- ICE detainer mistakenly attached to Native American woman's jail file nearly led to wrongful transfer despite proof of U.S. citizenship.
- DHS vehemently denies the detainer, exposing conflicts between local sheriff records and federal immigration claims.
In a bizarre case that’s raising eyebrows about immigration enforcement practices, a 24-year-old Native American woman from Arizona found herself caught in a paperwork snafu at an Iowa jail.
Leticia Jacobo, a member of the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, was reportedly held longer than necessary after a mistaken ICE detainer was slapped on her record.
But hold on—federal officials are pushing back hard, calling the whole thing a fabrication.
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This story, first broken by the Arizona Mirror and picked up by major outlets, highlights the messy intersection of local law enforcement and federal immigration policies.
It’s especially timely as debates rage over mass deportations under the current administration.
Let’s break down what went down, step by step, and why it’s stirring up so much conversation.
The Incident: A Routine Booking Turns into a Nightmare
Jacobo, who lives in Des Moines, Iowa, was booked into the Polk County Jail. According to reports, an immigration detainer—a request from ICE to hold someone for up to 48 hours beyond their release so federal agents can take custody—was erroneously issued in her name.
The detainer was meant for another person booked around the same time but somehow got attached to Jacobo’s file instead.
Her family sprang into action right away. Jacobo’s mother rushed to the jail with her daughter’s birth certificate, proving she was born in Phoenix and is a full U.S. citizen.
She even camped out there to make sure no transfer happened. Meanwhile, her aunts reached out to tribal leaders for backup.
“My sister said, ‘How is she going to get deported if she’s a Native American?’ and ‘We have proof,'” Maria Nunez, one of Jacobo’s aunts, told the Arizona Mirror.
“They said, ‘Well, we don’t know because we’re not immigration and we can’t answer those questions.
We’re just holding her for them. So, when they pick her up tonight they’re going to go ahead and deport her to wherever they’re going to take her, but we have no information on that.’”
Polk County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Mark Chance chalked it up to a simple mistake.
“It was human error, but I’m sure as soon as the command staff find out about it, they’re going to have some meetings with their supervisors internally and be like, ‘Hey, guys, we gotta keep our thumb on this, this is silly,’” he told the Arizona Mirror.
Thankfully, Jacobo wasn’t handed over to ICE, but the close call left her family rattled.
Nunez pointed out that this wasn’t Jacobo’s first time in the system—her tribal membership was already on record from previous bookings.
“I do want to say that it’s racial profiling because she’s been there before, they have a rap sheet on her—why would they make a mistake with someone that’s constantly coming in?” she said.
The Bigger Picture: How Local Jails Play a Role in Immigration Enforcement
This isn’t just a one-off glitch; it’s tied to a broader program called 287(g), which lets local sheriffs and police partner with ICE.
In Polk County, deputies are trained to check citizenship, run database searches, and even issue those detainers. The idea is to boost federal efforts with local help, but critics argue it opens the door to errors and biases.
Indigenous communities have long voiced worries about Native Americans getting swept up in immigration crackdowns.
With the Trump administration’s push for aggressive deportations, stories like this one are fueling fears of racial profiling.
Advocacy groups point out that tribal members, who are U.S. citizens by birthright, shouldn’t have to prove their status over and over.
Federal Pushback: DHS Calls It All a Lie
But here’s where things get contentious. The Department of Homeland Security isn’t buying the narrative.
In a fiery post on X, they dismissed the report outright:
“This reads like a fantasy novel, because it is one. This individual was never in ICE custody. These lazy, tiresome, played out lies are both unacceptable and unsurprising. We’d say ‘do better’ but it’s obvious that will never happen.”
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin doubled down in an email to Newsweek: “FALSE. ICE never lodged a detainer for this woman. Just like she was never in ICE custody. Stop with the smears and the lies.”
This denial throws a wrench into the story, leaving questions about what really happened. Was it a complete fabrication, or is there a disconnect between local and federal records?
The family stands by their account, and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the error to reporters.
What’s Next for Jacobo and Her Family?
The ordeal might not be over. Jacobo’s relatives are mulling over legal options, according to the Arizona Mirror.
If they pursue a lawsuit, it could shine a brighter light on how these programs operate and whether safeguards are strong enough to prevent mix-ups—or worse, discrimination.
Cases like this remind us how immigration enforcement can snag innocent people in its net, especially in a climate of heightened scrutiny.
As more stories emerge, expect ongoing debates about reforming programs like 287(g) to protect citizens’ rights.
Also Read: A DOJ Whistleblower Now Makes Revelation That Undermines the Judicial System’s Integrity
