Maria Greeley, a 44-year-old US citizen, reported that she was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents while on her way to work in Chicago, Illinois. The case has sparked outrage on social media and among civil rights organizations, as Greeley claims to have shown her US passport and other documents before being handcuffed and detained for nearly an hour. According to The Chicago Tribune, officers claimed her passport “didn't look real” and that “she didn't look like her name was Greeley,” despite her documents being legitimate. She described the encounter as a humiliating and terrifying experience that left her with minor injuries to her wrists from the zip ties used during the arrest. According to Greeley, who was born at Illinois Masonic Hospital in Chicago's Lake View neighborhood and is adopted, the arrest occurred in front of her workplace, the Beach Bar on Ohio Street, when three masked officers approached her unannounced, intending to handcuff her.

Afterward, they interrogated her on the street and demanded identification. Despite showing her US passport, the agents questioned the document's authenticity and subjected her to prolonged interrogation. Maria stated that she always carries a copy of her ID to avoid these types of situations despite not having had a similar experience before.

The Chicago Tribune reported that the woman was released without charges after another agent verified her identity, but to date, she has not received an apology or a formal explanation from ICE. "They told me my passport wasn't real. It was as if it didn't matter who I was or how much evidence I showed," Greeley said in an interview with the US media outlet.

Accusations of discrimination and abuse of authority

The case has sparked criticism from immigration activists and lawyers, who point out that these types of arrests reflect a pattern of racial profiling within ICE operations. Civil organizations such as the American Immigration Council have demanded an independent review of the incident and sanctions for the agents involved.

Other similar cases have occurred in the past, where UScitizens or legal residents have been mistakenly detained based on unfounded suspicions about their immigration status. In Greeley's words, her experience "shows that anyone can be treated as a suspect solely because of their appearance or their last name."

ICE's Position on the Accusations

To date, ICE has not issued a public statement regarding Maria Greeley's arrest. A Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesperson contacted by Newsweek said that identity checks are part of its operating procedures, although she emphasized that the use of force or the detention of US citizens “goes against internal policies and will be reviewed in the event of a formal complaint.” Greeley, meanwhile, said she doesn't want anyone else to go through what she went through: “If I hadn't had my passport on me, I might be detained right now,” she said. Continue reading: The US has revoked the visas of more than 50 Mexican politicians in recent years. Kristi Noem says they are offering up to $50,000 to kill immigration officials. Legal protection in California for children affected by the deportation of their parents. Legal protection in California for children affected by the deportation of their parents.