A 36-year-old Dominican Republic citizen, Virginia Basora-Gonzalez, was arrested in Philadelphia during a joint operation on March 12, 2025. She was seen crying as agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) took her into custody for illegally re-entering the US. Basora-Gonzalez had previously been deported for drug-related offenses but had returned unlawfully. She will be held in federal custody while facing charges for re-entry after deportation. ICE emphasized their commitment to removing criminal aliens who pose a threat to public safety. Basora-Gonzalez was initially arrested in Pennsylvania in June 2019 for possessing fentanyl, leading to a conviction and subsequent deportation in October 2020. However, she re-entered the US without authorization. Law enforcement apprehended her at her workplace in North Philadelphia, where she worked as a cook. Despite her attorney’s argument against detention before trial, the government insisted on holding her due to her prior conviction.
