Canadian national Kaitlyn E. Tracey was charged with assaulting a teenage girls wearing clothing displaying the words "Trump" and "ICE" by the New Jersey authorities. The 33-year-old was later taken into custody by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
According to court documents cited by NJ.com, the incident occurred on July 3 on the Point Pleasant Beach boardwalk during the Independence Day holiday weekend. Police allege Tracey confronted a group of four teenage girls while recording the encounter on her phone.
Investigators said Tracey objected to two of the minors wearing patriotic sweatpants featuring the words "Trump" and "ICE." According to officials, she struck one of the girls across the face and body during the confrontation. Police said the victim was not seriously injured.
Who is Kaitlyn Tracey?
According to NJ.com, Tracey is a Canadian citizen who entered the United States with a passport in 2024. She has been living in Asbury Park, New Jersey, with her husband, Matthew Geroni, an American citizen.
{{/usCountry}}According to NJ.com, Tracey is a Canadian citizen who entered the United States with a passport in 2024. She has been living in Asbury Park, New Jersey, with her husband, Matthew Geroni, an American citizen.
{{/usCountry}}Geroni, who has more than 140,000 TikTok followers, said the couple married more than three years ago. He described himself online as the "Clown of Asbury Park" and the "Jester of the Jersey Shore." His social media accounts frequently feature political satire targeting Republican politicians.
After Tracey's arrest, Geroni said ICE transferred his wife to the Delaney Hall Immigration Detention Center in Newark.
In a TikTok video, he said his priority was ensuring his wife's safety regardless of whether she is ultimately deported to Canada. “My main goal is the safety and well-being of my wife, and that is about it,” he said.
He also claimed aspects of the incident had been taken out of context. Geroni did not directly address the assault allegations in his public statements.
Criminal case and immigration proceedings
Following the arrest, ICE detained Tracey while criminal charges remain pending.
Court records show she is scheduled to appear in court on August 4. It remains unclear whether ICE will continue detention throughout the criminal proceedings or begin separate removal proceedings under federal immigration law.
Surveillance footage reportedly captured the incident where she slapped the two girls. Investigators later identified Tracey and obtained an arrest warrant. She surrendered to authorities on Monday and is being charged with endangering the welfare of a child, simple assault, harassment and obstruction, according to court records.
Geroni also created a GoFundMe campaign to pay his wife's legal costs, but he was compelled to remove it shortly after it was widely reported by a "Facebook group of MAGA supporters," he claimed.