Venezuelan footballer Claudia Rodríguez released after ICE detention

Claudia Rodríguez Caglianone, a Venezuelan footballer, was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on 17 July at Fort Lauderdale‑Hollywood International Airport while preparing to travel to a World Cup 2026 match. She spent more than two weeks in ICE custody, first at the Miramar detention center in Florida where she shared a cell with other women, slept on the floor, was unable to bathe and received only a few hours of rest. Rodríguez described the experience as "psychological abuse" that made her feel like a criminal.

She was later transferred to the Pompano Beach detention center, where she was released on bail on 3 August. Rodríguez had arrived in the United States in 2017 on a tourist visa, later applied for asylum and was granted Temporary Protected Status (TPS) in 2023, a benefit that the Department of Homeland Security terminated in November 2025. A DHS spokesperson said the detention occurred during an operation because Rodríguez remained in the U.S. after her visa expired. The case drew public attention and criticism from U.S. officials, including Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz.