Two Chicago residents, Marimar Martinez, 30, and Anthony Ian Santos Ruiz, 21, have been charged with using their cars to “assault, impede, and interfere with the work of federal agents.” According to a federal criminal complaint, the two motorists followed and rammed into a vehicle carrying Border Patrol agents in Oak Lawn, Illinois. During the chase, Martinez repeatedly referred to the agents as “la migra,” or immigration authorities, and eventually drove her car at one agent, prompting him to fire five shots.
The account in the complaint differs significantly from an earlier statement by the Department of Homeland Security, which claimed that agents were “forced to deploy their weapons and fire defensive shots” at a driver armed with a semiautomatic weapon. Martinez was treated and released from a hospital after being shot, while Ruiz is still in custody.
The incident occurred on Saturday morning on Chicago’s Southwest Side, where federal agents were conducting an operation. The chase involved running red lights and stop signs, and the motorists eventually crossed into Chicago. The case raises questions about the use of force by law enforcement and the handling of confrontations with individuals who are not necessarily armed or threatening.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/05/us/politics/chicago-motorists-charged-border-patrol.html