The latest addition to the Democratic roster in the House of Representatives claims that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers used pepper spray on her during a tumultuous incident at a taco restaurant in Arizona.

Adelita Grijalva recounted the startling experience she reportedly faced with federal agents at Taco Giro, located in Tucson, last Friday afternoon.

According to Grijalva, she was “sprayed in the face by a particularly aggressive agent” and “manhandled” by several others during the confrontation.

In a video on X, she emphasized, “I was not being confrontational. I was merely seeking clarification, which is my prerogative as a congresswoman.”

She further expressed concern, stating, “If this is how they treat me, I dread to think about how they treat others.”

But the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shot back at her accusations, claiming the congresswoman was lying about what truly transpired. 

‘If her claims were true, this would be a medical marvel,’ DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin wrote in an X statement, reacting to Grijalva’s post. ‘But they’re not true. She wasn’t pepper-sprayed.’ 

McLaughlin continued: ‘She was in the vicinity of someone who *was* pepper-sprayed as they were obstructing and assaulting law enforcement.’

Adelita Grijalva recalled the shocking encounter she allegedly had with federal officers at Taco Giro in Tucson on Friday afternoon in a video shared on X

Grijalva shared a video of her approaching federal agents in a parking lot as protests erupted

She added that two law enforcement agents were seriously injured by the ‘mob’ that Grijalva allegedly joined in on.  

‘Presenting one’s self [sic] as a “Member of Congress” doesn’t give you the right to obstruct law enforcement,’ McLaughlin asserted. 

In another clip Grijalva shared on X, she was seen confronting officers in the restaurant’s parking lot as a hectic scene unfolded around her – with car horns blaring and people screaming. 

Friday’s immigration operation sparked community outrage – with protestors swarming Taco Giro in an attempt to interfere with federal agents’ efforts, according to Fox News.  

More than 100 protestors flooded the scene and briefly trapped a group of agents in a gated parking lot. At least two people were arrested.

Authorities arrived around 9 am, before the restaurant was open. Demonstrators quickly arrived, chanting ‘Go home ICE’ and using profanity, according to Fox News. 

‘We support our neighbors and we will stand with our neighbors,’ Leslie Carlson, one of the protestors, told KVOA. 

‘This is not the way to run this country,’ another protestor, Tom Collezo, added. 

A federal agent was seen spraying pepper spray into the crowd near Grijalva

Officers were seen deploying flash bangs and pepper spray in an attempt to control the crowd. 

A SWAT team eventually arrived to help the federal agents safely leave the area.  

Federal agents were executing a search warrant as part of a larger investigation into tax and immigration fraud across Southern Arizona.  

In a statement to Fox News, ICE wrote: ‘Special agents and officers from ICE Homeland Security Investigations, IRS Criminal Investigation and other federal partners are executing 16 search warrants in southern Arizona as part of a years-long investigation into immigration and tax violations.’ 

The agency noted that ‘multiple individuals are in custody,’ although the exact number remains unclear.  

KVOA reported that multiple Taco Giro locations were raided on Friday, including one in Sierra Vista and another in Tucson.  

The Daily Mail has reached out to the DHS for more information.

Grijalva was sworn into the House of Representatives in mid-November, seven weeks after being elected to replace the seat previously held by her now deceased father, Raul Grijalva. 

ICE raids were conducted at multiple Taco Giro locations (pictured: Taco Giro in Tucson)

Grijalva was sworn into the House of Representative in mid-November 

Her swearing-in, which occurred 50 days after her election, was delayed by the government shutdown.

But she and other Democrats believe it was intended to delay her signature on a petition to release government files related to Jeffrey Epstein.

An outspoken critic of President Donald Trump and his sweeping immigration crackdown, Grijalva described him as her community’s ‘biggest problem.’ 

‘[Trump] has no regard for any due process, the rule of law, the Constitution – [federal agents] are literally disappearing people from the streets,’ she said on Friday.