Fact Check: A similar incident occurred in Peoria, Arizona, where protesters mistakenly thought a drug-related warrant served by Homeland Security Investigations was an ICE deportation raid.

Published June 14, 2025

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VERDICT

Partially True

# Fact Check: "A similar incident occurred in Peoria, Arizona, where protesters mistakenly thought a drug-related warrant served by Homeland Security ...

Fact Check: "A similar incident occurred in Peoria, Arizona, where protesters mistakenly thought a drug-related warrant served by Homeland Security Investigations was an ICE deportation raid."

What We Know

On June 10, 2025, agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) executed a search warrant in Peoria, Arizona, related to a narcotics and human smuggling case. During this operation, protesters gathered, mistakenly believing that the warrant was connected to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deportation raid (source-3). The Peoria Police Department clarified that the operation had no connection to ICE or immigration enforcement, stating, "this operation had no connection to ICE or immigration activity" (source-4). Despite this, HSI confirmed that one individual was turned over to immigration officials, while another was arrested on unspecified federal charges (source-2).

The incident escalated when a police sergeant was assaulted by a protester as he attempted to leave the scene. This led to a chaotic confrontation between law enforcement and the protesters, who were largely motivated by the belief that the operation was an ICE raid (source-1).

Analysis

The claim that protesters in Peoria believed the HSI operation was an ICE raid is supported by multiple sources. The Peoria Police Department explicitly stated that misinformation circulated online, leading to the protest under the false assumption that it involved immigration enforcement (source-3). This aligns with the experiences of individuals at the scene, who expressed concerns about potential ICE activity (source-4).

However, the situation is nuanced. While the Peoria Police maintained that the operation was strictly a drug-related investigation, HSI's acknowledgment of turning someone over to immigration officials complicates the narrative. This indicates that while the primary focus of the operation was not immigration enforcement, it still had immigration-related outcomes (source-6).

The reliability of the sources is generally high, as they include statements from law enforcement agencies and local news outlets. However, the potential for bias exists, particularly in how different outlets frame the incident. For example, some reports emphasize the chaos and violence of the protests, while others focus on the police's efforts to clarify the nature of the operation (source-5).

Conclusion

The claim that protesters in Peoria mistook a drug-related warrant served by HSI for an ICE deportation raid is Partially True. While it is accurate that protesters believed the operation was related to immigration enforcement, the Peoria Police Department and HSI clarified that the operation was focused on drug-related offenses. However, the involvement of immigration officials in the aftermath of the operation adds complexity to the situation, suggesting that while the primary intent was not immigration enforcement, the outcomes had immigration implications.

Sources

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