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By Nick Mordowanec
Staff Writer
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Federal authorities are deporting a Michigan mother of two U.S. citizens after she reported an alleged assault to police.
Veronica Ramirez-Verduzco, 49, pleaded guilty to illegally reentering the United States from her native Mexico and was ordered to pay a $100 fine before being handed over to immigration authorities for removal from the country, according to the Detroit Free Press. Her deportation follows her attempt to seek help from police following alleged workplace harassment in southeastern Michigan.
Why It Matters
Ramirez-Verduzco's case illuminates the risk some crime victims face when interacting with local law enforcement due to current federal immigration enforcement practices. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) records reviewed by Newsweek show Ramirez-Verduzco being detained at the Calhoun County Correctional Center in Battle Creek, Michigan.
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What To Know
Ramirez-Verduzco was not previously targeted by federal immigration authorities, but became known to officials only after she reported workplace harassment to the Van Buren Township Police Department earlier this year. She had been employed at a Belleville assisted living facility.
During their investigation, police ran her information through a statewide system typically used for criminal suspects, which resulted in an automatic notification to federal immigration enforcement.
Federal authorities then secured a warrant and later detained her. Local police said they did not intentionally refer her to ICE.
Newsweek reached out to ICE and the Van Buren Township Police for comment.
Prosecutors argued that Ramirez-Verduzco's repeated illegal entries and alleged false statements in employment records warranted a significant sentence to deter further violations. She ultimately received a sentence of time served.
Her attorney, Lisa Dwyer, argued that she is a nonviolent individual devoted to her family and work, rejecting the notion that she fit the profile of a high-priority deportation target.
"Without question, Veronica was targeted," Dwyer told Newsweek on Monday via email. "She made a police report using a fake address [typically an address is not given a second glance]. They put her name into the database and that triggered ICE enforcement.
"That the government says in their memo something about doubting the veracity of the allegations and how her complaint did not result in charges is a joke. The police were not there to help her. They profiled her and targeted her."
The incident comes amid a broader rise in local federal immigration charges, with the number of cases filed in early 2025 already surpassing the combined numbers of the previous two years.
Last week, Cuban reggaeton artist and U.S. permanent resident Leamsy Izquierdo, known artistically as Leamsy La Figura, alleged that detainees at the newly opened "Alligator Alcatraz" immigration detention center in Florida are enduring unsanitary, cold and inhumane conditions.
Also last week, dozens of Iranian employment-based green card applicants filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, alleging that a new presidential travel ban has unlawfully derailed their immigration process.
Curtis Morrison, an immigration attorney and owner of Red Eagle Law who represents the Iranian immigrants, previously told Newsweek that he has a "high" confidence level that his clients will be provided due consideration.
What Happens Next
Ramirez-Verduzco is being removed to Mexico, with her family preparing to relocate to a border town to remain together.
Updated 7/14/25, 2:57 p.m. ET: This story was updated with comment from Lisa Dwyer.
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