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In a dramatic plea for justice, a Chicago woman who survived multiple gunshot wounds from a Border Patrol agent made a powerful appearance on Capitol Hill Wednesday, seeking accountability for her ordeal.
Marimar Martinez, alongside a local pastor, recounted their harrowing experiences involving federal agents to the House Committee on Homeland Security in Washington.
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In a poignant moment during the testimony, Martinez stood before the committee, revealing her bullet wounds by rolling up her sleeves and pant legs. This emotional demonstration concluded a hearing that notably had only one Republican in attendance.
Martinez and Pastor David Black shared their accounts of last fall’s encounter with Border Patrol agents in Chicago. On October 4, during raids in Brighton Park, Martinez was shot five times after momentarily pursuing the agents.
“I just saw blood gushing,” Martinez recounted. “That’s when I realized I had actually been shot. This one was gushing, and my whole side was covered in blood.”
Last September, Pastor Black was shot in the head with pepper balls during a protest outside Broadview’s U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement processing center. At the time, DHS said protesters were blocking ICE agents and ignoring their orders to move.
“We could hear the ICE officers laughing as they shot us. And afterwards, the DHS also posted mocking statements about us,” Black said.
The testimony, known as a minority hearing, took place with the presence of only one House Republican, the committee’s chairman, who called the proceedings a charade.
SEE MORE: Immigration authorities had surveilled Chicago woman shot 5 times during ‘Midway Blitz’: CBP Report
“Today is a distraction from the fact that DHS has been shut down for over 65 days. The security impacts of that are real. And the workforce is suffering,” said Rep. Andrew Gabarino, who represents New York.
Illinois Congresswoman Delia Ramirez called out both White House advisor Stephen Miller and Border Czar Tom Homan for ignoring their invitations to testify. She also rejected calls to fund the Department of Homeland Security as long as the immigration raids continue.
“Taking a quieter approach to terrorize us won’t deter us. We know people are still being taken,” Ramirez said.
For Martinez, who was indicted and labeled a domestic terrorist before the charges against her were dropped, the appearance provided a national platform to tell her story.
“I want the world to see my pain, my trauma. This is not something to joke about. This is my life. We’re talking about my life,” Martinez said.
Next week, the Illinois Accountability Commission is set to host two public hearings during which several of those impacted by last year’s immigration enforcement operations in the Chicago area are expected to testify.
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