ICE raid targets Tucson restaurant amid immigration sweep On December 5 2025, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents stormed Taco Giro, a restaurant in Tucson, Arizona, deploying roughly 40 masked officers in several vehicles as part of a broader federal immigration operation [1][2]. The agents confronted a crowd that gathered outside, leading to chaotic exchanges between protesters and law‑enforcement personnel [2]. Local officials reported the use of smoke grenades and noted confusion over agent uniforms during the confrontation [2].

Congresswoman Grijalva claims personal pepper‑spray incident Representative Adelita Grijalva posted a video on X asserting that an ICE officer sprayed her in the face with pepper spray while she asked questions about the raid, adding that she was pushed aside by agents [1][2]. She later shared a second video showing uniformed officials dispersing a crowd with what appeared to be pepper spray, urging her staff to calm the situation [1]. Grijalva framed the episode as evidence of excessive force and obstruction by federal agents [1].

DHS Assistant Secretary refutes pepper‑spray allegation DHS spokesperson and Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin responded on X and via email, stating that Grijalva was not pepper‑sprayed and that the spray was directed at another individual in the crowd [1][2]. McLaughlin reported that two ICE officers sustained serious injuries from the protesters and characterized Grijalva’s presence as obstructive [1]. The department’s denial emphasizes that no official record corroborates the congresswoman’s claim [2].

Local leaders and Democrats demand investigation Tucson Mayor Regina Romero and Vice Mayor Lane Santa Cruz condemned the federal agents’ tactics, describing the incident as an escalation that warranted a formal inquiry [2]. Arizona Democrats Senator Ruben Gallego and Representative Adriano Espaillat labeled the alleged pepper‑spray “disgraceful” and called for accountability from ICE [2]. The controversy unfolds amid heightened criticism of the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement strategy [2].