Chicago Pastor Sues Trump Over ICE Assault During Prayer at Migrant Processing Center

David Black, senior pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Chicago, has joined a federal lawsuit against the Trump administration following an incident in September where he was assaulted by ICE agents while praying during a protest at a migrant processing center in Broadview, Ill. The lawsuit alleges that federal officials authorized the use of excessive and unlawful force against demonstrators and journalists, violating their constitutional rights.

The incident occurred on Sept. 19, when Black was shot in the head with a pepper ball projectile and subjected to tear gas by ICE agents. Video footage captured the moment, showing Black falling after the impact and agents in gas masks advancing toward the crowd. Moments earlier, Black had been praying for the ICE agents on the roof of the facility, offering a plea for repentance and an invitation to receive salvation.

The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois on Oct. 6, accuses the Trump administration and other officials of orchestrating a pattern of extreme brutality to suppress free speech and media coverage. It describes federal agents as being equipped with combat gear, weapons, and tear gas, and advancing in formation against peaceful protesters.

The complaint also highlights the deployment of National Guard troops to Chicago and the Broadview ICE center to intimidate demonstrators and journalists. On Oct. 9, a federal judge issued an emergency temporary restraining order, prohibiting government agents from using force against faith-based demonstrators at the site.

The lawsuit alleges that federal agents have engaged in a range of violent tactics, including tackling individuals to the ground, firing rubber bullets and pepper balls, and using flash grenades and tear gas indiscriminately. These actions, according to the filing, were aimed at silencing the press and civilians.

The case underscores the tensions between immigration enforcement and the right to peaceful assembly, with religious leaders and journalists at the center of the conflict. The legal action seeks to hold those in power accountable for the use of force against demonstrators.

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