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NOTE: The above-video is from early October and includes reporting on the incident involving Fuentes and federal agents Chicago Ald. Jessie Fuentes has filed a federal claim after she was allegedly assaulted and threatened with arrest by immigration agents at a hospital earlier this month. The claim was filed under the Federal Tort Claims Act, a law that covers “individuals who are injured or whose property is damaged by the wrongful or negligent act of a federal employee acting in the scope of his or her official duties.” According to the claim, federal agents entered Humboldt Health Hospital on October 3, transporting a detainee they said had resisted arrest during an immigration enforcement operation. Fuentes said she was called to the hospital by concerned workers, and asked the agents if they had a judicial warrant for the detainee’s arrest. She alleges that she was sworn at, shoved and grabbed by federal agents, and they handcuffed her and led her out of the hospital. The agents then allegedly threatened to arrest her if she returned. Fuentes is now seeking $100,000 in damages from the U.S. government, alleging physical and emotional injuries from the incident. "Federal agents have been deployed to our city in an effort to create chaos, violate individuals’ constitutional rights, and unjustly separate families. Federal agents are not above the law, and we must hold them accountable,” she said in a statement. The interaction was captured on video on Fuentes’ Facebook page. Jan Susler, Fuentes’ attorney, also issued a statement following the claim’s filing. “It is indeed a frightening time, when unidentified federal agents shove, grab, handcuff, and detain an elected official in the exercise of her duties. Ald. Fuentes is demonstrating the importance of standing up for herself, her community, and her constituency, holding accountable those who, in their anonymity, wreak terror and havoc,” she said. Fuentes’ claim alleges that agents “intentionally inflicted emotional distress,” and that they wrongfully detained her and assaulted her. She was not charged in connection with the incident. Homeland Security Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin released a statement immediately after the October 3 incident, explaining why the individual was detained and that Fuentes was one of more than two dozen individuals who "attempted to break into" the facility. “During a targeted immigration enforcement operation in Chicago, U.S. Border Patrol vehicles were impeded by protesters,” she said. “After repeated vocal attempts to disperse the crowd, USBP deployed tear gas and pepper balls. During this operation an illegal alien was arrested and later complained of a leg injury after attempting to flee law enforcement. Out of an abundance of caution he was taken to the hospital for medical treatment. Our brave officers are facing a surge in increase in assaults against them, inducing sniper attacks, cars being used as weapons on them, and assaults by rioters,” she said. “This violence against law enforcement must END. We will not be deterred by rioters and protesters in keeping America safe.” NBC Chicago has reached out to DHS for a statement on the filing by Fuentes.
