A wild plot out of California has landed an illegal immigrant in court after being accused of orchestrating a fake kidnapping and falsely pointing the finger at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. Authorities say the suspect staged the entire scenario, allegedly to vilify federal immigration officers and manipulate public sentiment.
Julie Calderon, an illegal immigrant from Mexico, allegedly pretended ICE took her in a Jack in the Box parking lot. The "kidnapping" hoax involved a fake press conference, police report, and GoFundMe account. Calderon was found roaming free after convincing leftwing activists that she was in custody.
🚨 WOW! An illegal in California has been charged for STAGING A KIDNAPPING & attempting to FRAME ICE
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) July 17, 2025
The "kidnapping" hoax is DIRECTLY out of the Democrats' playbook. Their rhetoric enabled this.
Mexican national Julie Calderon pretended she was taken by ICE in a Jack in the… pic.twitter.com/CQxA5PIYBM
In July, the Los Angeles Police Department officially closed the missing persons case involving activist Claudia Calderon, who was reported missing on June 25. Just days after her alleged disappearance, supporters held a press conference claiming she had been kidnapped from a fast-food restaurant parking lot in South L.A. by unidentified men in unmarked vehicles, possibly “bounty hunters.” Calderon later claimed she had been held in a warehouse near the U.S.-Mexico border, where she said she used borrowed phones to make two calls and was allegedly pressured to sign self-deportation papers.
However, the Department of Homeland Security swiftly debunked the claims, calling the story a “hoax.” Officials confirmed that ICE does not use bounty hunters and stated clearly that Calderon was never arrested or taken into custody by federal agents. DHS also noted that Calderon was actively using her iPhone during the time she claimed to be missing. Despite this, her attorney portrayed her as being unable to contact anyone, suggesting she was being held hostage and cut off from her family and legal counsel.
Recommended
Editor’s Note: Thanks to President Trump, illegal immigration into our great country has virtually stopped. Despite the radical left's lies, new legislation wasn't needed to secure our border, just a new president.
Help us continue to report the truth about the president's border policies and mass deportations. Join Townhall VIP and use promo code FIGHT to get 60% off your membership.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member