A Department of Homeland Security logo in Washington, in a file photo. Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File/AP Photo
A Canadian woman who pleaded guilty to assaulting a teenager wearing “pro-Trump” attire has been ordered removed from the United States and will be returned to Canada, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
“It’s time to get Kaitlyn to her final destination — home,” DHS posted on X on Aug. 5, while sharing a New York Post report that said Kaitlyn Tracey had been ordered removed from the United States by an immigration judge in Texas on Aug. 4.
Tracey, 33, was initially charged with simple assault, neglect of a child, compounding crime, and harassing communication. She pleaded guilty to simple assault and received a one-day jail sentence, which was satisfied by credit for time served after her arrest last month.
The charges came after Tracey struck a teenage girl wearing “pro-Trump memorabilia” on July 3, in Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey, according to DHS and local police.
According to police, Tracey had begun shouting at the teenager over her “patriotic coloured sweatpants with political wording.” Police say video footage showed Tracey hitting the teenaged girl twice, including once in the face.
After being taken to the Ocean County Jail, Tracey was transferred to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody after the agency determined she had overstayed her visa.
Tracey entered the United States on April 14, 2024, and her visa expired Sept. 6, 2024, according to DHS.
Tracey is married to American citizen Matthew Geroni, who has disputed the account provided by police. According to Geroni, Tracey was assaulted, and the video footage that appeared to show her hitting the teenaged girl twice did not show the full context of what had happened.
Geroni told NJ.com the case had been blown out of proportion and said the charges against Tracey were motivated by public pressure following publication of the video online. He further stated that he and Tracey had gotten death threats and attempts to “dox” and publish their personal information by conservative groups.
Geroni had previously been posting updates about his wife’s detention by ICE on his TikTok account but his account was later set to private. A GoFundMe set up to help pay for Tracey’s legal fees was also subsequently taken down.
The Canadian Press contributed to this report.
