A heartbreaking incident in Cicero, Illinois, has sparked outrage after a one-year-old girl, identified as Ariana Veraza, was reportedly pepper-sprayed by Border Patrol agents during an immigration operation gone wrong.

According to her father, Rafael Veraza, the incident occurred on Saturday, November 8, near a Sam’s Club parking lot, where the family had gone for shopping.

Rafael claimed that as his family was driving out of the parking lot with their car windows down, agents suddenly pepper-sprayed into their vehicle, hitting both him and his infant daughter.

“The agent started spraying from the front of the car toward the back. I got sprayed all over my face,”
Rafael said at a press conference on Sunday, adding that he struggled to breathe due to his asthma and that his baby was in visible pain.

“My daughter was trying to open her eyes. She was struggling to breathe,” he added tearfully.

Both father and daughter were rushed to the hospital, where they received treatment and were later discharged.

The family now says they are considering legal action to seek justice and cover the medical care Ariana requires.

However, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has denied the allegations, insisting that no pepper spray was deployed in the Sam’s Club parking lot.

DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin wrote on social media:

“No. There was no crowd control or pepper spray deployed in a Sam’s Club parking lot. Over the weekend, law enforcement was attacked with gunfire, bricks, and vehicles during immigration operations in Chicago.”

According to a DHS press release, Border Patrol agents were attacked while conducting operations in Little Village, a nearby community, and had been boxed into a street and alleyway by what officials described as a “hostile crowd.”

As investigations continue, the Veraza family and immigrant rights groups are demanding a full inquiry into the alleged use of force and the safety of civilians — especially children — during immigration enforcement operations.