ICE detainer lodged against Cuban woman accused of child abuse, arson in Miami

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has lodged a detainer against a Cuban woman accused of pouring hot wax on her children and intentionally setting a fire inside her Miami home, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

Meliza Campos-Sanchez is facing two counts of child neglect, one count of child abuse and an arson charge stemming from an Aug. 16 incident, authorities said.

Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office deputies responded Sunday to a report of an intentional fire inside the kitchen of a Miami home, according to DHS. Campos-Sanchez was found at the scene and taken to a hospital for a mental health evaluation before she was booked into the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.

Investigators later discovered videos posted to Campos-Sanchez's Instagram account that authorities say documented parts of the alleged incidents.

In one video, authorities said Campos-Sanchez could be seen pouring melted candle wax onto herself and onto the hands of at least one of her daughters. A separate video allegedly showed her singing and dancing in the kitchen before using a lighter to set clothing on fire.

Campos-Sanchez was subsequently arrested and charged.

DHS said ICE lodged an immigration detainer with the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center the day after her arrest, asking local officials to notify federal immigration authorities before releasing her so ICE could potentially take her into custody.

"This Cuban illegal alien is charged with child abuse and arson after she poured hot wax onto one of her own children and then lit a fire in her home," a DHS spokesperson said in a statement.

The department also blamed immigration policies under former President Joe Biden for Campos-Sanchez's presence in the United States, saying she entered the country through Florida without legal authorization in May 2022.

"If it weren't for the Biden Administration's reckless open-border policies, criminals like this woman would have never been able to enter our country," the DHS spokesperson said.

DHS did not provide evidence in its statement establishing a connection between Biden-era immigration policies and the criminal allegations against Campos-Sanchez beyond its assertion that she entered the United States in 2022.

The agency said it intends to seek her removal from the United States after her criminal case is resolved.

An ICE detainer is a request to a local or state correctional agency to notify federal immigration officials before a person is released and, under certain circumstances, maintain custody for up to 48 additional hours so ICE can assume custody.

Campos-Sanchez's criminal charges remain pending.