A freshly sworn-in Arizona congresswoman says she was pepper-sprayed by ICE agents during a violent federal raid at one of her favorite taco joints — a shocking confrontation that’s reigniting anger over President Trump’s hardline immigration policies.
Rep. Adelita Grijalva, 55, had gone to Taco Giro, a decades-old Tucson eatery she’s frequented since childhood, when roughly 40 ICE agents swarmed the area Friday afternoon.
Moments later, chaos erupted.
“I identified myself as a Member of Congress and simply asked what was happening,” Grijalva said in a video posted to social media. “An agent shoved me, sprayed me directly in the face, and told me to ‘get back.’ I was there to make sure my community wasn’t being terrorized.”
Videos from the scene show the Democratic lawmaker rubbing her eyes, surrounded by shouting protesters and uniformed officers firing pepper spray and smoke canisters. In one clip, an explosive device lands at Grijalva’s feet, filling the air with white smoke as she steps back, visibly shaken.
The raid — reportedly part of a multi-agency federal operation targeting tax and immigration violations — quickly spiraled into a flashpoint in Arizona’s ongoing battle with federal immigration enforcement under Trump’s second term.
Tucson Mayor Regina Romero and Vice Mayor Lane Santa Cruz issued a scathing joint statement Friday night:
“This was an excessive and reckless use of force against peaceful civilians. Federal officers turned a neighborhood lunch spot into a war zone. President Trump’s inhumane policies are fueling fear and violence — and now, even our elected officials are targets.”
The statement accused ICE of “deploying pepper balls and smoke grenades without warning” and demanded a federal inquiry into the agents’ conduct.
The Department of Homeland Security disputed Grijalva’s version of events, with Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin suggesting the congresswoman was merely “in the vicinity” of someone who was pepper-sprayed.
“Two federal officers were injured by this mob that Rep. Grijalva joined,” McLaughlin said. “Being a member of Congress does not grant immunity from interfering with law enforcement.”
ICE officials confirmed 16 search warrants were executed across southern Arizona but refused to release the number of people detained.
A spokesperson for ICE told 13 News Tucson, “This was a years-long investigation, and we will release arrest numbers once confirmed. Any use of force was in response to assaults on federal agents.”
The violent encounter marks another dramatic chapter in Grijalva’s rocky first month in Congress.
Elected in a September special election to fill Arizona’s 7th District seat, she had been blocked from taking office for nearly two months as House Speaker Mike Johnson cited procedural delays tied to the government shutdown.
Democrats accused Johnson of stalling her swearing-in because she was the final signature needed to force a vote on releasing the Epstein files, a move fiercely opposed by Trump-aligned Republicans.
“His obstruction was more than partisan — it was unconstitutional,” Grijalva said last month.
When she was finally sworn in on November 12, she called it “a victory for democracy.” Now, just three weeks later, she’s facing pepper spray instead of policy debates.
Friday’s confrontation has already become a rallying cry for progressives nationwide, with #StandWithAdelita trending across social media. Civil rights groups are demanding an investigation and calling for the agents involved to be suspended.
“Imagine what happens to undocumented people when the cameras aren’t rolling,” said Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) on X. “If ICE is willing to pepper-spray a congresswoman, no one is safe.”
Grijalva herself summed it up bluntly:
“If this is how they treat me, an elected official, what chance does an ordinary person have?”
Source: [The Daily Beast, Dec. 5, 2025]
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Insects get in to any where we humans can’t reach; Open criminals are rare! David.
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She obviously needs to cut down on the fast food and do more running for office… and losing…
She makes the statement of “if this is what they do to me, think of what they do to ordinary people. Like she isn’t ordinary people anymore. This is what is wrong with our elected officials now. They all think they are better than ordinary people now.
Talking about an interesting way to lose a congressional vote SOREVER!!!!