Human Impact Project

A tattoo artist organized a fundraiser flash day on April 10th at a tattoo shop in Fort Lauderdale to raise money for attorney fees and living expenses after her 65-year-old father was detained by ICE. The father is the primary provider for the family, including her mother who requires full-time care and two disabled sisters.

Nairoby Cabrera posted on Instagram requesting financial assistance for her son, Daniel Zamora, who is currently detained by ICE. The family is seeking funds to cover legal fees and immigration bond costs to provide him with adequate legal representation.

Brian Morales, a 25-year-old U.S. citizen born in Denver, Colorado, was deported to Mexico on April 9, 2026, following a traffic stop while riding in a vehicle on his way to work in Texas. Morales possessed his birth certificate and Social Security card but had not yet obtained a state ID. He alleges that immigration agents threatened him with imprisonment if he did not sign removal papers. His family has questioned the legality of the deportation process.

ICE agents shot a man during a traffic stop in Patterson, Stanislaus County, California on April 8, 2026. The man, identified as Carlos Ivan Mendoza Hernandez, was suspected of murder by ICE. According to dashcam video and eyewitness accounts, Hernandez reversed away from officers who had drawn weapons, then drove forward as agents opened fire. ICE stated Hernandez attempted to run over agents with his vehicle. Hernandez survived the shooting and was transported to Doctors Medical Center in Modesto in stable condition. The incident occurred after ICE initiated contact with Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department at 6:30 AM.

A pregnant Venezuelan woman was arrested by ICE while traveling to a medical center in Seattle. Her 10-month-old baby was also taken into ICE custody during the operation. According to local police, the arrest was executed by the Department of Homeland Security based on a criminal court order allegedly related to human trafficking allegations, not immigration violations.

Aliya Rahman, a Minneapolis resident and U.S. citizen, was pulled from her car window by ICE agents while traveling to a doctor's appointment. Rahman, who is disabled, testified before lawmakers in Washington about her experience, describing dehumanizing treatment and difficulties accessing medical care while in ICE custody.

ICE agents arrested a U.S. citizen in Chicago after alleging she made a threat. The woman and onlookers disputed the allegation. Agents forced her to the ground and zip-tied her hands. The arrest followed a failed ICE attempt to access a nearby laundromat, where protesters had gathered.

ICE detained a mother of a newly enlisted U.S. military member without warning or explanation. The woman had lived in the United States for over 35 years, paid taxes since 1992, and worked in the courts.

Dr. Ezequiel Veliz, a Venezuelan-born physician working in McAllen, Texas, was detained by Border Patrol agents at a highway checkpoint while waiting for his work visa to be processed. Veliz had entered the U.S. legally and was named resident of the year in 2025 at UT Health, Rio Grande Valley, but lost his work permit when his immigration status ended. His detention follows a Trump administration policy that froze visa extensions and work permits for citizens of 39 countries.

Tuan Van Bui, a 55-year-old Vietnamese immigrant, died on April 1, 2026, at Miami Correctional Center in Indiana while in ICE custody. Staff discovered him unresponsive and initiated CPR and emergency services, but he could not be revived. Bui had legally entered the U.S. in 1990 under the Amerasian Homecoming Act but never obtained citizenship or permanent residency. He had been ordered removed from the country by an immigration judge in 2005 and had multiple convictions at the time of his death. His death marked the 46th detainee death in federal custody during the current Trump administration.

Annie Yaritza Ramos Alvarado, a 22-year-old Honduran national married to U.S. Army Sergeant Matthew Blank, was detained by ICE on April 2, 2026 after attempting to enter Fort Polk, Louisiana to register as a military spouse. She was held for nearly a week before being released on April 7 on order of supervision with GPS monitoring while removal proceedings continue. DHS claims she entered the country unlawfully as a toddler in 2005 and has no legal status.

An activist post calls for support for Otofu Ayaku, who was arrested and detained. The post characterizes the arrest as abuse and states it resulted from state actions against trans and immigrant people, citing local police collaboration with ICE. A legal fund is mentioned.

Salah Sarsour, 53, president of the Islamic Society of Milwaukee and a Palestinian-born lawful permanent resident, was detained by ICE agents on March 30-31, 2026, after being pulled over while driving in the Franklin/Milwaukee area. DHS alleged he provided false information on his 1998 green card application, citing convictions from an Israeli military court when he was a minor for throwing Molotov cocktails and weapons possession. Despite having no U.S. criminal record, being married to a U.S. citizen, and having six U.S. citizen children, he was transferred to detention facilities in Chicago and Clay County jail in Indiana. His attorneys disputed the allegations and claimed he was being targeted for his Palestinian background and pro-Palestinian advocacy, noting that U.S. authorities had long known about the prior convictions.

Argam Nazarian, a 27-year-old Iranian Christian of Armenian descent, has been detained by ICE since June 2025 despite multiple court orders for his release. Nazarian entered the U.S. unlawfully in 2021 and lived in Los Angeles for four years before his arrest. Two immigration judges determined he poses neither a flight risk nor danger to the community and ordered his release on bond. However, the government has refused to release him, citing federal law requirements for mandatory detention of those who entered without inspection during removal proceedings. With his asylum case pending and deportation flights to Iran halted due to escalating conflict, Nazarian remains in custody while his attorneys pursue habeas corpus petitions in federal court.

Annie Ramos, 22, a Honduran immigrant brought to the U.S. as a toddler, was detained by ICE on April 2, 2026, at Fort Polk military base in Louisiana. Ramos was arrested while attempting to register as a military spouse and file immigration paperwork following her recent marriage to Army Staff Sergeant Matthew Blank. She had been subject to a removal order issued in 2005 after her family missed an immigration court hearing. A college student with no criminal record who had applied for DACA in 2020 (which was never processed), Ramos was initially transported to an ICE detention facility in Basile, Louisiana, but was later released and ordered to wear a GPS monitor while removal proceedings continue.

Cristina Mejia, a 21-year-old from Waco, Texas, became responsible for her household after her mother was detained by ICE in January 2026. She now manages bills and cares for her two younger brothers, ages 18 and 5, while her mother remains in custody. Mejia reports limited contact with her mother—three phone calls daily—and started a GoFundMe to help cover family expenses during the separation.

Juan Chavez Velasco, a DACA recipient and medical lab specialist, was detained by ICE agents outside his home in Weslaco while delivering breastmilk to his 6-week-old premature daughter in the NICU. Despite holding DACA protections since 2012 and having no criminal history, Velasco was detained based on a 2005 removal order. His attorney argues he is being targeted due to shifting political priorities regarding DACA's scope and meaning. The detention separated Velasco from his newborn infant and family.

Godfrey Wade, a Jamaican-born U.S. Army veteran and lawful permanent resident who lived in the United States for over 50 years, was deported to Jamaica in early February 2026 while his appeal was pending before the Board of Immigration Appeals. Wade's deportation was based on a 2014 removal order stemming from 2006 misdemeanor convictions for simple assault and reckless conduct, as well as a bad check charge. Wade's legal team argued the case involved serious due process defects, claiming he never received proper notification of the original removal hearing because court documents were sent to an incorrect address. Wade was detained by ICE for nearly five months after being pulled over in September 2025 for a traffic violation without a valid driver's license. Congressional offices from both parties contacted the Department of Homeland Security seeking intervention before the deportation was carried out.

Michel Proenza Martínez, an undocumented Cuban citizen with a final deportation order, was apprehended by ICE in Newark immediately after his release from federal prison. Proenza Martínez has a criminal record including burglary, vehicle theft, drug-related offenses, and federal robbery under the Hobbs Act. He is currently being processed for removal from the United States. The arrest is part of increased ICE enforcement actions targeting undocumented immigrants with criminal backgrounds.

According to reporting from SA Current, a pregnant woman named Juana was ordered deported by ICE when she was near her due date. Medical professionals and airlines told ICE she was too pregnant to safely fly, but ICE continued seeking officials willing to authorize her travel anyway. The case highlights failures in ICE's own policies protecting pregnant detainees.

On April 2, 2026, ICE officers in Baltimore, Maryland attempted to arrest Ever Omar Alvarenga-Rios, a Honduran national with a final order of removal. During the enforcement action, Alvarenga drove recklessly through city streets, causing a multi-car pileup, then fled on foot. The arrest resulted in injuries to two ICE officers and Alvarenga, all of whom were hospitalized. Alvarenga remained hospitalized on April 5, and his attorney reported being denied access to him while in custody.

A Long Beach volunteer group is fundraising for Eduardo Ochoa, who is detained at Adelanto detention center. His trial is scheduled for about one week from the post date. The fundraiser aims to cover legal representation costs, citing concerns about predatory attorneys and inadequate legal services.

Stephanie Kenny-Velasquez, a 25-year-old Venezuelan national and wife of a U.S. Army Reserve Black Hawk pilot, was released from ICE detention in Houston after a federal judge found due-process violations. Kenny-Velasquez was detained in December 2025 during a routine ICE check-in despite having been released in 2021 pending her asylum claim and consistently complying with all required check-ins and hearings. She was held at the Houston Contract Detention Facility for approximately four months. The judge ordered her release within 48 hours, finding her detention unlawful, and permitted her to continue her immigration case outside of detention. Kenny-Velasquez reported poor detention conditions, including overcrowding, lack of privacy, and limited access to food and medical care.

