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A Democratic congressional candidate in Illinois has been indicted on federal charges stemming from an incident in which protesters allegedly attacked an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) vehicle outside a Chicago suburb facility last month.
Katherine “Kat” Abughazaleh, 26, who has branded herself as a “Gen Z influencer” running for Congress in Illinois’s 9th District, is accused of conspiracy to impede or injure an ICE officer while on duty in Broadview, Illinois, on Sept. 26, according to a Thursday indictment unsealed Wednesday.
Abughazaleh had been expected to win the Democratic nomination to succeed Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL.), 81, who is retiring.
Five other protesters were also indicted alongside Abughazaleh, including one of her associates and two other political candidates. The defendants include Andre Martin, described in the indictment as an associate who worked for or with her; Michael Rabbit, a Democratic committeeperson in Chicago’s 45th Ward; Catherine Sharp, a candidate for the Cook County Board of Commissioners; Brian Straw and Joselyn Walsh, who are listed as Illinois residents.
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According to the indictment, a group of individuals surrounded a government vehicle with “intent to hinder or impede” operations by “aggressively” banging and pushing the car. The protesters allegedly etched derogatory messages including the word “PIG” into the car, broke a side mirror and damaged a rear windshield wiper.
The indictment also alleges that Abughazaleh moved to the front of the government vehicle during the confrontation, pressing her hands against the hood and using her body to block its path.
“No one is above the law and no one has the right to obstruct it,” Todd Blanche, Deputy Attorney General, said in a statement Wednesday. “The Department of Justice will never tolerate such conduct and will continue to hold accountable anyone who seeks to impede lawful federal operations.”
“All federal officials must be able to discharge the duties of their office without confronting force, intimidation, or threats,” Andrew S. Boutros, United States attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, added in a statement Wednesday. “As we have warned repeatedly, we will seek to hold accountable those who cross the line from peaceful protests to unlawful actions or conspiracies that interrupt, hinder, or impede the due administration of Justice.”
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Abughazaleh responded to the charges in a post on X Wednesday, claiming that she is being targeted for exercising her First Amendment rights.
“This is a political prosecution and a gross attempt at silencing dissent, a right protected under the First Amendment,” Abughazaleh said. “This case is yet another attempt by the Trump administration to criminalize protest and punish those who dare to speak up. That’s why I’m going to fight these unjust charges.”
The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge April Perry, who is also presiding over a separate case involving President Donald Trump’s efforts to deploy the National Guard to Chicago. Perry had previously blocked the deployment of troops, citing that there was no evidence of a “danger of rebellion” in the state after the Trump administration had requested an emergency stay.
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Protests at the ICE facility have recently thrust Abughazaleh into the spotlight, including an incident last month when an agent reportedly threw her to the ground — a moment that went viral on social media.
The “Gen Z influencer” is a former video producer at the liberal watchdog Media Matters for America, which has also garnered a large TikTok following.
Abughazaleh’s indictment comes shortly after another Democratic politician, Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-N.J.), was charged with assaulting ICE agents, underscoring an increase in cases involving political figures allegedly interfering with immigration enforcement.
Fox News’ Brie Stimson contributed to this report.
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