Mendez taught at Vel Phillips Middle School and was named the district’s employee of the year in 2025. In a letter to families, Superintendent Bryan Davis and Principal Amanda Patza said students in her class were told of her absence the previous Tuesday. The district said it was sharing an update because the situation had become public and was affecting the community.

“Whenever a sudden absence occurs, it naturally brings up questions or concerns for students,” the letter said. Counselors and other support staff are available to students, and families can contact the school’s counseling office if a child needs additional help.

A district spokesperson said Mendez’s leave was due to “unforeseen circumstances” and that her absence was not related to school safety or job performance. The district said it was working to obtain more information.

DHS said Mendez entered the United States in August 2020 on a temporary basis and did not leave by Feb. 9, 2021. The department said she was placed in removal proceedings on Feb. 18, 2026, and that an immigration judge ordered her removed on Sept. 9 after she did not appear for proceedings. DHS said she would remain in custody pending removal, but did not identify the type of visa or permit she held.

Accounts shared on Facebook by a person identifying herself as Mendez’s friend said court notices had gone to an old address and that Mendez was unaware of the proceedings. The posts also alleged that she was moved among detention facilities and deported. Those claims have not been independently confirmed, and they conflict with DHS’s statement that Mendez remained in custody pending removal. The person who posted them did not respond to requests for comment.

The posts described Mendez as having moved to Oshkosh with her husband and two sons. One post said one of her sons has Down syndrome. The claims about her family and conditions in detention have not been independently verified. Online court records reviewed in connection with the case showed divorce proceedings but no other cases associated with Mendez.

Voces de la Frontera, a Wisconsin immigrant-rights organization that tracks and verifies reports of ICE activity, said it had not received information about Mendez’s case.

The case comes as Winnebago County participates in the federal 287(g) program, which allows local law enforcement agencies to take part in some immigration-enforcement functions. ICE has reported 25 arrests in the county since January, most of them originating at the jail, according to Wisconsin Watch. Sheriff John Matz has said he supports continuing the program, while his Democratic opponent, patrol officer Jason Ripple, has said he would end it.

The district’s letter said it was keeping Mendez and her loved ones in its thoughts and would provide more information if it became available.