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Venezuelan woman detained near courthouse after hearing, later deported

Mar 10, 2026·Location: Chicago, IL

Country of origin: Venezuela

Venezuelan woman detained near courthouse after hearing, later deported

Lucia Vasquez-Gonzalez, a single mother from Venezuela, appeared at the Cook County domestic violence courthouse in March to address a misdemeanor domestic battery charge stemming from a dispute with her roommate. After leaving the courthouse, she was stopped by immigration agents a couple of blocks away and pulled from her car. Her criminal charge was later dropped, but she was taken into ICE custody and deported to Venezuela, where she and her daughter have struggled to afford basic necessities. DHS said she accepted voluntary departure and was given full due process.

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