Canadian woman charged after video shows her slapping teen over 'Trump' and 'ICE' clothing

POINT PLEASANT, NEW JERSEY: A New Jersey-based Canadian woman is facing charges after surveillance footage allegedly showed her striking a teenage girl during a dispute over clothing featuring “Trump” and “ICE.”

Authorities identified the suspect as Kaitlyn E Tracey, 33, who was arrested following the July 3 altercation at Point Pleasant Beach and is now being held in ICE custody, according to reports.

Canadian woman faces charges

According to police, Tracey approached a group of teenagers while recording them on her phone after taking issue with their patriotic-colored sweatpants featuring political wording.

Investigators said the encounter escalated when Tracey allegedly struck a juvenile girl with an open hand.

Surveillance footage captured the incident, with police saying the teen was hit once on the body and once in the face.

The girl was not injured. Tracey left the scene following the confrontation, but police later identified her during the investigation and moved forward with charges.

Tracey is facing charges of simple assault, harassment, obstruction and endangering the welfare of a child.

She is scheduled to appear in court on August 4, according to court records.

The arrest comes after investigators reviewed the surveillance footage and pieced together the events surrounding the boardwalk confrontation.

Kaitlyn E Tracey's husband posts emotional plea

Tracey's husband, Matthew Geroni, later said she had been detained by ICE and taken to Delaney Hall in Newark.

The ICE detainee locator confirms that Tracey is being held at the facility. 

Geroni, an American citizen, posted an emotional plea online and said his primary concern was the safety and well-being of his wife.

"My main goal is the safety and well-being of my wife, and that is about it," he said.

Geroni did not discuss the alleged assault in detail during his public appeal and instead claimed that the situation had been taken out of context.

Tracey entered the United States from Canada with a passport in 2024 and had been living with Geroni in Asbury Park.

Geroni also launched a GoFundMe campaign for his wife's legal expenses but later said he took it down after claiming it was mass-reported by a Facebook group of MAGA supporters.

The couple has a visible history of anti-Trump views, including social media posts and repeated criticism of his policies, reflecting a consistent pattern of outspoken political opposition over time.