(JUNEAU) Dodge County Sheriff Dale Schmidt is suing Sundas “Sunny” Naqvi, the Illinois woman who has claimed she was brought to Juneau in March by federal immigration officials and left stranded by the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office.
In a press conference on Friday, Schmidt laid out for reporters what he said he could share about his investigation.
“We have reviewed the records, we have established the timeline, and the facts are clear – this did not happen,” said Schmidt.
According to Naqvi’s account, the U.S. citizen and Skokie, Ill. resident was detained at Broadview ICE detention center for over 40 hours after returning to Chicago O’Hare airport from a trip to Turkey on March 5. Schmidt said U.S. Customs and Border Protection records show she was subject to secondary inspection at the airport for 56 minutes.
Schmidt said his investigation, including credit card and text messaging records, shows Naqvi was at a Hampton Inn & Suites in Rosemont, Ill. during the time she claimed to have been detained.
Naqvi has also asserted that federal authorities brought her to Juneau, where the Dodge County jail has formal agreements to house federal detainees. She said she was released from jail and walked to a gas station, where a woman then drove her to Beaver Dam.
Schmidt said his investigation, which included cell phone location tracking, Flock camera and security camera footage, as well as witness interviews, reveals a man she had known for three years gave her a ride from Rosemont to the Holiday Inn Express Hotel in Beaver Dam, where she contacted her family, who came to Wisconsin to retrieve her.
The sheriff said he can only guess as to Naqvi’s motive.
“Maybe it’s just to go after President Trump. Maybe it’s just to go after ICE. Maybe it’s because it’s something she enjoys doing. I don’t know the answer to that,” said Schmidt.
Naqvi’s account received a flurry of national media coverage at the time. Her claims sparked a protest organized by Cook County Commissioner Kevin Morrison, who was running for Congress at the time.
And according to Schmidt, Naqvi has a history of lying. He said that she made false claims of sexual misconduct against a former college professor and an ex-boyfriend.
He is also suing the Cook County district attorney for not prosecuting Naqvi.
Schmidt explained that although his federal defamation lawsuit seeks $1 million in damages, his real aim is to hold Naqvi accountable for lying about federal and local law enforcement officials. He is also suing the Cook County district attorney, who he said is failing in his duty by not prosecuting Naqvi.
According to Schmidt, it appears that Naqvi has not broken any laws within his jurisdiction. However, he said his office’s criminal investigation remains active.
Dodge County Dale Schmidt addresses reporters on Friday regarding the “Sunny” Naqvi investigation and subsequent lawsuit
