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  "path": "/immigration/2026/03/13/chicago-trump-abughazaleh-justice-department-broadview-midway-blitz-ice",
  "publishedAt": "2026-03-13T19:58:20.282Z",
  "site": "https://chicago.suntimes.com",
  "textContent": "<p>Four demonstrators who say they’ve been targeted for conspiracy charges because they spoke out against the Trump administration want a judge<b> </b>to force prosecutors<b> </b>to hand over records that could show the White House<b> </b>improperly influenced their<b> </b>indictment.</p><p>A new 26-page motion<b> </b>lays out a case<b> </b>that the charges leveled against the group, including congressional candidate Kat<b> </b>Abughazaleh, is another example of President Donald Trump's administration using the Justice Department to target his “perceived political enemies.”</p><p>“The record readily shows how the Trump administration and its allies have expressly targeted Ms. Abughazaleh on numerous occasions in response to her public criticisms of it and its aggressive immigration enforcement tactics,” the defense attorneys wrote.</p><div class=\"RelatedList Enhancement\" data-module data-align-center> <div class=\"RelatedList-title\">Related</div> <ul class=\"RelatedList-items\"> <li class=\"RelatedList-items-item\"> <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/immigration/2026/03/12/chicago-midway-blitz-immigration-trump-kat-abughazaleh-sharp-joselyn-walsh-broadview-six\" >Broadview 4? Feds drop conspiracy charges against 2 ICE protesters, including Dem who ended campaign</a> </li> </ul> </div> <p>Abughazaleh is running in Tuesday’s primary for the Democratic nomination<b> </b>for Illinois’ 9th Congressional District.</p><p>But the new motion also points to the activism of Abughazaleh’s co-defendants. They include Oak Park village trustee Brian Straw, 45th Ward Democratic committeeperson Michael Rabbitt and Andre Martin, a senior member of Abughazaleh’s campaign.</p><p>The motion comes one day after prosecutors <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/immigration/2026/03/12/chicago-midway-blitz-immigration-trump-kat-abughazaleh-sharp-joselyn-walsh-broadview-six\" target=\"_blank\" >dropped<b> </b>charges against two</a> of the original six defendants in the case: Joselyn<b> </b>Walsh, a musician, and <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/immigration/2026/01/06/cook-county-board-candidate-suspends-campaign-to-fight-indictment\" target=\"_blank\" >Catherine “Cat” Sharp</a>, a Democrat who dropped her bid for Cook County Board<b> </b>in Tuesday’s primary<b> </b>to fight the charges.</p><p>The conspiracy case is set for trial May 26. The charges revolve around events on the morning of Sept. 26<b> </b>outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement<b> </b>facility<b> </b>in Broadview. Prosecutors on Friday said they intend to narrow the case to claims that the group conspired to prevent, \"by force and intimidation,\" a federal agent from discharging his duties.</p><div class=\"Enhancement\" data-align-center> <div class=\"Enhancement-item\" data-crop=\"\"> <figure class=\"Figure\"><a class=\"AnchorLink\" id=\"image-580000\" name=\"image-580000\"></a> <picture data-crop=\"medium\"> <source type=\"image/webp\" width=\"490\" height=\"275\" data-srcset=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/ed33c9f/2147483647/strip/true/crop/7178x4028+0+380/resize/490x275!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F11%2Ff2%2Fa4dbd86e4a8296c4e11d4a681305%2Fabughazaleharraigned-111325-111225-006.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/04c11de/2147483647/strip/true/crop/7178x4028+0+380/resize/980x550!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F11%2Ff2%2Fa4dbd86e4a8296c4e11d4a681305%2Fabughazaleharraigned-111325-111225-006.jpg 2x\" data-lazy-load=\"true\" srcset=\"data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4=\" /> <source width=\"490\" height=\"275\" data-srcset=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/b04bf10/2147483647/strip/true/crop/7178x4028+0+380/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F11%2Ff2%2Fa4dbd86e4a8296c4e11d4a681305%2Fabughazaleharraigned-111325-111225-006.jpg\" data-lazy-load=\"true\" srcset=\"data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4=\" /> <img class=\"Image\" alt=\"ABUGHAZALEHARRAIGNED-111325-111225_006.jpg\" srcset=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/b04bf10/2147483647/strip/true/crop/7178x4028+0+380/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F11%2Ff2%2Fa4dbd86e4a8296c4e11d4a681305%2Fabughazaleharraigned-111325-111225-006.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/b3bdbc8/2147483647/strip/true/crop/7178x4028+0+380/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F11%2Ff2%2Fa4dbd86e4a8296c4e11d4a681305%2Fabughazaleharraigned-111325-111225-006.jpg 2x\" width=\"490\" height=\"275\" data-src=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/b04bf10/2147483647/strip/true/crop/7178x4028+0+380/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F11%2Ff2%2Fa4dbd86e4a8296c4e11d4a681305%2Fabughazaleharraigned-111325-111225-006.jpg\" data-lazy-load=\"true\" src=\"data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4=\" > </picture> <div class=\"Figure-content\"><figcaption class=\"Figure-caption\"><p>Congressional candidate Kat Abughazaleh, facing charges of conspiracy for protest actions at the Broadview Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility, speaks at a press conference at Federal Plaza, Wednesday on Nov. 12, 2025. </p></figcaption><span class=\"line\"></span><div class=\"Figure-credit\"><p>Arthur Maiorella/For the Sun-Tim</p></div></div> </figure> </div> </div><p>Defense attorneys asked U.S. District Judge<b> </b>April Perry<b> </b>on Friday<b> </b>to force prosecutors<b> </b>to turn over records relating to “any improper influence exerted upon the U.S. Attorney’s office” that was tied to the targeting of the four defendants.