The Canadian woman accused of slapping a teenager wearing “pro-Trump memorabilia” on a New Jersey boardwalk over the Fourth of July weekend was in the United States illegally, the Department of Homeland Security confirmed Tuesday. Kaitlyn Tracey, 33, overstayed her visa by nearly two years, according to DHS.
Tracey was arrested after allegedly confronting a group of four teenagers, including a 16-year-old girl wearing “patriotic-colored” MAGA sweatpants, on the Point Pleasant boardwalk on July 3. She is accused of slapping the girl across the face and body, according to court documents. DHS stated that Tracey, a Canadian native, entered the U.S. on April 14, 2024, on a visa that was set to expire on September 6 of that same year. Officials said she failed to depart the country in violation of U.S. law.
"Tracey is a criminal illegal alien from Canada who was charged with simple assault, neglect of a child, compounding crime, and harassing communication," a DHS spokesperson said in a statement. She is currently being held at Delaney Hall detention center in Newark, awaiting immigration proceedings.