Dominican fentanyl dealer arrested in Philadelphia after reentry

A Dominican woman, Virginia Basora-Gonzalez, was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Philadelphia last Wednesday. She was found to be back in the U.S. illegally after being deported for dealing fentanyl. During her arrest, Basora-Gonzalez was seen crying as agents took her into custody. Basora-Gonzalez, 36, had a criminal history with a conviction for possessing large amounts of fentanyl. She was arrested for these charges in June 2019 and sentenced to 12 months in prison, along with four years of supervised release. However, she was deported to the Dominican Republic in October 2020 before completing her sentence. ICE learned that she had re-entered the U.S. after a tip on March 7, 2025. They found her working at La Tierra Del Caribe Restaurant in North Philadelphia, where she was employed as a cook. Law enforcement confirmed her identity using the FBI’s fingerprint database. Her attorney argued against her detention, saying she posed no flight risk. However, the government insisted she should be held due to her past conviction. She will remain in federal custody as she faces charges for illegal re-entry.