A Chicago woman who was shot multiple times by a federal immigration officer last year has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. government, seeking to hold the agent accountable for the incident. Marimar Martinez, an American-born citizen, announced the legal action at a press conference Monday in Chicago, accompanied by her attorneys.

The lawsuit, filed in federal court, stems from an incident on Oct. 4, 2025, during the Trump administration's immigration enforcement operation in Chicago, known as Operation Midway Blitz. Martinez and her legal team presented a forensic reconstruction of the shooting, which they claim contradicts initial statements from the Department of Homeland Security.

According to Martinez's attorneys, the reconstruction suggests that U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent Charles Exum fired his weapon five times into Martinez's vehicle. The bullets reportedly struck her seven times, hitting both her legs, her right thigh, her right forearm, and the right side of her chest. The lawsuit alleges that Agent Exum fired through the front windshield and windows within two seconds of exiting his SUV, without issuing verbal commands or warnings.

At the press conference, Martinez expressed her motivation for pursuing the lawsuit, stating she wants to raise awareness and prevent similar incidents from occurring. "What's happening is not normal," Martinez said, adding that she refuses to "sit here and normalize" such events. She is a Montessori school teacher's aide.

Attorneys for Martinez voiced frustration that, more than a year after the shooting, the Department of Justice has not filed charges against the agent. They are pursuing the lawsuit under the Federal Tort Claims Act, citing negligent or wrongful acts and omissions by federal employees acting within the scope of their employment.

Christopher Parente, one of Martinez's attorneys, questioned the justification for the agent's actions, asking, "In what world can a U.S. law enforcement officer stand behind a car and fire his Glock service weapon through the rear passenger window at a young woman who's crouched over the steering wheel?"

Analysis of body-camera footage by Martinez's legal team reportedly shows Agent Exum saying, "all right, it's on now [expletive]" before exiting his SUV and opening fire after ramming Martinez's vehicle. The Department of Justice declined to comment on the ongoing litigation.

This legal action highlights ongoing scrutiny of federal immigration enforcement tactics and the use of force. The lawsuit seeks to establish accountability for the agent's actions and potentially influence future protocols regarding encounters between law enforcement and civilians during immigration operations.