</p><p>They also sought a federal agent’s<b> </b>training records<b> </b>and internal communications<b> </b>between the feds related to crowd management<b> </b>outside the Broadview facility.</p><p>The defense attorneys included a photo of Trump’s image<b> </b>at the front entryway to the Justice Department’s<b> </b>headquarters<b> </b>in Washington, D.C.,<b> </b>alleging the department is being used to retaliate against Trump's enemies.</p><p>The attorneys noted that far-right<b> </b>influencer<b> </b>Laura Loomer, who reportedly has the president’s ear, “praised”<b> </b>an agent<b> </b>who body-slammed<b> </b>Abughazaleh<b> </b>during a Sept. 19<b> </b>protest<b> </b>outside the ICE facility.</p><p>They also pointed to media reports placing Abughazaleh on a so-called “Enemies List.”</p><div class=\"Enhancement\" data-align-center> <div class=\"Enhancement-item\" data-crop=\"\"> <figure class=\"Figure\"><a class=\"AnchorLink\" id=\"image-2d0000\" name=\"image-2d0000\"></a> <picture data-crop=\"medium\"> <source type=\"image/webp\" width=\"490\" height=\"275\" data-srcset=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/4f3b8a1/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1208x678+0+95/resize/490x275!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F7d%2F1f%2F27e73cc44c8094f0308540c99077%2Fbview2.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/85b0528/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1208x678+0+95/resize/980x550!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F7d%2F1f%2F27e73cc44c8094f0308540c99077%2Fbview2.jpg 2x\" data-lazy-load=\"true\" srcset=\"data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4=\" /> <source width=\"490\" height=\"275\" data-srcset=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/ec0fa4d/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1208x678+0+95/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F7d%2F1f%2F27e73cc44c8094f0308540c99077%2Fbview2.jpg\" data-lazy-load=\"true\" srcset=\"data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4=\" /> <img class=\"Image\" alt=\"__Bview2.jpg\" srcset=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/ec0fa4d/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1208x678+0+95/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F7d%2F1f%2F27e73cc44c8094f0308540c99077%2Fbview2.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/dd0c817/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1208x678+0+95/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F7d%2F1f%2F27e73cc44c8094f0308540c99077%2Fbview2.jpg 2x\" width=\"490\" height=\"275\" data-src=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/ec0fa4d/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1208x678+0+95/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F7d%2F1f%2F27e73cc44c8094f0308540c99077%2Fbview2.jpg\" data-lazy-load=\"true\" src=\"data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4=\" > </picture> <div class=\"Figure-content\"><figcaption class=\"Figure-caption\"><p>An image from an MS NOW report that depicts congressional candidate Kat<b> </b>Abughazaleh on a so-called Justice Department “Enemies List.” It was included in a motion filed Friday by lawyers for Abughazaleh and three others charged in a conspiracy tied to a protest in suburban Broadview.</p></figcaption><span class=\"line\"></span><div class=\"Figure-credit\"><p>U.S. District Court records</p></div></div> </figure> </div> </div><p>Straw<b> </b>has spoken out against ICE as well,<b> </b>including by seeking termination<b> </b>of Oak Park’s contract<b> </b>for Flock's automated license plate readers, according to the motion.</p><p>He did so while noting<b> </b>that the data they collect<b> </b>has been used by ICE<b> </b>for immigration enforcement, the attorneys wrote.</p><p>Rabbitt was also among 47 congressional, state and local elected officials who signed a letter<b> </b>denouncing violence<b> </b>by federal agents, they noted.</p><p>The indictment in the case<b> </b>alleges that, while a federal agent<b> </b>drove a vehicle<b> </b>toward the Broadview facility, the defendants and others<b> </b>surrounded it. Members of the crowd<b> </b>allegedly<b> </b>banged on the vehicle, pushed against it, scratched it and even etched<b> </b>the word<b> </b>“PIG”<b> </b>into it.</p><div class=\"RelatedList Enhancement\" data-module data-align-center> <div class=\"RelatedList-title\">Related</div> <ul class=\"RelatedList-items\"> <li class=\"RelatedList-items-item\"> <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/immigration/2025/11/12/kat-abughazaleh-operation-midway-blitz-donald-trump-jb-pritzker-brandon-johnson-other-candidates-face-arraignment-in-broadview-conspiracy-case\" >‘We will win': Six Broadview protesters plead not guilty to conspiracy, decry attack on First Amendment</a> </li> </ul> </div> <p>The crowd allegedly broke a side mirror and a rear windshield wiper<b> </b>and forced<b> </b>the agent “to drive at an extremely slow rate of speed.”</p><p>The defense attorneys<b> </b>insisted Friday<b> </b>that none of their clients “utilized or exerted any force against the agent. No defendant threatened the agent or made any threat whatsoever. No defendant did anything to intimidate the agent.</p><p>“No defendant scratched the vehicle,”<b> </b>they wrote. “No defendant etched the word ‘Pig’ onto the vehicle. No defendant pulled the wiper blade off the vehicle.”</p><p>“The one commonality among these four defendants,” they insisted, “is that via social media platforms and public statements they were all outspoken critics of the Trump administration.”</p>",
  "title": "Remaining Broadview 6 defendants want records showing Trump administration's influence on conspiracy case",
  "updatedAt": "2026-03-13T20:03:58.829Z"
}