Valley View Elementary School in Columbia Heights, Minnesota, where two-thirds of students are Latino, was heavily impacted by ICE enforcement operations in early 2026. At least 30 parents and four students were detained. School staff provided support to affected students through counseling and joy-focused activities. The detentions caused widespread fear and disruption in the school community.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrested 13 undocumented individuals from Central Asian countries—including Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Turkmenistan—at a PennDOT driver's license center in West Kittanning, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania on Friday, April 4, 2026. Local police received reports from concerned citizens about an unusually large crowd at the facility, which may have resulted from a website error directing people to the location for commercial driver's license renewal services not available there. One person resisted arrest and assaulted a local officer during the operation. PennDOT stated it follows federal law and uses the SAVE database to verify legal presence for license applicants.

Hillsdale police officers working under a 287(g) agreement with ICE went to Ritenour Middle School in Charlack and asked administrators about three students. The officers, dressed in tactical gear, appeared in the school parking lot while students were at recess, causing concern among staff and students. School administrators refused to allow the officers into the building and agreed to meet them instead at district headquarters.

ICE agents arrested a nursing student in his 20s from Southern Connecticut State University on Main Street in Middletown on Tuesday, April 1st, after following him from the courthouse and blocking in his vehicle at the intersection of Main and Court streets. Middletown Mayor Gene Nocera said local police were not notified of the operation and the man was not a city resident. In response, protesters gathered on Saturday, April 4th at Washington and Main streets to oppose the arrest and ICE enforcement activity in the area, with an additional rally scheduled for Monday outside the university library demanding the student's release.

ICE agents arrested 13 undocumented individuals at a PennDOT driver's license center in Kittanning, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania on April 4, 2026. The detainees were from Central Asian countries including Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Turkmenistan. A website error had directed individuals to the facility for commercial driver's license renewals that were not available there, resulting in a large gathering. East Franklin Police received reports of the crowd and contacted ICE. During the arrest operation, one person resisted and allegedly assaulted a law enforcement officer.

Jesús Carpio, a Venezuelan living in Orlando, was deported from the United States following arrest during a traffic stop for driving with a suspended license. He was killed in Venezuela four days after his deportation. His sister stated his case reflects fears among Venezuelan exiles about returning to their country.

Elmer Flores, a 27-year-old from Honduras, was detained by ICE agents on March 9, 2026, outside the Mecklenburg County Health Department while dropping off his pregnant wife for a medical appointment. Flores has lived in the U.S. for over three years and has no criminal record. His wife is five months pregnant with a high-risk pregnancy, and the family includes two other children. ICE is holding Flores at a detention facility in Georgia while his family remains in North Carolina. Community organizations have responded by alerting the public about safety concerns at public service locations.

Octavio Andrade-Aguilera, a Mexican national living in Georgia with his U.S. citizen wife and severely disabled quadriplegic daughter, was arrested and charged with unauthorized reentry after being deported four times previously. He was released on a $10,000 unsecured bond after a federal court hearing, with the judge noting he was the primary financial provider for his family.

Sunday Goshit, a University of Iowa adjunct assistant professor and Nigerian immigrant who arrived in the U.S. in 2000, was approved for naturalization in October 2025 after passing his citizenship interview. His naturalization ceremony scheduled for January 16, 2026 was canceled without explanation less than a month before the date. Goshit and his wife filed a lawsuit against U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services in federal court challenging the halting of their naturalization application.

John Bol Ajak, a 26-year-old former Syracuse University basketball player, was taken into ICE custody in early March 2026 following his arrest in Syracuse on charges of resisting arrest and disorderly conduct. His student visa had expired in 2023 after his graduation. He was held at Buffalo Federal Detention Facility and Moshannon Valley Processing Center for over a month. During a virtual hearing with Elizabeth Immigration Court in New Jersey on April 2-3, 2026, an immigration judge found that Ajak had overstayed his visa. Ajak agreed to voluntary deportation to South Sudan and was scheduled for removal within 60 days.

Two immigrant truck drivers detained by Iowa State Patrol and ICE officers along Interstate 80 are suing the federal government, alleging violations of due process rights. The detentions occurred as part of 'Operation ICE Wall,' a national immigration enforcement effort where state troopers stop drivers at weigh stations and ICE officers arrest them. Both drivers had work authorization and pending asylum applications at the time of their arrests.

Eight people from different African countries were deported from the United States to Uganda under a migration deal designating Uganda as a safe third country. A US judge approved their cases before the deportation. The Uganda Law Society condemned the deportations as illegal and dehumanizing, vowing to challenge the process in court.

