The Chicago News Guild on Monday joined other news organizations that have sued the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in connection with allegations of excessive force used on journalists at recent protests in the area.

“As a labor union, we fight to protect the health and safety of our members and their right to do the essential work of reporting the news,” the union said in a statement on Monday. “The Chicago News Guild has joined a lawsuit, filed today in federal court, to stop the targeting of our members and other journalists by ICE agents and other DHS agents in Broadview.”

The union joined journalists with the National Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians (NABET) Local 41, the Chicago Headline Club and Block Club Chicago.

“Many civilians and press are being injured and sickened, to the point of serious
injuries,” the lawsuit reads. “Some are being randomly singled out for arrest. They are tackled to the ground, handcuffed, and marched into the Broadview ICE facility, where they are detained
incommunicado for hours … . Defendants are acting to intimidate and silence the press and civilians engaged in protected First Amendment activities.”

The lawsuit describes violent incidents and rhetoric used by the Trump administration as it attempts to send the National Guard into Chicago, with federal officials citing “ongoing violent riots and lawlessness.” State and local officials have filed separate lawsuits and slammed the administration’s actions.

Mentioned in the lawsuit is a CBS News Chicago reporter who was burned inside a car after a masked ICE agent shot a pepper ball at her vehicle. The complaint also describes an incident where a Presbyterian minister offered prayers to a crowd of demonstrators before being sprayed with tear gas and struck by pepper balls.

The Hill reached out to DHS for a comment on the lawsuit.

“We remind members of the media to exercise caution as they cover these violent riots and remind journalists that covering unlawful activities in the field does come with risks — though our officers take every reasonable precaution to mitigate those dangers to those exercising protected First Amendment rights,” Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement obtained by Politico.