Wisconsin Sheriff Files $1 Million Defamation Lawsuit Over Alleged ICE Detention Hoax
A Wisconsin sheriff has filed a substantial defamation lawsuit against a woman who claimed she was held in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody for multiple days, alleging she fabricated the entire story while staying at a hotel. Dodge County Sheriff Dale Schmidt announced the civil lawsuit last Friday, seeking $1 million in damages from 28-year-old American citizen Sundas 'Sunny' Naqvi.
Contradictory Evidence Presented by Sheriff
Sheriff Schmidt presented compelling evidence that directly contradicts Naqvi's claims. According to the sheriff, Naqvi checked into the Hampton Inn and Suites in Rosemont, Illinois, on March 5 and remained there until March 8, during the exact period she alleged she was being detained. Surveillance footage from Chicago's O'Hare International Airport shows Naqvi entering Customs and Border Protection at 10:21 AM on March 5, undergoing secondary inspection from 10:46 AM to 11:42 AM, and then departing.
"There is no record of booking, there is no record of detention, there is no record of release, no contact with the individual," Sheriff Schmidt emphasized during a press conference. "At no point was Sundas Naqvi in the custody of the Dodge County Sheriff's Office."
Digital Evidence and Hotel Records
The sheriff displayed alleged WhatsApp messages from Naqvi that further undermined her story. In messages dated March 5, Naqvi reportedly told an unnamed witness she was "going to look into this hotel" before later confirming "in the room now." The following day, she allegedly asked the same person if she could use their credit card to "pay for my spa lady" and "order some food."
"There is no spa lady in our jail here in Dodge County," Schmidt pointedly remarked.
Hotel records presented by the sheriff verify Naqvi checked into the Rosemont hotel at 1:17 PM on March 5 and did not check out until March 8. Additional surveillance footage allegedly captured Naqvi at a gas station in Slinger, Wisconsin, around 5:38 AM on March 7, precisely when she claimed to have been released from detention.
Expanded Lawsuit and Political Connections
The lawsuit, filed in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, also names Cook County Commissioner Kevin Morrison as a defendant. Morrison, who described himself as the "best friend" of Naqvi's sister Sarah Afzal and was running for Congress at the time, repeatedly posted about Naqvi's alleged detention on social media.
One Facebook post shared by Schmidt shows Morrison claiming Naqvi was "in a detention facility in Wisconsin." Morrison also posted a photograph of Naqvi supposedly "reunited with her family back at home" after her alleged detention.
Sheriff Schmidt explained that including Morrison in the lawsuit was intended to hold Naqvi "accountable and reinforce that misuse of the system will not go unanswered."
Pattern of False Claims and Motive
During the press conference, Sheriff Schmidt revealed that Naqvi has allegedly made false accusations in the past, including claims of abuse against a former college professor and an ex-boyfriend. When asked about Naqvi's possible motive for fabricating the ICE detention story, Schmidt admitted he couldn't determine one.
"For the life of me, I can't figure out why somebody would do that," Schmidt stated. "In the end, it has taken her reputation and that will now take a nosedive."
The sheriff stressed that this was not a "misunderstanding or a minor discrepancy," but rather deliberate false claims unsupported by facts.
Official Denials and Online Comparisons
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) publicly denied Naqvi's claims last month, posting on X that her "claims of spending 43 hours in DHS custody are FALSE." Online commentators have drawn comparisons between Naqvi's case and actor Jussie Smollett's 2019 hoax, where Smollett falsely claimed he was the victim of a hate crime.
Naqvi's original story alleged that immigration officers stopped her at O'Hare Airport on March 5, detained her for 30 hours, then transported her across state lines to the Dodge County Jail in Wisconsin where she was held for an additional 43 hours. The evidence presented by Sheriff Schmidt systematically refutes each element of this narrative.
The lawsuit's $1 million damage claim represents more than just financial compensation, according to Schmidt, who emphasized the importance of addressing Naqvi's alleged history of false claims. It remains unclear whether Naqvi or Morrison have obtained legal representation or been formally served with the lawsuit.
