Chicago Pastor Joins Lawsuit Alleging Federal Abuse at ICE Protest: 'Officers Were Aiming for My Head'

A Chicago pastor who says he was shot multiple times with pellets by federal officers during a vigil on September 19 outside an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility has joined a sweeping lawsuit accusing the Trump administration of violating First Amendment rights during protests in Illinois.

Rev. David Black, senior pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Chicago, is among 11 plaintiffs—including journalists, clergy, and media organizations—who allege that federal agents used tear gas, pepper balls, and flash grenades to intimidate demonstrators and members of the press outside the Broadview ICE Processing Center, a longtime site of immigration protests.

The complaint, filed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Illinois and several partner organizations, names President Donald Trump, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, and multiple ICE and Customs and Border Protection officials as defendants.

The ACLU's statement said that over the summer, the Trump administration deployed federal forces to multiple U.S. cities "with announced missions to deter crime and enforce immigration laws," but that those forces "used violent force against the press, elected officials, religious leaders, and private individuals engaged in peaceful and protected activities."

he organization called the federal response "a blatant attempt to interfere with the most cherished and fundamental rights enshrined in the First Amendment," including freedom of speech, religion, and the press.

Black also shared his account through the ACLU statement:

"I extended my arms, palms outstretched toward the ICE officers, in a traditional Christian posture of prayer and blessing. Without any warning, and without any order or request that I and others disperse, I was suddenly fired upon by ICE officers. In rapid fire, I was hit seven times on my arms, face and torso with exploding pellets that contained some kind of chemical agent. It was clear to me that the officers were aiming for my head, which they struck twice"

A video of Black's account has circulated throughout social media:

Journalists involved in the lawsuit also reported being targeted. Stephanie Lulay, executive editor of Block Club Chicago, said four reporters and freelancers were struck by pepper balls or exposed to tear gas while covering the protests. "Our ability to do our work continues to be impacted by fears of violence and arrests," she said.

The plaintiffs are seeking an injunction to restrict the use of chemical agents and "less-lethal" weapons against peaceful demonstrators as the case moves forward in federal court.