Duckworth Hammers Trump Administration For Inflicting Lasting Trauma On Kids In Illinois, Across The Country During Violent Mass Deportation Campaign

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today called out the Trump Administration’s assault on Chicago that put innocent students in the crosshairs of their violent, error-ridden and out of control tactics throughout Operation Midway Blitz. At U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin’s (D-IL) spotlight forum, “The Kids Are Not Alright: How Mass Deportation is Traumatizing Children,” Duckworth underscored the absurdity of the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) excessive use of force near schools and the lasting trauma inflicted on students like Lia, an Illinoisan who testified as one of the witnesses. Duckworth’s full remarks can be found on the Senator’s YouTube.

“Before he was even sworn in for his second term, Trump made it clear that Chicago would be ‘ground zero’ for mass deportations—and that was a promise he made sure to keep,” said Duckworth. “Chicago students, who weren’t even back to school for a month at that point, were immediately put in danger. Not only were these kids seeing their friends, family members and neighbors being attacked, kidnapped and harassed… they themselves were being swept up in raids.’

Trump’s unhinged agents have been leaving lasting emotional scars on innocent children, from terrorizing elementary schools to tear-gassing neighborhood blocks. When questioning Lia, Duckworth pointed out how she or any of her classmates would get in trouble for vaping or smoking at school. The Senator also noted how she was prohibited from using tear gas against foreign combatants as a Soldier in Iraq. And yet, Trump’s agents deployed the dangerous chemical irritant routinely near schools in Chicago.

“In Illinois, any use of cigarettes or vapes within 15 feet of any school property is illegal—so we can agree as a society that alcohol, tobacco and drugs should be kept away from our schools, but we apparently draw the line at chemical weapons known to cause burning, pain, skin inflammation, temporary blindness and respiratory distress,” said Duckworth. “Think about that. A chemical irritant that I, as a Soldier in an active warzone, was legally prohibited from using against foreign combatants…was deployed near elementary schools.”

“The trauma Trump’s agents have inflicted truly is a crisis, and my heart breaks for all the children who will carry these scars with them for a lifetime,” continued Duckworth. “These are Illinois children—my constituents—and they deserve better.”

Duckworth has fiercely pushed back against the Trump Administration’s mass deportation campaign and has been leading the charge to demand accountability and reforms of Trump’s DHS. Two months ago, the Senator announced her plans to force independent investigations into Trump’s agents’ use of excessive—and at times deadly—force against American citizens. Duckworth first called on the DHS and DOJ OIGs to investigate officer-involved use of force incidents last October, following a series of shockingly violent assaults and reckless shootings by Trump’s masked agents against Illinoisans, and Duckworth reiterated and expanded her request following the brutal killing of Renee Good, an American citizen and mother of three. Shamefully, just days before Trump’s agents murdered Alex Pretti, the DHS and DOJ OIGs—both of whom Trump appointed—denied Duckworth’s request.

More like this:

Duckworth Meets DHS IG and Reiterates Her Demand for Independent Investigations into Trump Agent Killings

Feb 2, 2026

Duckworth Votes Against Confirmation of Markwayne Mullin as DHS Secretary

Mar 24, 2026

Duckworth Demands Trump Administration Remove ICE Investigators from Alex Pretti Shooting Investigation

Feb 5, 2026

Duckworth Pushes to Allow Wrongfully Detained Citizens—and Families of Citizens Wrongfully Killed—by Trump’s Agents to Sue Federal Government

Feb 2, 2026

Duckworth Seeks to Force Independent Investigations of Trump Agents’ Use of Excessive and Deadly Force Against American Citizens

Jan 27, 2026