On March 12, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers arrested Virginia Basora-Gonzalez in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The arrest resulted from a collaboration between the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the U.S. Marshals Service. The authorities convicted the previously deported felon of attempting to possess and distribute 40 grams of fentanyl.
ICE deported Basora-Gonzalez on October 6, 2020, from the United States to the Dominican Republic. She later reentered the country without authorization from an immigration official, a government-appointed officer responsible for ensuring lawful entry of non-citizens.
On March 12, 2025, the authorities served Basora-Gonzalez a Notice of Intent to Reinstate the Final Order of Removal. The officials issued this document to individuals who have faced removal from the U.S. and may have their prior deportation order reinforced. That same day, ICE obtained a federal arrest warrant and arrested Basora-Gonzalez before transferring her to the U.S. Marshals Service.
While her reentry charges are pending in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Basora-Gonzalez will remain in federal custody.
The arrest occurred amid increased deportations by ICE under the Trump administration. According to Newsweek, ICE reported deporting 29,319 people that year, averaging 3,887 per week. While the Trump administration initially pledged to focus on criminals, they have since broadened their scope in a Jan. 28 news conference.
“All migrants present in the U.S. without legal status have criminal records,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said. “They illegally broke our nation’s laws, and, therefore, they are criminals, as far as this administration goes.”
This policy has led to widespread reports of wrongfully detained or interrogated legal residents. For example, ICE detained Lewelyn Dixon, a Filipino green card holder, despite her having lived in the U.S. for 50 years.
The White House posted images of Basora-Gonzalez’s arrest on social media platforms such as X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram. The administration followed up on March 27 with an AI-generated image, showing the suspect weeping while being arrested by ICE agents.
“Virginia Basora-Gonzalez, a previously deported felon convicted of fentanyl trafficking, was arrested by @ICEgov in Philadelphia after illegally reentering the U.S.,” the White House captioned its Instagram post. “She wept when taken into custody.”
The post ignited immediate debate. Some Instagram users, such as @nico_sheba condemned the approach: “This is not leadership. A meme about someone you’re deporting? This is grade school bullying behavior. Shame on everyone in the White House.” Others supported the administration, with @maxlugavere writing, “Getting everything I voted for.”
The comment sections feature repeated criticisms of the White House’s approach, with many users questioning its tone. The White House has shared similar posts on their X and Instagram accounts. One video, titled “ASMR: Illegal Alien Deportation Flight”, incorporates audio of rattling chains. Another, “Trump Gaza,” is an AI-generated depiction of Gaza under Trump’s vision. These posts, combined with the image of Basora-Gonzalez’s arrest, have sparked debate over the administration’s media approach.
