A Canadian woman accused of slapping a teenager at the Jersey Shore for wearing MAGA attire has been arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and is being held at Delaney Hall in Newark, a facility that her husband has previously criticized on social media.
Kaitlyn E. Tracey, 33, was taken into custody on Monday after she allegedly confronted two girls over the Fourth of July weekend in Point Pleasant. According to police, Tracey filmed herself during the encounter, which culminated in her striking one of the girls. Tracey faces charges including endangering the welfare of a child, simple assault, harassment, and obstruction.
Tracey and her husband, Matthew Geroni, 42, have been residing in Asbury Park since she entered the United States on a Canadian passport in 2024. Geroni announced his wife's detention in a TikTok video, stating his intention to secure her release, even if it means she is deported to Canada.
Delaney Hall, where Tracey is currently detained, has been the site of recent protests and clashes between demonstrators and law enforcement. Geroni previously posted videos on TikTok addressing the facility, with one June video appearing to depict protesters as peaceful and police as violent.
In that video, Geroni, in a segment that he stated portrayed protesters in a "designated first amendment zone," appeared confused. He then transitioned to a scene where he simulated a shooting motion with a gun-like object, with accompanying text identifying "State police and [ICE] at Delaney Hall in Newark, NJ."
Geroni did not immediately respond to requests for comment.