Evelyn, an 18-year-old U.S. citizen, was forcibly taken to the ground by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent, who pressed his knee against her back during the arrest. The incident occurred in Hoffman Estates, a suburban area northwest of Chicago, and has raised new concerns over the use of force by immigration authorities — especially against American citizens
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Evelyn was not alone. She was arrested alongside a 21-year-old man and a 17-year-old girl, both also U.S. citizens. According to witnesses and local reports, all three were cooperating at the time but were treated as suspects in what turned out to be a case of mistaken identity. They were detained, taken into custody, and released hours later without any charges filed.
Eyewitness video of the arrest, now circulating widely online, shows Evelyn on the pavement, visibly distressed, as an ICE officer holds her down. “I couldn’t breathe,” she reportedly said after the incident, echoing a phrase that has become all too familiar in recent years. The footage has sparked outrage across social media, with users questioning how and why American citizens could be subject to such aggressive tactics.
Legal experts have weighed in, noting that ICE — an agency primarily responsible for immigration enforcement — has no jurisdiction to detain U.S. citizens unless there is clear evidence of criminal activity, which was not present in this case. “This is a blatant overreach,” said a civil rights attorney based in Chicago. “We’re talking about American-born individuals being treated like undocumented criminals, without probable cause.”
The families of those arrested have spoken out, demanding answers and accountability. Evelyn’s mother described the moment she saw the video: “My daughter is a citizen. She did nothing wrong. Why was she treated like this? We need justice.”
As public pressure mounts, officials from ICE have yet to release a detailed statement on the incident. However, a spokesperson acknowledged that an internal review is underway and that they are “looking into the circumstances surrounding the encounter.”
Civil rights organizations are now calling for a full investigation and pushing for legislation that would place stricter limits on ICE’s authority in local communities. “This should never happen — not to Evelyn, not to anyone,” said a spokesperson from the ACLU. “We need transparency, and we need reform.”
For Evelyn, the physical marks may fade, but the emotional scars remain. “I still can’t believe it happened,” she said in a brief statement. “We were just minding our business. Next thing I know, I’m on the ground with someone’s knee in my back.”
As the story continues to unfold, it has become part of a larger national conversation about immigration enforcement, racial profiling, and the rights of U.S. citizens in encounters with federal agents.
