Venezuelan Woman Released From ICE Detention in Pompano Beach After Family Campaign

Claudia Caglionone, a Venezuelan national, has been released from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody at a Pompano Beach detention facility after spending weeks in the agency’s care. Her liberation Monday followed sustained pressure from family members and elected officials who mounted a public campaign highlighting her case and broader detention practices at the facility.

Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz visited the facility last week and drew attention to Caglionone’s detention among approximately 671 others she said should not be held there. The lawmaker’s tour and subsequent advocacy preceded the woman’s release and underscored growing concerns about ICE operations in South Florida.

Caglionone, 28, arrived in the United States from Venezuela in 2017 on a tourist visa and applied for asylum months later. She was granted Temporary Protected Status in 2023, but that designation expired last year, precipitating her detention after authorities stopped her at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport early last month. She holds a master’s degree in business administration from St. Thomas University.

Her cousin Ruth Lares Caglionone expressed relief at the outcome, stating the family sought to help her recover at home. Caglionone herself acknowledged the difficult circumstances of those remaining in detention, saying she was leaving her heart with the women still held inside.