Amanda U.: Brazilian ex-model deported after Trump ally allegedly pushed ICE during custody fight
Amanda Ungaro, a Brazilian former model who lived in the U.S. over two decades, was held for months and deported in October 2025. She says her ex-partner, a Trump associate, pushed ICE to detain her amid a custody dispute.
Mar 20, 2026Miami, FLCountry of origin: Brazil

Amanda Ungaro, a 41-year-old Brazilian former model who had lived in the U.S. for over two decades, was arrested in June 2025 on fraud charges tied to unlicensed cosmetic procedures at a Florida wellness center. She was held for roughly three and a half months at ICE facilities in Miami and Louisiana before being deported to Brazil in October 2025. Ungaro alleges her ex-partner Paolo Zampolli, a Trump associate and presidential special envoy and the father of their teenage son, contacted senior ICE official David Venturella to ensure she was detained and removed amid a bitter child custody dispute. Zampolli and the Department of Homeland Security denied the allegations, with DHS saying her removal was based on a visa overstay and the fraud charges. An arrest warrant remains open should she return to the United States.
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- Seattle Times
- Trump’s Friend Got ICE to Deport the Mother of His Child
The New Republic·Mar 20, 2026·archived copy
- Trump Friend Asked ICE to Detain the Mother of His Child
- Amanda Ungaro Deported After Trump Insider Weaponized ICE
Resist H8·Jun 21, 2026·archived copy
Show 8 more sources ↓Show fewer sources ↑
- Brazilian former model says Trump ally used influence to have her deported amid child custody battle
- 'It felt like we were on display, like meat at a butcher shop', Brazilian former model recounts ICE detention and deportation
- Why Was Amanda Ungaro Deported? Model's Ex, a Trump Ally, Accused of Calling ICE on Her
International Business Times·Apr 11, 2026·archived copy
- Amanda Ungaro: From sharing soirées with the Trumps to being deported by ICE
El País·Apr 12, 2026·archived copy
- From Mar-a-Lago guest to deported detainee, former model Amanda Ungaro claims a dramatic fall marked by politics, power, and revenge • Fact In Face • Your right to know. Our job to expose.
Fact in Face·Apr 13, 2026·archived copy
- Miami Herald
- 24 News Latest
- Brazilian Model's Trump World Fall Reveals Power, Loyalty, and Exile
Latin American Post·Apr 14, 2026·archived copy
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