Full Breakdown
Dulce Consuelo Diaz Morales: ICE Detention, Removal Proceedings, and Passport Issuance
6/2/2026, 10:48:32 PM
Event Overview
Dulce Consuelo Diaz Morales, a 23-year-old Maryland native, was stopped by ICE outside a Baltimore Taco Bell on December 14, 2025. ICE agents, who did not identify themselves, detained her and transferred her five times over three weeks to facilities in Baltimore, Louisiana, Texas and New Jersey, after which she was placed in removal proceedings before the Executive Office of Immigration Review (EOIR). On May 27, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) filed a request to dismiss the case and closed it without prejudice. A U.S. passport was issued the following Monday, which her attorneys cite as proof of citizenship.
Timeline
- Dec 14 2025 – ICE stop and detention.
- Jan 2025 – Removal order (attorneys say error).
- May 27 2025 – DHS requests dismissal.
- June 3 2025 – Passport received.
Official Statements & Responses
The DHS filing asked for dismissal and closed the case without prejudice, leaving open the option to reopen it. No DHS statement addressed Diaz Morales’s citizenship. Her lawyers point to the passport as definitive proof.
Criticism & Opposition
Gunther Sanabria, president of Sanabria & Associates, said the case shows a broader erosion of rights under current immigration enforcement. He called it a “shot across the bow” for those fearing a “show your papers” society and urged due-process protections for all.
On-the-Ground Accounts
Sirley Diaz, Dulce’s sister, said ICE agents never identified themselves and claimed they would take Dulce “because she was older in age.” She noted multiple transfers among detention centers without clear justification.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
The DHS has not publicly confirmed Diaz Morales’s citizenship, leaving her status ambiguous despite the passport. Attorneys argue the January removal order may have been issued in error, but no official correction exists. The “without prejudice” closure allows possible future action, which agency statements have not clarified.
Verbatim Quotes
- “It indicates they maintain the position that they can resume these proceedings against her [Dulce] at any time,” — Gunther Sanabria, President, Sanabria & Associates
- “even a removal order does not strip somebody of U.S. citizenship. So, even if she was incorrectly put into immigration proceedings, which she likely was put into proceedings, that does not make her any less of a citizen.” — Sanabria & Associates (legal team)
- “ Sirley went on to say the ICE agents never identified themselves.” — Sirley Diaz, sister
Outlook
The “without prejudice” dismissal lets DHS reinstate removal proceedings, prompting Sanabria & Associates to monitor the case and seek further legal remedies if it resumes. Advocacy groups continue to call for reforms to prevent similar detentions of U.S. citizens.
