A woman who claimed she was detained by ICE for nearly two days is now facing serious backlash—after authorities revealed she may have been relaxing at a hotel the entire time.
Sundas “Sunny” Naqvi, a 28-year-old U.S. citizen from Illinois, made headlines last month after alleging she had been unlawfully detained by immigration authorities for about 43 hours. Her story quickly gained national attention, especially after being publicly supported by Cook County Commissioner Kevin Morrison.
According to Naqvi, the incident began on March 5, when she returned to the United States from a work trip to Turkey. She claimed she was held at Chicago O’Hare International Airport for nearly 30 hours, then transferred between multiple ICE facilities across Illinois and Wisconsin.
Supporters amplified her claims, with Morrison even sharing screenshots and speaking at a press conference, accusing authorities of wrongdoing and suggesting a possible cover-up.
But officials quickly pushed back.
The Department of Homeland Security called her claims “blatantly false,” releasing surveillance footage showing Naqvi entering a secondary inspection area at the airport—and leaving just 90 minutes later.
Further investigation revealed no records of her ever being detained at the facilities she mentioned. The Dodge County Sheriff’s Office confirmed she had never been booked, held, or released from their jail.
Then came the most surprising twist.
According to new evidence presented by Sheriff Dale Schmidt, Naqvi had actually checked into a hotel just minutes from the airport during the time she claimed to be detained.
Records show she stayed at the Hampton Inn in Rosemont, Illinois, where she reportedly spent her time enjoying amenities like food, spa services, and even gym visits.
Text messages allegedly sent by Naqvi during that period suggest she was asking to use someone’s card to order food and pay for spa treatments.
Surveillance footage also captured her visiting a nearby gas station—wearing the same outfit later seen in photos where she claimed to have just been “released.”
Naqvi checked out of the hotel on March 8, according to records.
Now, Sheriff Schmidt has filed a federal defamation lawsuit seeking at least $1 million in damages, arguing that the false claims caused serious harm to his reputation—especially as he prepares for re-election.
His legal team stated that the case is ultimately about accountability, pointing out that a fabricated story was widely accepted as truth without proper verification.