‘Misuse’ of crowd control weapons on ICE protesters led to blindings and traumatic brain injuries, report finds

Key Points:

• A new report by Physicians for Human Rights and UC Berkeley's Human Rights Center documents 412 verified incidents of misuse of crowd control weapons, such as teargas, rubber bullets, and pepper spray, during anti-immigration protests across the US from June 2025 to May 2026.
• The report highlights 203 injuries caused by these weapons, including blindness, traumatic brain injuries, and fractures, while noting that the actual number of injuries is likely higher due to the difficulty in assessing invisible harm like chemical injuries or chronic pain.
• Federal agencies, particularly the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), were responsible for 64% of misuse incidents, with local law enforcement also playing a significant role, especially in cities like Los Angeles.
• The use of these weapons surged during enforcement operations led by former Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino, correlating with increased protests in cities such as Los Angeles, Chicago, Minneapolis, Newark, and Portland.
• The report comes amid ongoing criticism of federal and local law enforcement's aggressive tactics during immigration enforcement, with at least 11 fatal shootings by DHS officials since January 2025, including two recent deaths in Texas and Maine.