapidly clear crowds when Border Patrol arrests draw hostile responses. For city officials and many residents, the same scenes underscore the costs to neighborhoods where families live close to the curb and children were out in costumes. As the cases move forward and the investigations play out, both sides are signaling they have no plans to back down.
This Article in a Nutshell
On October 31, 2025, coordinated Border Patrol operations arrested 10 undocumented immigrants—five in Albany Park and five in Evanston/Skokie. One Albany Park detainee remains in ICE custody after a prior removal order. A vehicle crash at Oakton and Ashbury escalated tensions in Evanston, prompting pepper spray use, several arrests including three U.S. citizens accused of violence, and suspension of outdoor school activities. DHS defended the operations, linked them to increased attacks on agents, and promoted a CBP Home App self-deportation incentive. Local officials criticized federal tactics as unnecessarily provocative.
