Two illegal migrants were taken into custody on Tuesday after crashing their vehicle into a Border Patrol vehicle in Chicago during an immigration enforcement operation, leading to a clash with protesters, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

Luis Gerardo Pirela-Ramirez and Yonder Enrique Tenefe-Perez, both from Venezuela, were detained Tuesday morning for allegedly ramming a Border Patrol vehicle and attempting to flee the scene, according to a senior DHS source.

The incident happened near South Avenue N, according to officials.

"This morning while conducting an immigration enforcement operation in Chicago a vehicle, driven by an illegal alien, rammed a Border Patrol vehicle and attempted to flee the scene," a DHS spokesperson said. "Border Patrol pursued the vehicle and was eventually able to stop it utilizing an authorized precision immobilization technique (PIT) maneuver. Once the vehicle was stopped, the suspects, who are both illegal aliens, attempted to flee on foot. As Border Patrol arrested the subjects and attempted to secure the scene a crowd began to form and eventually turned hostile and eventually crowd control measures were used."

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"This incident is not isolated and reflects a growing and dangerous trend of illegal aliens violently resisting arrest and agitators and criminals ramming cars into our law enforcement officers," the spokesperson continued. "The fact that this attack was carried out by two illegal immigrants, highlights the need for federal law enforcement to continue to do their job of enforcing the laws of our nation —all while receiving no pay thanks to the Democrats’ government shutdown."

A crowd began to gather following the incident. Chicago Police said they attempted to de-escalate the situation as federal agents were preparing to leave, but people in the crowd began throwing objects.

Federal agents then deployed tear gas into the street, and 13 Chicago cops were exposed to the tear gas.

"Chicago Police Department officers responded to the 10500 block of S. Avenue N at approximately 11:07 a.m. for a call of an auto accident involving federal authorities," the police department said in a statement. "CPD was not involved in any of the federal operations occurring at that location. Upon arrival to the scene, officers documented the traffic crash. Because this incident involved federal authorities, additional CPD supervisors responded to the scene to ensure the appropriate course of action was taken."

"A crowd began to form and as federal authorities were leaving the scene, CPD members attempted to de-escalate the situation for the safety of everyone, including community members who were gathering at the location," the statement added. "Individuals then began throwing objects at the federal agents, at which point the federal agents deployed tear gas into the street. Thirteen CPD members were exposed to the tear gas. Exposure reports will be completed for all CPD members who were exposed to the tear gas."

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, a Democrat, accused Immigration and Customs Enforcement of "recklessly throwing tear gas into our neighborhoods and busy streets, including near children at school and CPD officers."

"The Trump Administration must stop their deployment of dangerous chemical weapons into the air of peaceful American communities," he wrote on X.

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At least one person detained by Border Patrol was a 15-year-old American citizen, attorneys with the law firm Romanucci & Blandin said, according to Fox 32. The boy was "grabbed off a Chicago East Side street," slammed to the ground, kneed in the back and zip-tied by agents at around 12:30 p.m.

The boy was handcuffed and was placed in the back of a vehicle for five hours, the attorneys said, noting that he was not allowed to contact his mother during that time. It was unclear why the boy was detained.

"This is how people disappear in autocracies—grabbed off streets, held in unmarked locations, no calls to family, no stated charges, no due process," attorney Antonio M. Romanucci said in a statement. "A 15-year-old American citizen was effectively 'disappeared' for five hours in Chicago. This is not law enforcement; this is the playbook of authoritarian regimes."

Scams targeting older Americans are surging, and federal officials are warning that the tactics are becoming harder to detect.

The Federal Trade Commission says scammers are posing as IRS agents, police officers, or other officials – often over the phone or online – to steal thousands of dollars at a time.

The FTC says scams involving losses over $10,000 have quadrupled in recent years. The FBI reports that older adults filed the most scam complaints last year, with average losses climbing to $83,000 – up 43% from the year before.

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In response, AARP has launched Senior Planet, a national program offering free fraud-awareness classes to Americans age 60 and older. The program teaches participants how to identify red flags, spot fake communications, and avoid sharing sensitive information under pressure.

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Rick Planos, an instructor for Senior Planet in Illinois, says his involvement is personal. His mother lost more than $2,500 in gift cards to a scammer who convinced her that her grandson had been arrested.

"My mom was distraught," Planos said. "First, she was distraught that one of her grandchildren was arrested – and then it turned out that wasn’t true. And then she was distraught that she got scammed."

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Now, Planos leads scam prevention classes in his community.

"I spend a lot of time teaching for AARP. I took what happened to us and put it into some kind of positive energy to protect other people," Planos said. 

In Denver, Senior Planet hosts regular in-person classes, but the program is also available online and in several other states, including Texas, Maryland and New York.

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"It’s important to talk about where the risks and dangers are," said Aaron Santis, program lead for Senior Planet Colorado. "But we’re also using technology as a tool to enrich people’s lives."

Carolyn Gibson, a recent student, said she joined to learn more about new technology such as artificial intelligence – and how to protect herself from scams.

"I came over here to find out who is this AI, what is this AI. The people here, they’ve been very helpful," Gibson said. 

Instructors encourage participants to slow down, verify, and never feel rushed into sharing information – especially if contacted by someone claiming to be from a government agency. According to the website, Senior Planet helps seniors learn new skills, save money, get in shape, and make new friends.

The FTC reminds consumers that government agencies will never call to demand money. If you receive a suspicious call, hang up, visit the agency’s official website, and report the scam directly.