A Wisconsin sheriff filed a defamation lawsuit against a Chicago-area woman who claimed immigration officials detained her for almost two days, both at ICE facilities in Illinois and in the Badger State.
In reality, Sunny Naqvi allegedly was hanging out at a hotel and even going to the spa, according to evidence presented by the law enforcement official.
Dodge County Sheriff Dale Schmidt also released extensive evidence on Friday that debunks claims by Sunny Naqvi, who claimed to be a victim of unlawful ICE detention.
The county sheriff’s office has maintained since the ruse began last month that it never held her in detention, despite her claims. Naqvi’s allegations were also quickly amplified by left-wing politicians in Illinois.
Naqvi originally claimed she spent two days in detention after flying into Chicago’s O’Hare airport on March 5, following a trip to Turkey, as Legal Insurrection reported last month. The woman, who lives in a Chicago north suburb, alleged that DHS brought her first to the Broadview Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility just outside of Chicago and then took her to another location in Wisconsin.
Those claims began to fall apart, as even left-leaning news outlets challenged her account. Supporters pointed to cellphone data, which allegedly showed her in the various locations – but that was faked, too, Sheriff Schmidt says.
He said that she used “widely available tools that allow a user to set a false location, causing apps like Find My, Snapchat, or Google Maps to display a place the person is not actually at.”
The lawsuit also names Cook County Democratic Commissioner Kevin Morrison, who boosted Naqvi’s claims. At the time, Morrison was running in the Democratic primary for the 8th Congressional District, a race he lost.
Ten other unidentified individuals are also named as defendants. Schmidt seeks $1 million in damages against each of the defendants.
Sheriff Schmidt defended his agency amidst the unfair criticism.
“Video footage, license plate reader data, and timeline analysis confirm her travel from Illinois to Wisconsin occurred near the end and after the alleged detention period and was not the result of law enforcement transport,” his office stated in a fact sheet.
“These allegations are serious, but they are not supported by evidence,” he said. “We have reviewed the records, we have established the timeline, and the facts are clear—this did not happen. Our responsibility is to ensure the public has accurate information and confidence in the integrity of law enforcement.”
Naqvi’s account drew skepticism from the beginning, especially after the Department of Homeland Security released photos showing her leaving a Customs and Border Protection holding area at O’Hare Airport after about an hour, on her own accord.
The company she claimed to work for also said it did not employ her.
The liberal Chicago Tribune also reported that Naqvi previously served two years on probation to end accusations that she falsely accused someone of sexual harassment.
Legal Insurrection pointed out last month that her sister used a telltale line of hoaxers when pressed for verification on Naqvi’s claims.
“She doesn’t want this to be about her. This is about everyone illegally detained,” Sarah Afzal, her sister, said as questions were raised.
[Featured image via ABC 7 and Dodge County Sheriff’s Office]
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