A US citizen said she was illegally held by ICE. Surveillance video, the DHS and a million-dollar lawsuit say otherwise

A US citizen said she was illegally held by ICE. Surveillance video, the DHS and a million-dollar lawsuit say otherwise

A Compelling Claim Emerges

In a city renowned for stringent immigration policies, a US citizen of South Asian origin sparked a public debate with an alarming narrative. Sundas Naqvi, who also uses the names Sunny and Summer, alleged she was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at Chicago O’Hare International Airport after returning from a work trip abroad. The story quickly gained traction, drawing attention from a family friend, Kevin Morrison, a Cook County commissioner.

“It sounds like they are trying to create a cover-up. They are seeking not to have any accountability whatsoever. And I think this is terrifying and concerning to us all,” Morrison stated during a news conference on March 8.

The DHS and Surveillance Footage Dispute the Account

Naqvi’s claims were met with swift rebuttals. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) swiftly dismissed her story, asserting she was only subjected to a secondary screening. Surveillance footage from O’Hare, shared on social media, showed her entering the secondary inspection area at 10:46 a.m. and exiting to the public zone by 11:42 a.m. The DHS emphasized this timeline as evidence against her assertion of a 43-hour detention.

Dodge County Sheriff Dale Schmidt took the dispute further, accusing Naqvi of fabricating her entire narrative. “She was not detained by ICE at any time. She was not transported to Broadview Detention Center or across state lines to Dodge County,” Schmidt declared in a separate press event on April 10.

New Revelations and Legal Consequences

The controversy deepened as additional details surfaced. Morrison claimed Naqvi’s phone location data indicated she was at Broadview ICE facility and later in Dodge County, supporting her story. However, the sheriff’s office refuted this, stating their officers did not find her in the detention center.

“This is a serious accusation, and when it is not true, it does real damage,” Schmidt added, highlighting the defamation lawsuit he filed against Naqvi and Morrison.

Naqvi, 28, faces no criminal charges, but the sheriff alleges she defamed his office. Morrison, who was also a congressional candidate, initially questioned the DHS’s timing of releasing the footage, calling it a “doctored photo.”

Key Evidence and Timeline

HERE ARE THE RECEIPTS:

Sunny Naqvi entered the CBP area at 10:21 a.m.

Surveillance footage from O’Hare CLEARLY shows her entering secondary inspection at 10:46 a.m., and leaving secondary to the public area at 11:42 a.m.

Her claims of spending 43 hours in DHS custody… https://t.co/GkqWBLS6sn pic.twitter.com/SWOJmMulcy

Ongoing Dispute and Public Skepticism

Despite the evidence, Naqvi’s family remained unconvinced. “The cops were lying to our faces,” her sister Sarah Afzal asserted at the news conference. Afzal and Morrison maintained that Naqvi described being held in federal custody alongside coworkers, though the exact details of her release remain contested.