Children Caught in the Crossfire: Tear Gas Use During the Trump Immigration Crackdown

During the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement surge, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) repeatedly fired tear-gas canisters, pepper-spray projectiles, and other chemical munitions to disperse demonstrators in Minneapolis, Portland, Chicago and other cities. Federal officials argue the tactics meet DHS guidelines that require the “minimum amount of force necessary” and policies that state agents “should not use” pepper spray or “less-lethal” chemicals against “small children.” Nonetheless, ProPublica documented dozens of pediatric injuries linked to these deployments.

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ProPublica’s tally counts 79 children harmed since 2025—almost four times the number cited in a congressional report—though the true figure is likely higher. Children’s faster breathing rates, narrower airways, and proximity to the ground increase exposure; in Minneapolis, tear-gas drifted a quarter mile, entering a nearby McDonald’s and causing coughing and throat irritation in households a block and a half from an ICE facility.

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Derrick Nash, whose home sits a block and a half from the Broadview, Illinois ICE facility, recounted his children’s reactions: “He was wigging out, saying, ‘I can’t breathe.’” The teenage son with asthma retreated to his bedroom, inhaler ineffective, while younger siblings coughed inside the house after tear-gas seeped in from the street.

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Federal judges have intermittently limited chemical use. In November 2025, an Illinois judge found agents acted “without justification, often without warning,” deeming the force excessive and issuing a limited injunction. A Portland judge later barred deployments unless the target posed “an imminent threat of physical harm.” Appeals have since vacated many orders, leaving agencies largely free to continue. Critics note the absence of a national tear-gas standard, the wide variance in agency policies, and the discrepancy between ProPublica’s 79 child injuries and the lower congressional count, underscoring reporting gaps and unknown long-term health effects.

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

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• “without justification, often without warning” — U.S. District Judge, Northern District of Illinois (2025)

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• “an imminent threat of physical harm.” — Judge issuing restraining order in Portland (2025)

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• “He was wigging out, saying, ‘I can’t breathe,’” — Derrick Nash, father

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Following the investigation, several members of Congress have urged stricter federal guidelines and mandatory training for chemical crowd-control. Proposed bills to standardize use-of-force policies and incentivize local police reforms have not yet reached a floor vote, leaving the current regulatory framework unchanged.

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