Woman accuses ICE agent of sexually assaulting her, offering green card for sex

The allegations were made by the woman in an interview with US news outlet Newsweek, as well as a sworn declaration provided to the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG).The alleged assault is said to have taken place at the El Valle Detention Facility in Texas's Raymondville (Representative photo. Credits: AP)New Delhi,Nov 15, 2026 15:27 ISTA 21-year-old Lebanese woman has reportedly alleged that she was sexually assaulted by an ICE agent at an immigration detention facility in Texas. She claimed that the man offered to help her in obtaining a green card in exchange for sex.The allegations were made by the woman in an interview with US news outlet Newsweek, as well as a sworn declaration provided to the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG).The formal submission was reportedly made as part of several complaints made to the internal watchdog of the department. Besides her real name, Newsweek also used an alias, Lucy Wise, to refer to the woman.The man at the centre of her allegations has been identified as ICE deportation officer Markell Wallace. The alleged assault is said to have taken place at the El Valle Detention Facility in Texas's Raymondville. He allegedly touched her inappropriately after taking her to an isolated and self-locking room at the facility. She further claimed that Wallace threatened to have her husband jailed and deported if she refused his advances."He told me, 'I'm going to give you a green card,'" Newsweek reported Wise as saying. "Your husband is an old guy. He can't do anything to you. I'm the one that can help you," she said, purportedly quoting the officer.The DHS, which oversees ICE, has denied the allegations, with a spokesperson saying, "Allegations of misconduct at El Valle Detention Facility are FALSE.""Incidents of misconduct are treated with the utmost seriousness and investigated thoroughly. When substantiated, appropriate action is taken," the statement further said.Newsweek, which said the allegations could not be independently verified, obtained records that identified Wallace as a deportation officer posted with Enforcement and Removal Operations at the Harlingen Field Office.The publication said two sources independently verified that he is an ICE employee.When approached by Newsweek for a response regarding the officer's identity, DHS said it would "never confirm or deny attempts to dox our law enforcement officers," warning that making officers' identities public puts "their lives and the lives of their families at serious risk."The news outlet said Wallace initially confirmed his identity as an ICE agent when they directly contacted him over the phone. However, when asked about Wise's allegations, he purportedly hung up.According to Wise, the alleged assault took place in April 2026, after her attorney withdrew from her immigration case, leaving her without legal representation.She claimed that Wallace summoned her to discuss her case ahead of a scheduled interview with other investigators before taking her to a small, secluded room inside the El Valle facility. In her sworn declaration, Wise said that Wallace "put his hand inside my pants and inserted his finger." She added that the officer then "pulled down my pants and underwear until the lower part of my body was naked," and "began to lower his own pants.""I did not consent to any of this; I refused and told him to stop," she stated."I was a detainee, and he was the officer who had influence over my case, my release, and my medical care, and I did not feel that I could refuse to go with him or leave the room," the woman said.She claimed that Wallace exploited his position and her vulnerable immigration status to coerce her. Wise also alleged that the ICE agent said he could facilitate her release and help her obtain a green card.According to her statement, he also shared his personal phone number and offered to travel to Mexico if she reconsidered his advances.Wise was arrested by Border Patrol near the Rio Grande Valley on February 19, 2026, per the DHS. According to the agency, she illegally entered the United States from Montreal in August 2024.During her detention, she was granted voluntary departure on May 1, 2026, which she accepted and subsequently travelled to Istanbul before moving to Mexico. She currently remains in Mexico, while her husband, who is a lawful permanent resident, continues to live in Texas.Wise's husband is said to have learnt about her purported ordeal only as recently as August 2026, months after her release from ICE custody.- Ends