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A federal grand jury has indicted Democratic congressional candidate Kat Abughazaleh and five others for allegedly blocking vehicles and obstructing a federal agent outside a U.S. immigration facility in Broadview, Illinois — a flashpoint in ongoing protests over the Trump administration’s immigration policies.
The indictment, filed Oct. 23, accuses Abughazaleh and her co-defendants of conspiring to impede and intimidate a federal officer “by force, intimidation, and threat.” Prosecutors allege that Abughazaleh “physically hindered and impeded” an agent who was forced to drive “at an extremely slow rate of speed to avoid injuring any of the conspirators.”
Abughazaleh, a former journalist and social media personality, faces one count of conspiracy and one count of forcibly interfering with a federal officer. She and the other defendants were not arrested but have been notified of the charges and are expected to self-surrender next Wednesday, according to court filings.
U.S. District Judge April M. Perry, a Biden appointee, has been assigned to the case.
Candidate calls charges “political prosecution”
In a post on social media, Abughazaleh said the indictment represented “an attack on all of our First Amendment rights.”
“I have been charged in a federal indictment sought by the Department of Justice. This political prosecution is an attack on all of our First Amendment rights. I’m not backing down, and we’re going to win,” she wrote.
Her attorney, Josh Herman, called the case “a political prosecution that tries to turn dissent and First Amendment opposition to the Trump administration’s cruel policies into a conspiracy.”
Abughazaleh is running in Illinois’ 9th Congressional District, currently represented by retiring Democratic Rep. Jan Schakowsky. Her campaign has centered on progressive causes, including immigrant rights and housing reform.
In a fundraising email to supporters, Abughazaleh said the charges were “yet another attempt by the Trump administration to criminalize protest and punish those who dare to speak up.”
Broadview protests and legal tensions
The Broadview ICE processing center, located in a Chicago suburb, has become a national focal point for activists protesting immigration enforcement. The suburb established a “First Amendment zone” to manage frequent demonstrations, and the mayor has restricted protest hours to protect residents.
Clashes between demonstrators and immigration authorities have at times escalated into arrests and federal First Amendment lawsuits.
Earlier this month, a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order limiting law enforcement’s use of tactics such as pepper balls and tear gas against protesters, particularly without warning.
The Department of Justice has not commented on the indictment.
