Children Harmed by ICE Tear Gas: Echoes of Selma’s Bloody Sunday

During 2026 enforcement, officers used tear gas and pepper spray, injuring 79 children. A six-month-old’s car was hit by a canister, a 12-year-old developed hives and respiratory issues, and a 17-year-old suffered an asthma attack near ICE facilities in Portland, Oregon and Broadview, Illinois.

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Charles Mauldin, now 78, recalls standing two rows behind John Lewis on the Edmund Pettus Bridge on March 7 1965 when police launched tear gas and clubs. He described the gas as making his lungs “implode.” Mauldin says the 2026 ICE tear-gas incidents echo that historic trauma.

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At least 79 minors have been harmed, but no standard regulates tear-gas or pepper-spray use, granting ICE discretion beyond many local police. Key actors include Department of Homeland Security (DHS), ICE, activist Charles Mauldin, and experts Sven Jordt, Dr. Sarita Chung, and Dr. Andrew Racine.

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DHS spokespersons claim the tear-gas deployments are justified to protect officers and the public from “dangerous rioters,” emphasizing that the agency does not target children.

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Critics argue the lack of a usage standard and the documented health harms make the practice unlawful and ethically indefensible.

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Mauldin describes the gas as burning his skin and forcing him to flee, a trauma he still processes. Families near ICE sites in Portland and Broadview report children with hives, throat irritation, and urgent-care visits. Pediatric specialists warn that exposure can cause psychological damage.

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There is no federal requirement to identify or follow up with individuals harmed by chemical munitions, and no agency systematically tracks each exposure. Research on long-term health outcomes of tear-gas inhalation remains sparse, leaving the full impact on children uncertain for policymakers.

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• “DHS does NOT target children,” — Department of Homeland Security spokesperson

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• “DHS is taking appropriate and constitutional measures to uphold the rule of law and protect our officers and the public from dangerous rioters,” — Department of Homeland Security spokesperson

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• “I’ll never forget the sound of his head being cracked,” — Charles Mauldin

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• “Without support, this could be a lifelong burden.” — Dr. Sarita Chung, Boston Children’s Hospital

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• “These reactions may dissipate over time, but the core event may stick with a child for much longer: “Some of them will remember this for a very, very, very long time.” — Dr. Andrew Racine, American Academy of Pediatrics

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Advocates urge Congress to enact a national standard for tear-gas and pepper-spray use and to require reporting of civilian injuries. Pediatric groups call for immediate mental-health screening for affected youths. Ongoing civil-rights investigations aim to document ICE’s chemical-crowd-control tactics and hold agencies accountable.

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