On October 3, 2025, federal agents conducting an immigration enforcement operation in Chicago's Logan Square neighborhood deployed tear gas near Funston Elementary School, traumatizing hundreds of children and families in the area. Children playing on school grounds, eating at a nearby café, and walking home from school were exposed to the gas, including toddlers as young as 14 months old at Luna y Cielo Play Cafe, where nannies rushed children to a back room as the gas spread. Teachers, including Liza Oliva-Perez, were also tear-gassed while attempting to protect students, and parents like Molly Kucich abandoned errands to reach their children amid the chaos. The incident left children experiencing anxiety, nightmares, and fear of separation from family members, with some now asking teachers and dolls whether ICE will come for them, while others have grown fearful of sirens and worried about the safety of caregivers, including nannies who are citizens or legally authorized to work in the U.S. The operation, dubbed "Operation Midway Blitz," has involved masked armed agents in unmarked vehicles patrolling neighborhoods, with residents reporting multiple incidents including helicopter raids, detention of U.S. citizens, and deployment of pepper munitions against protesters.