Illinois citizen detained by ICE for 43 hours after returning to the U.S.; family criticizes violation of civil rights.
Key Takeaways
- A 28-year-old U.S. citizen from Skokie, Illinois was held for roughly 43 hours after landing at Chicago O’Hare, reportedly over “suspicious travel history.”
- The traveler and five colleagues (three U.S. citizens, three lawful permanent residents) were moved from the airport to ICE facilities in Illinois and Wisconsin before being released over the weekend.
- Family members say officers accessed the traveler’s phone and later powered it down; she was allegedly released without a phone and had to find help to reunite with relatives.
- Detaining U.S. citizens in immigration custody is rare and raises constitutional and jurisdictional questions; local officials are calling for transparency and accountability.
- At ports of entry, CBP can question travelers and search devices under border rules, but ICE’s removal authority generally applies to noncitizens.
What happened
It has been reported that Sundas “Sunny” Naqvi, a 28-year-old U.S. citizen from Skokie, was detained by federal officers at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport on Thursday after returning from Istanbul with coworkers. The group—three U.S. citizens and three lawful permanent residents (green card holders)—was told the reason was “suspicious travel history,” according to local reports cited by Newsweek and the Chicago Sun-Times. The six were transported to the Broadview Processing Center, about 12 miles from downtown Chicago, a facility that has drawn protests in recent months, and Naqvi was later moved to an ICE facility in Dodge County, Wisconsin. She was released over the weekend after approximately 43 hours in custody.
Family members tracked Naqvi’s location and say officers asked for her phone number to search her device; they allege text messages were accessed and the phone was then switched off. She was allegedly released Saturday morning without a working phone and had to find a ride to a nearby hotel to reconnect with her family. It remains unclear why the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) detained the group, and DHS has not publicly provided details. Cook County Commissioner Kevin Morrison called for transparency and accountability, warning that the episode could “happen to any American.” Kat Abughazaleh, a Democratic congressional candidate in Illinois’s 9th District, criticized the incident as a potential “new normal” if unchallenged.
Why this matters legally
At U.S. airports, primary and secondary inspections are carried out by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), part of DHS. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), another DHS component, primarily handles detention and removal of noncitizens in the interior. U.S. citizens cannot be placed in removal proceedings and must generally be admitted once citizenship is verified; prolonged detention of a citizen can raise Fourth Amendment (unreasonable seizures) and due process concerns. DHS has previously pushed back on claims that its officers detain citizens, but ICE has faced criticism for allegedly detaining U.S. citizens during protests and other operations—an area where its legal authority is more limited.
Electronic devices at the border are subject to the “border search” exception, allowing officers to conduct basic searches without a warrant; more invasive “advanced” searches typically require reasonable suspicion or a national security concern under agency policy. Still, reports of a citizen’s phone being accessed and then withheld—or of a citizen being transferred from an airport to interior ICE custody—are likely to intensify scrutiny of DHS practices at ports of entry and local detention facilities.
What travelers should know now
- U.S. citizens: Carry a valid U.S. passport. If detained, ask if you are being held by CBP or ICE, request a supervisor, and ask if you are free to go. You have the right to contact family and, in most cases, an attorney; ask for a property receipt if your device is taken.
- Lawful permanent residents (green card holders): You can be questioned about admissibility and may be referred to secondary inspection if officers have concerns about travel history, prior charges, or prolonged absences. Bring documentation of ties to the U.S. and any relevant court records.
- Devices: You can decline to share passwords; officers may retain a device for inspection. Keep a backup and consider traveling with minimal data. Note that refusing to cooperate can delay your entry, but U.S. citizens must ultimately be admitted.
- If someone is transferred to a facility such as Broadview (IL) or Dodge County (WI), families can contact the facility, local representatives, or legal aid groups to help locate the person and secure counsel.
Source: Original Article