A federal grand jury in Chicago has indicted six individuals on charges of forcibly impeding and interfering with a federal agent during immigration enforcement operations in Broadview, Illinois, last month. The indictment, unsealed in U.S. District Court, alleges that the defendants participated in an incident on September 26, 2025, where a group surrounded a government vehicle to prevent its driver—a federal agent—from proceeding to a United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility.
According to the indictment, members of the crowd gathered at the front and sides of the government vehicle, stood in its path, banged on its windows and body, pushed against it to hinder movement, broke one of its side mirrors and rear windshield wiper, and etched a derogatory message into the car’s body.
“No one is above the law and no one has the right to obstruct it,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Federal agents perform dangerous, essential work every single day to enforce our immigration laws and keep our communities safe. When individuals resort to force or intimidation to interfere with that mission, they attack not only the agents themselves but the rule of law they represent. The Department of Justice will never tolerate such conduct and will continue to hold accountable anyone who seeks to impede lawful federal operations.”
“All federal officials must be able to discharge the duties of their office without confronting force, intimidation, or threats,” stated Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois. “As we have warned repeatedly, we will seek to hold accountable those who cross the line from peaceful protests to unlawful actions or conspiracies that interrupt, hinder, or impede the due administration of Justice. The rule of law must always be upheld.”
The six individuals charged are Michael Rabbitt (62), Katherine Marie Abughazaleh (26), Catherine Sharp (29), Joselyn Walsh (31), all from Chicago; Brian Straw (38) from Oak Park; and Andre Martin (27) from Providence, Rhode Island. They face conspiracy charges as well as individual counts related to impeding a U.S. law enforcement officer. Arraignments are set for November 5 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Heather K. McShain.
Deputy Attorney General Blanche and U.S. Attorney Boutros announced these charges alongside Douglas S. DePodesta—Special Agent-in-Charge at FBI Chicago Field Office—who commented: “The FBI has zero tolerance for forcible criminal conduct against law enforcement officers engaged in their lawful functions,” said FBI SAC DePodesta. “Impeding federal officers performing their duties or conspiring to do so are criminal offenses. The people of Chicagoland deserve safe communities and peaceful streets and the FBI and our partners will continue to investigate and hold accountable those who undermine the rule of law through criminal activity.”
Authorities remind that indictments contain only allegations; defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt.
A video recording related to this incident is available online for public viewing at https://tips.fbi.gov/home.
