AOTR Elevates the Rafael Veraza Family

Sai Marie/InfinityxCreations

AOTR URGENT ALERT: Authors of the Resistance Elevate the Veraza Family and the Fight Against ICE Impunity  We stand with the Veraza family of Cicero, IL, including their 1-year-old daughter, who were sprayed with a chemical irritant by federal immigration agents on Saturday, November 8th, while driving to get groceries.  SHOPPING TRIP TURNED TRAUMATIC: Rafael Veraza and his family, including their infant child, were driving near 26th Street and Ogden Avenue. They were targeted and sprayed by agents in a dark-colored pickup truck "for no reason," according to Veraza, who insisted: "I was not a protester."  THE INCIDENT:  Agents deployed a chemical irritant on the family's vehicle.  The attack included an infant child.  It occurred near operations that led to tense clashes with protesters.  PATTERN OF IMPUNITY: This incident reflects a culture of aggressive and unaccountable enforcement where agents attack vulnerable community members—even those running errands. Veraza's words capture the pain: "Our daughter! Our daughter!"  CALL TO ACTION: Our communities deserve safety and dignity. We demand accountability for the agents who attacked the Veraza family and an end to aggressive, unchecked federal operations in our neighborhoods.  Defend your neighbors. Support the Veraza family. We take care of each other.  #JusticeForVeraza #ICEAccountability #ProtectOurChildren #NoImpunity #CiceroStands #AOTR

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00:00Radio Transmission. A message from authors of the resistance. Say their names. Rafael

00:06Verraza, wife and one-year-old daughter. In Cicero, Illinois, a local family is demanding

00:11answers after they say they were sprayed with a chemical irritant by federal immigration

00:15agents while driving to get groceries on Saturday. The incident took place near 26th Street and

00:21Ogden Avenue, around the same time federal agents were conducting nearby operations that led to

00:26clashes with protesters. The family was identified as Rafael Verraza, who was driving with his family,

00:32including his one-year-old daughter. Verraza described seeing a helicopter and whistles

00:37as he tried to leave a Sam's Club parking lot, realizing immigration agents were in the area.

00:42Verraza said a dark-colored pickup truck driving in the opposite direction passed them,

00:46and someone inside sprayed their car and others with the irritant, for no reason.

00:51Quote, Verraza insisted he was not a protester, stating,

00:54I was not a protester. I didn't have nothing against them.

00:58The shocking event has drawn attention from local groups.

01:02The Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, or ICIRR, posted videos of the

01:07incident on social media, with a timestamp showing it occurred around 11.18 a.m.

01:12Both a member of the family and a local pastor who is assisting them spoke publicly about their

01:16traumatic experience at a news conference on Sunday, with the family's desperate cry echoing in

01:21the community. Our daughter. Our daughter, say their names. Rafael Verraza, wife, and one-year-old

01:27baby girl. This has been a message from the AOTR.

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