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By Dan Gooding
Associate News Editor
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A U.S. citizen from Illinois told the Chicago-Sun Times she was detained by federal agents at O’Hare Airport in Chicago on Thursday after returning from a work trip, but a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) spokesperson told Newsweek on Monday that the story was "blatantly false." They added that no passengers from Naqvi's flight were arrested.
Sundas “Sunny” Naqvi, 28, was among six people sent to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) processing centers in Illinois and Wisconsin over what federal officials told them was “curious travel history,” the Chicago Sun-Times reported, saying Naqvi was held for about 43 hours before being released on Sunday.
Cook County Commissioner Kevin Morrison told Newsweek on Monday that the family and those trying to help them were "given false or contradictory information by multiple federal agencies" as they tried to locate Naqvi over the weekend.
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Why It Matters
While there have been reports of federal agents detaining legal immigrants at border entry points, including airports, it is rare for U.S. citizens to be detained, and DHS has pushed back on claims that agents have held any Americans at all. Over the past year, during President Donald Trump’s second term, ICE has been criticized for detaining American citizens at protests and on operations, as the agency is supposed to have jurisdiction over only immigrants.
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What To Know
Naqvi, a U.S. citizen from Skokie, had just returned from Istanbul along with her colleagues, according to the Sun-Times, when federal agents at O’Hare detained them. Two others were American citizens, while three were green-card holders in the country legally.
The group had gone to Turkey for a work trip, but that fell through at the last minute, and they decided to continue traveling. Upon their return, DHS agents held them at the airport before transferring them to the Broadview Processing Center, about 12 miles from downtown Chicago, the Sun-Times reported.
Family and friends were able to track her location to the facility, local media said, and officials asked them for her phone number so they could search the facility for her phone. About 10 minutes later, text messages were read, and the phone was turned off, Cook County Commissioner Kevin Morrison told Newsweek in a statement on Monday.
When Cook County Sheriff's deputies were allowed into Broadview, Morrison said they were shown empty cells.
After that, Naqvi said she and the others were sent to a facility in Dodge County, Wisconsin, before being released on Saturday morning without a working phone. She then had to hitchhike to a nearby hotel where her family was able to meet her, according to reports.
However, CBP told Newsweek, in part, "Ms. Naqvi was not taken into custody or transferred to ICE for detention."
What People Are Saying
A CBP spokesperson told Newsweek: "The passenger’s claims are blatantly false. Summer Sundas ‘Sunny” Naqvi, arrived at O’Hare at 10:21 a.m. on March 5, 2026. CBP officers referred her to Secondary, for additional inspection based on law enforcement checks and conducted a baggage exam. Ms. Naqvi departed CBP within 90 minutes of her arrival to the United States. Ms. Naqvi was not taken into custody or transferred to ICE for detention."
Cook County Commissioner Kevin Morrison told Newsweek in a statement: "As of now, all six individuals are safely back home with their families. They are understandably shaken by what happened. While they have recovered their personal belongings, several are still waiting for their passports to be returned.
"Throughout this ordeal, families, advocates, and elected officials were repeatedly given false or contradictory information by multiple federal agencies. That is unacceptable. We are demanding transparency and accountability from federal authorities about how this happened, why these individuals were moved and released without notice or cause, and what steps will be taken to ensure this never happens again."
Kat Abughazaleh, a Democratic congressional candidate in Illinois' 9th District, told the Chicago Sun-Times: “They were only brought home after their families and our community refused to back down and kept asking for answers. This is going to be the new normal if we don’t stand up against it.”
What Happens Next
Local officials have called for Congress to investigate DHS's arrests of U.S. citizens and urged greater oversight of the department, which is over three weeks into a partial shutdown because of a lapse in funding. Congress is yet to pass a bill that would keep the department fully funded through 2026. Democrats have said they will approve funding only if it is tied to greater oversight of ICE and Border Patrol agents, while Republicans say the shutdown is putting additional pressure on airport security.
Update 3/9/26, 2:43 p.m. ET: This article was updated with comment from Kevin Morrison.
Update 3/9/26, 3:39 p.m. ET: This article was updated with comment from CBP.
Update 3/9/26, 5:20 p.m. ET: This article was updated to clarify information from CBP.
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