OSHKOSH (NBC 26) — A teacher at Vel Phillips Middle School in Oshkosh was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and is facing deportation after failing to appear for an immigration hearing.
According to a statement from ICE, Wendy Mendez, a Spanish teacher at Vel Phillips Middle School in Oshkosh, entered the United States legally from Costa Rica in 2020 on a temporary basis but did not leave the country after her visa expired.
ICE said Mendez was placed in removal proceedings earlier this year. An immigration judge ordered her removed on Sept. 9 after she failed to appear for her removal hearing.
"She received due process and will remain in custody pending her removal from the United States," ICE representatives said.
In a statement to NBC 26, the Oshkosh Area School District said the teacher was placed on an unpaid leave of absence due to the "unforeseen circumstances." The district added that at no point was this a school safety or performance-related issue.
