Annie Comes Home: Tell Congress: Ban tear gas from our streets

Tuesday, September 30, 2025

Tell Congress: Ban tear gas from our streets

Pamela: when the village of Broadview, Illinois pleaded with ICE to "stop making war on our community," ICE responded with threats to bring a "s*** show" to the Chicago suburb.[1]

Congressional candidates, clergy, and elected officials were among those peacefully protesting Trump's immigration crackdown when federal agents made good on that threat, deploying tear gas and pepper balls on the crowd.

Tear gas is a chemical weapon BANNED in warfare by both the Chemical Weapons Convention and Geneva Protocol. But these agreements allowed for a critical, dangerous exception: Use by domestic law enforcement.

As federal agents and local police increasingly resort to using tear gas, including in response to legal and peaceful protest, Congress MUST ban the domestic use of tear gas and get it off our streets now. Today, we're counting on you to help us send lawmakers a resounding message tens of thousands of people strong.

If tear gas is too dangerous for the battlefield, there is NO justification to use it against people exercising their constitutional right to assemble in our cities. Tell Congress: Ban law enforcement from using tear gas against civilians!

ACT NOW

"When you can't breathe, fear takes over."[2]

This is how Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss described being teargassed days ago.

In the short-term, tear gas causes immediate, intense pain. Excessive tearing, burning or blurred vision, as well as a runny nose, chest tightness, coughing, shortness of breath and a feeling of choking are common. Long-term effects, particularly after exposure in close proximity include chemical burns, blindness, and even death due to respiratory failure.

Cities like Denver, Portland, and Seattle have made efforts to ban tear gas from their streets — but these bans need to become the norm nationwide, especially as we witness ICE agents resort to violence and tear gas in response to people exercising their right to protest.

With your help, we'll build the political pressure for Congress to echo the calls we're hearing from people and city councils across the country to ban tear gas — no exceptions.

Tear gas has no place being used against people, not now or in the future, not on the battlefield, and not in our streets. Act now to tell your elected officials to ban law enforcement from using tear gas against civilians.

Thank you for working for peace,
The Win Without War team

P.S. Together with partner organizations the Miaan Group and Femena, WWW Executive Director Sara Haghdoosti will be a part of a vital conversation centering the perspectives of Iranian civil society and pro-democracy activists in the aftermath of this summer's Iran–Israel war.

Their conversation will explore what a principled, people-centered approach to peace, human rights, and democratic change in Iran might look like, informed by those on the frontlines of the struggle for dignity and freedom. RSVP to join this webinar at 1PM ET, Wednesday, October 8.

1. Block Club Chicago, "ICE Escalates Violence Against Protesters In Broadview; Journalist Arrested"
2. Chicago Sun Times, "Congressional candidate thrown to ground, protesters tear-gassed in clashes at Broadview ICE facility"