Keep Factually independent
Whether you agree or disagree with our analysis, these conversations matter for democracy. We don't take money from political groups - even a $5 donation helps us keep it that way.
Did ice go to an elementary school parade in Chicago
Executive summary
Reporting on whether "ICE went to an elementary school parade in Chicago" is mixed and sometimes misleading: multiple outlets document federal agents deploying chemical agents that disrupted a Halloween parade in Old Irving Park, but several fact-checks and local reports say the tear gas came from Border Patrol (part of CBP), not ICE [1], and separate episodes of agents appearing at elementary schools involved the Secret Service or were denied entry [2] [3]. Chicago schools and officials have also reported nearby federal activity that led schools to lock down or keep students inside [4] [5].
1. What happened at the Halloween parade — agents deployed gas, but which agency?
Multiple local reports and eyewitness accounts describe a deployment of chemical munitions in Old Irving Park on 25 October that led to cancellation of a neighborhood Halloween parade or disrupted Halloween festivities [6] [7]. Snopes’ investigation concludes that Border Patrol agents — part of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) — deployed tear gas in the neighborhood ahead of the children’s parade; Snopes explicitly says it was Border Patrol, not ICE, that used the gas [1]. News outlets and officials referenced “tear-gassing” at a parade when discussing Gov. Pritzker’s request to pause enforcement around Halloween [7] [8].
2. Why do reports sometimes say “ICE” when other agencies were involved?
Coverage and social media posts often use “ICE” as shorthand for federal immigration enforcement, but the agencies are distinct. Snopes documents that viral claims alleging “ICE tear gassed children” were imprecise and that the footage and court filings point to Border Patrol agents, not ICE [1]. National and local commentary — and political responses such as Pritzker’s letter — referenced ICE activity broadly, which contributed to conflation in public discussion [8] [7].
3. Did federal agents go to an elementary school parade specifically?
Available sources report agents deploying gas near a Halloween parade route in Old Irving Park and that the parade was canceled or disrupted [6] [1]. There is no sourced account in the provided material that federal agents entered an elementary school during a parade; instead, accounts focus on a neighborhood parade and on agents being seen near schools or on schools taking protective measures [6] [4].
4. Incidents involving schools: denials, Secret Service, and precautions
Separate episodes heightened school fears. Chicago Public Schools at one point reported federal agents at Hamline Elementary, but subsequent confirmation showed the visitors were Secret Service agents and not ICE; CPS called the initial report false and defended precautions that denied the agents entry [2] [3] [9]. Districts also set up command centers and kept students inside when federal agents were reported nearby in multiple neighborhoods — for example, Carpenter Elementary and other suburban schools went on secure status amid reports of agents in the area [4] [5].
5. How courts, officials and media framed responsibility and accountability
Courts and officials engaged with the question of oversight: reporting notes U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis and other legal developments in background on enforcement operations, and Gov. Pritzker publicly asked DHS for a temporary pause citing parade disruption and school safety concerns [7] [8]. Meanwhile, fact-checkers and local outlets pushed back on inaccurate identifications of agencies, emphasizing the difference between ICE, CBP/Border Patrol, and other federal agencies [1] [2].
6. What to watch for going forward — key open questions
Available sources do not provide a definitive single narrative tying "ICE" to an elementary school parade: the prominent, documented disruption near a children’s parade involved Border Patrol/CBP agents according to Snopes’ review [1], while separate school visits often involved the Secret Service or were reports denied by CPS [2] [3]. Reporting still leaves open details about proximity of children to gas deployment and exact movements of all federal units that day [1].
Takeaway: claims that “ICE went to an elementary school parade” mix several distinct incidents and agencies. The most widely documented parade disruption was caused by Border Patrol agents near a neighborhood Halloween parade (not ICE), and other school incidents involved Secret Service visits or precautionary school lockdowns rather than verified ICE entries [1] [2] [4].