Wisconsin Sheriff Takes Legal Action Over Fabricated Detention Story
A Wisconsin sheriff has initiated a defamation lawsuit against an Illinois woman who made national headlines in March by falsely claiming she was detained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents and taken to an ICE facility. Dodge County Sheriff Dale Schmidt filed the lawsuit against Sunny Naqvi and Cook County Commissioner Kevin Morrison, who amplified her claims.
Contradictory Evidence Presented in Court Filing
Sheriff Schmidt released surveillance footage, documents, and text messages that directly contradict Naqvi's account. The Department of Homeland Security had previously released footage showing Naqvi was allowed to leave O'Hare International Airport approximately 90 minutes after landing on March 5, and was never detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
"At no point was Sundas Naqvi in the custody of the Dodge County Sheriff's office," Schmidt stated emphatically in his legal filing.
Timeline Reveals Different Story
The sheriff's investigation revealed that Naqvi checked into a hotel in Rosemont, Illinois, about three hours after landing at O'Hare. Surveillance video also appears to show her being driven to Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, and back to the Chicago area on March 7 by an ex-boyfriend.
According to Schmidt, the ex-boyfriend disclosed he had given Naqvi approximately $25,000 over several weeks, including funds for her flight to Turkey.
Motivation Behind the Lawsuit
"I don't have any charges here in Dodge County to bring against her. My only recourse is to make sure that the public knows that she can't do this," Schmidt explained, emphasizing that Naqvi's false story significantly damaged his agency's reputation.
Original Claims and Background
Naqvi's family and her former lawyer initially claimed she was detained along with others due to suspicious travel history. According to their account, a group including three U.S. citizens (including Naqvi) and three Pakistani-origin Green Card holders had planned to travel to India but couldn't proceed beyond Turkey and returned to the U.S.
They alleged the group was held at the airport for 30 hours, then moved to a facility in Illinois, and finally to Dodge County, Wisconsin—claims that form the foundation of the defamation lawsuit. Neither Naqvi nor Commissioner Morrison has commented on the legal action.
Previous Legal Issues
Naqvi's credibility is further undermined by her previous legal troubles. She was convicted of lying about being a sexual assault victim. Cook County court records also show she has been evicted twice in recent years.
In 2024, a River North apartment complex claimed she owed over $43,000 in rent and fees, while JP Morgan simultaneously reported she owed nearly $15,000 in unpaid credit card debt, according to Chicago Sun Times reports.
