In a surprising turn of events, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem was turned away from using a restroom at the Village of Broadview Municipal Building in a Chicago suburb on Friday, sparking a new layer of conflict with Illinois officials, as Fox News reports.

The incident, which unfolded amid ongoing clashes between federal agents and protesters at a nearby U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility, has intensified a public feud between Noem and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker over federal enforcement policies.

On Friday morning, Noem and her staff made an unscheduled stop at the municipal building in Broadview, Illinois, seeking a brief bathroom break during their operations in the area.

Unexpected denial at public facility

Upon arrival, they were met with resistance as an unidentified person inside the building firmly stated, "No you cannot!" before Noem calmly responded, "OK, all right, thank you," and left with her team.

The Village of Broadview later explained that Noem had arrived unannounced, claiming she sought a meeting with Mayor Katrina Thompson, who was not present at the time.

DHS officials, however, refuted this account, with Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin asserting, "She didn’t ask for a meeting. She asked to use the restroom. This is insane."

Escalating tensions near ICE center

Meanwhile, the backdrop to this incident was a volatile situation at a nearby ICE processing center, where federal agents clashed with protesters, leading to over a dozen arrests.

According to Fox News, agents deployed pepper balls, tear gas, and rubber bullets to clear crowds obstructing federal activities at the site.

In response to the unrest, Mayor Thompson, accompanied by Broadview Police Chief Thomas and other officers, visited the ICE center to demand the removal of what she called an "illegal fence," only to be told Noem was unavailable to meet.

Political feud fuels public dispute

Secretary Noem took to social media platform X to express her frustration, stating, "My team and I were just blocked from accessing the Village of Broadview Municipal Building in Illinois. We were stopping for a quick bathroom break. This is a public building."

She further criticized Gov. Pritzker’s administration, adding, "The Village of Broadview receives at least $1 million in federal funding every year. This is how JB Pritzker and his cronies treat our law enforcement. Absolutely shameful."

Gov. Pritzker, in turn, had earlier accused Noem of overseeing federal tactics that he claimed infringed on civil rights and caused distress to families, declaring, "[Noem] should no longer be able to step foot inside the State of Illinois without any form of public accountability."

Accusations fly

Pritzker’s office also alleged that during a prior visit, Noem had entered Illinois under cover of early morning to record social media content before leaving at dawn, avoiding public scrutiny.

They further noted, "It's been nearly 45 days since Secretary Noem has held an official press conference, so it’s time she faces the public and takes questions from the press to be held accountable for the Trump administration’s gross misconduct."

Responding to these criticisms, DHS’s McLaughlin shot back at Pritzker, saying, "Grow up and start protecting the people of your own state. Federal law enforcement has to be here because JB Pritzker refuses to do his job and has allowed violent illegal alien criminals to terrorize Illinois communities for years."