Children are being harmed by tear gas used by ICE to disperse protests.

The US Department of Homeland Security maintains that the use of riot police to disperse protests is justified and that such measures "are not targeted at children." However, the investigation ProPublica, based on an analysis of media reports, lawsuits, body camera footage and interviews with more than 40 victims and witnesses, found numerous cases in which children were injured by tear gas and pepper spray.

The Trump administration's tightening immigration policies have sparked protests against deportations carried out by the White House. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers have repeatedly attempted to disperse these protests using irritating chemicals—tear gas and pepper spray. These chemicals cause a range of severe reactions, including burning eyes, difficulty breathing, nausea, and vomiting.

So-called reduced-lethal weapons, which include tear gas and pepper spray, were designed to inflict severe pain and temporarily incapacitate adults involved in clashes and riots. However, ProPublica found that 79 children nationwide have been harmed by these agents since 2025. This estimate is nearly four times higher than the recent Congressional report, but is likely still an underestimate.

On the subject: At the world's largest immigration detention center, millions of dollars were being wasted, prisoners were dying, and one guard lost his gun.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) holds responsible "provocateurs" and parents who, according to the agency, put children at risk. Many of the affected children were in cars, at home, or on their way to school when they were exposed to these substances.

What happens when tear gas is used?

Strictly speaking, "tear gas" is a general term for various chemical irritants in the form of a fine powder. They act on nerve endings, causing a severe burning sensation. These substances irritate the lungs and throat, causing inflammation of the airways, resulting in the sensation of breathing through a narrow tube. Simultaneously, a runny nose develops, and eyes become excessively watery. Vomiting, skin rashes, and a cough that can persist for weeks are possible. Pepper spray is made from compounds found in hot peppers and causes similar reactions.

Children are particularly vulnerable because they breathe more frequently and inhale more polluted air relative to their body weight than adults. Furthermore, their small stature places them closer to the ground, where these chemicals accumulate after use. The scale of their use under the Trump administration is such that no one can yet say for sure what long-term effects children will have from exposure to these chemicals, especially with repeated exposure.

In November 2025, a federal judge in Illinois ruled that CBP and ICE officers used these substances "without probable cause and often without warning" against people who did not pose a physical threat. The judge deemed these actions "an unlawful use of excessive force" and ordered the agencies to cease the practice. However, the ruling only applied to the areas specified in the lawsuit, and the use of these agents continued elsewhere.

On January 31, federal agents dispersed a protest in Portland, Oregon, using a variety of low-lethal weapons, including Triple Chaser grenades (each of which disintegrates into three tear gas canisters), dozens of pepper spray rounds, and "rubber ball grenades" that create bright flashes and loud noises. A judge subsequently issued a temporary injunction prohibiting the use of non-lethal weapons unless directed at someone posing an immediate threat of harm.

Appeals courts later overturned the Illinois ruling, as well as several decisions by judges in Portland that sought to limit the use of the funds.

The Trump administration claims that officers are trained and educated to use the minimum force necessary. However, tear gas canisters, when fired into a crowd, can bounce and roll in unpredictable directions, and the chemicals themselves can become airborne and travel significant distances—sometimes even several blocks. In Minneapolis, ProPublica found that the gas spread at least 300-500 meters and penetrated a McDonald's restaurant.

Derrick Nash and his family live a block and a half east of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Broadview, Illinois. Even from this distance, they could feel the effects of the gas in their home when it was used against protesters. Every time the gas penetrated, the children—ages 6 to 17—would cough and experience a burning sensation in their throats. Their eldest son, a high school senior with asthma, hid in his second-floor bedroom. One evening, his face turned red, he was coughing and trying unsuccessfully to relieve the discomfort with his inhaler.

"He panicked because he couldn't breathe," Nash recalls. "We tried to call an ambulance, but the street was blocked off."

There is no uniform standard for the use of tear gas in the United States.

Regulations for the use of tear gas and pepper spray vary significantly by region, and there is no uniform standard at the federal level. The Department of Homeland Security's use-of-force policy requires selecting methods that reduce the risk of unintentional harm and respect for human life. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) documents state that officers should not use pepper spray or other low-lethal chemical agents against young children. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) policy stipulates that the presence of other officers, suspects, and bystanders must be considered when assessing the justification for the use of force.

American lawmakers are calling for new rules on the use of special equipment by immigration authorities.

By comparison, two cities that reacted particularly strongly to Trump's immigration measures have stricter rules. In Portland, police are required to consider the proximity of residential buildings when deciding whether to use tear gas. In Minneapolis, the use of chemical agents to disperse crowds is prohibited without permission from the police chief, even if officers fear for their safety.

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Experts interviewed by ProPublica believe that introducing uniform rules and training standards for all law enforcement agencies could significantly improve the situation. They note that this would likely require legislation passed by Congress that would require federal agencies to tighten their use of force practices and create incentives for similar changes at the local level.

Bills aimed at tightening regulations on the use of force on such a scale, as well as initiatives concerning the Department of Homeland Security and the use of such tools, have not yet been brought to a vote in Congress. Following ProPublica's investigation, American lawmakers began demanding reforms to the use of these tools by immigration officials.

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