Exposing the ICE 'Kidnapping' Scams

The Spread of Disinformation and the Impact on Immigration Authorities

Fictitious reports about immigration enforcement have been circulating widely, creating confusion and undermining public trust in immigration authorities. These misleading narratives are particularly concerning given the heightened risk of political violence against immigration agents during deportation operations. Some of these claims are outright fabricated, such as a viral TikTok video suggesting that the Trump administration is tossing deportees out of planes into the ocean. The video claimed that a family in Italy saw five shackled bodies wash up on the shore.

Other more organized hoaxes have also gained traction, tricking even some media outlets. One such case involved an 82-year-old Chilean man named Luis Leon, who was allegedly taken by ICE officers and "secretly deported" to Guatemala. According to his family, the ordeal began when Leon was handcuffed by ICE agents while trying to replace his lost green card at a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office in Philadelphia. His wife, who speaks little English, was held for 10 hours before being released to her granddaughter.

Leon's family did not know his whereabouts for approximately a month, claiming he "disappeared without a trace." At one point, relatives were told by a questionable source that he had died in ICE custody. A woman claiming to be an immigration lawyer later contacted the family, offering help but failing to disclose her connection to the case or where Leon was. The calls eventually stopped, and the family learned that Leon was alive and supposedly found in a Guatemalan hospital.

The Morning Call reported that it was unclear whether Leon ended up in Guatemala deliberately or by mistake, citing a Supreme Court ruling that allows federal immigration authorities to deport criminally convicted illegal aliens to countries other than their native nation. However, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) denied the story, stating that ICE has not deported Leon to Guatemala. They also refuted the claim that he was arrested during a green card replacement appointment, noting there is no record of him appearing at any such event in Philadelphia on June 20, 2025.

DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin called the case a "hoax" and criticized the media for what she described as "journalistic malpractice" for not verifying facts with federal officials. She emphasized that ICE does not "disappear" people and that the allegations are part of a broader effort to demonize agents facing increased assaults.

The Guatemalan government also denied that Leon had ever been deported from the United States. The Guatemalan Institute of Migration, which coordinates with ICE on all deportations to Guatemala, stated it never encountered anyone matching Leon’s name, age, or nationality. Additionally, a Chilean fact-checking site revealed that photographs published by The Morning Call depicting Leon were actually of a man named Manuel González, who died in 2021.

Following the DHS fact-check, the family stopped speaking to the press and requested privacy. Daily Kos, a liberal blog, admitted they had been misled by the story, acknowledging it was a cautionary tale about how quickly fiction can spread.

Fabricated "Kidnapping" Case in Los Angeles

In Los Angeles, another fabricated story emerged involving Yuriana Julia Pelaez Calderon, a 41-year-old Mexican national unlawfully living in South Los Angeles. She was federally charged with conspiracy and making false statements to federal officers after allegedly orchestrating a fake "kidnapping" by ICE bounty hunters.

According to a family attorney, Calderon was supposedly kidnapped at a parking lot outside a Jack in the Box restaurant and turned over to an ICE staffer. She allegedly refused to sign voluntary self-deportation paperwork and demanded to speak to an attorney. The family lawyer claimed she was punished and held hostage in a warehouse.

This story garnered national media coverage, prompting Calderon's daughter to set up a GoFundMe page requesting donations. However, a criminal complaint revealed the entire story was fabricated. Federal agents confirmed that Calderon was not in immigration custody, leading to an investigation that ultimately tracked her down in a Bakersfield shopping plaza.

Authorities allege that video surveillance and telephone records show Calderon concocted the story. She allegedly created doctored photos of her "rescue" and planned to hold a press conference to solicit more donations. If convicted, she faces up to 10 years in federal prison.

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) expressed frustration over the hoax, emphasizing that ICE spent days investigating the claims. U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli warned that those involved in the "well-orchestrated conspiracy" would face justice under federal law.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass amplified the family's allegations on social media, claiming that Calderon was taken out of her car on her way to work and held in a warehouse. However, the case highlights the dangers of disinformation and the need for careful verification before reporting.