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US citizen detained by ICE at airport, transferred to Wisconsin jail, faces defamation lawsuit

Apr 14, 2026 · Dodge County, WI, Turkey

US citizen detained by ICE at airport, transferred to Wisconsin jail, faces defamation lawsuit

Sundas Naqvi, a 28-year-old U.S. citizen, was detained by ICE agents at Chicago O'Hare International Airport on March 5, 2026, after returning from Turkey. She claimed a 43-hour ordeal involving transfer to Dodge County Jail in Wisconsin and was released early Saturday morning with a dead phone. Dodge County Sheriff Dale Schmidt denied having any record of her at the facility, while DHS disputed her account by releasing surveillance footage showing secondary screening lasted less than an hour. In April 2026, Sheriff Schmidt filed a million-dollar defamation lawsuit against Naqvi, characterizing her detention claims as false and part of a "romantic scam" with her boyfriend. Naqvi's attorney provided location data and requested release of additional surveillance footage.

Timeline

Apr 18, 2026DHS and Sheriff Schmidt release surveillance footage disputing 43-hour detention claim; Sheriff files million-dollar defamation lawsuit against Naqvi
Apr 14, 2026Sheriff Dale Schmidt denies record of Naqvi at facility; Naqvi's attorney provides location data and requests surveillance footage
Mar 6, 2026Naqvi transferred to Dodge County Jail in Wisconsin; released early Saturday morning with dead phone
Mar 5, 2026Sundas Naqvi detained by ICE agents at O'Hare International Airport after returning from Turkey

Sources

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