Report Finds 412 Crowd-Control Misuse Incidents Caused 203 Injuries at US Anti-Immigration Protests
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Jul 14
Report Finds 412 Crowd-Control Misuse Incidents Caused 203 Injuries at US Anti-Immigration Protests
2 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Jul 14
Summary
Physicians for Human Rights and UC Berkeley’s Human Rights Center verified 412 misuse incidents from June 2025 through May 2026, linking them to 203 injuries including blindness, traumatic brain injuries, fractures and lacerations.
64% of the documented incidents involved DHS agencies such as ICE and CBP, while local police also featured heavily; researchers said the real injury toll is likely higher because chemical injuries, chronic pain and hearing loss are harder to confirm.
More than 90% of cases were concentrated in Los Angeles, Chicago, Minneapolis, Newark and Portland, with incident counts rising sharply after federal enforcement surges tied to former Border Patrol commander-at-large Gregory Bovino.
The report says misuse included targeting journalists and medics, affecting children and elderly people, and firing pepper spray, teargas or rubber bullets at close range or toward people’s heads, echoing tactics seen during the 2020 racial justice protests.
The findings land amid broader scrutiny of immigration enforcement: ProPublica earlier identified 70 children harmed by teargas or pepper spray, and DHS officials have been tied to at least 11 fatal shootings since January 2025.
With dozens of children harmed by chemical weapons, will federal crowd control tactics ever change?
Who is held accountable when protests over inhumane detention conditions are met with force and retaliation?
After a top commander’s controversial tenure, what reforms can prevent future law enforcement overreach?
412 Cases, 203 Injuries: Federal Agents’ Widespread Misuse of Crowd-Control Weapons in 2025–26 Anti-Immigration Protests
Overview
A major report by Physicians for Human Rights and the Human Rights Center at UC Berkeley reveals widespread misuse of crowd-control weapons by law enforcement during anti-immigration protests in the U.S. from June 2025 to May 2026. The report verifies 412 incidents and 203 injuries, with most cases concentrated in cities like Chicago, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Newark, and Portland. Multiple agencies, including federal, state, and local law enforcement, were involved. These findings highlight a troubling pattern of excessive force and raise serious concerns about accountability and the protection of civil rights during protests.