Suzy Gerónimo, a transgender activist and community organizer in North Carolina, was detained by ICE following a traffic stop in Franklin County and transferred to Stewart Detention Center in Georgia. Gerónimo is recognized for founding and directing Fuerza y Unión Múltiple (FUM), an organization supporting transgender people in rural areas. A fundraising campaign was launched to support her legal defense and detention-related expenses, with Raleigh Immigration Law Firm providing legal representation.

Jose Ignacio "Nacho" De La Cruz, a 30-year-old Migrant Justice immigration rights activist, was released on bond by Judge Kevin Doyle after being arrested on smuggling charges stemming from a February 2026 indictment. De La Cruz had been held at Northwest State Correctional Facility in St. Albans since March 26. The judge rejected federal prosecutors' argument that De La Cruz was a flight risk, noting he remained in Vermont despite knowing of the investigation. Migrant Justice attributed the arrest timing to retaliation following an ICE raid in South Burlington on March 11.

A federal judge in California ruled that U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents violated a previous court order restricting warrantless immigration arrests during an enforcement operation at a Home Depot parking lot in Sacramento in July 2025. The judge found that agents detained people without reasonable suspicion, relying instead on assumptions about day laborers' immigration status rather than individualized assessments.

California House members Mike Levin and Sara Jacobs conducted an oversight visit to the Otay Mesa ICE detention facility in San Diego, which has faced allegations of overcrowding, poor conditions, and sexual assaults. The facility, operated by CoreCivic, was holding approximately 1,037 detainees at the time of the visit. Levin stated he plans to conduct more unannounced visits following a federal court ruling that struck down a Trump administration policy requiring seven days' notice for congressional oversight visits.

Chicago area officials accused ICE of violating Illinois state law and a Cook County court order that prohibit immigration arrests at courthouses. ICE agents allegedly appeared at the Cook County Domestic Violence Courthouse on Thursday and arrested a woman there on March 13, defying protections signed into law by Governor Pritzker in October.

An inspection by ICE's Office of Detention Oversight at Camp East Montana in El Paso, Texas found 49 deficiencies in detention standards, including violations related to use of force, medical care, security, and disease prevention. The facility, the nation's largest immigration detention camp, has housed nearly 3,000 detainees per day and has had at least three deaths since opening. The report documented safety lapses including inadequate suicide prevention measures, unsecured equipment, and failure to isolate a detainee with tuberculosis symptoms.

Subramanyam "Subu" Vedam, a 64-year-old legal permanent resident from India, won an immigration hearing to remain in the United States after his 1980 murder conviction was vacated in 2024 following over 43 years in prison. Immigration Judge Adam Panopoulos ruled that Vedam's lengthy wrongful imprisonment, spotless prison record, and demonstrated rehabilitation outweighed prior drug convictions from the early 1980s, finding he poses no danger to the community and possesses good moral character. Vedam had been taken into ICE custody after his conviction was dismissed and was days away from naturalized citizenship when the deportation case was heard.

Protect Democracy, the ACLU, and other organizations filed suit against DHS and ICE on April 2, 2026, challenging an internal memo issued May 12, 2025 that authorizes agents to forcibly enter homes using only an administrative form instead of a judicial warrant. The lawsuit names three affected families: Teyana and Garrison Gibson Brown, whose home was raided January 11, 2026; Abdulkadir Sharif Abdi, detained December 1, 2025; and Noe Alfredo Salguero, whose home was entered January 14, 2026. Plaintiffs seek to vacate the policy and declare it unconstitutional under the Fourth Amendment.

U.S. District Judge Jennifer Thurston ordered Border Patrol agents to comply with improved documentation requirements for immigration detentions after finding they violated a previous court order during a July 2025 enforcement action at a Sacramento Home Depot where 12 people were arrested. The judge ruled that agents' use of 11 essentially identical, inadequate forms to justify detentions violated constitutional standards and that unprovoked flight alone is insufficient to establish reasonable suspicion. The new order requires agents to write detailed narrative reports with specific facts supporting reasonable suspicion, signed and dated attestations, replacing the boilerplate language used in the Sacramento operation.

An inspection by ICE's Office of Detention Oversight at Camp East Montana in El Paso, Texas found 49 deficiencies in detention standards. Violations included issues related to use of force, security, and medical care, with documented safety lapses including inadequate suicide prevention measures, unsecured equipment, staffing shortages, and medical negligence. The facility, the nation's largest immigration detention center housing up to 3,000 detainees daily since opening in summer 2025, has experienced at least three deaths. Despite these violations, the facility received an acceptable rating.

Jesus Vazquez, a 25-year-old Fort Worth resident who came to the U.S. as a baby, was deported to Mexico in March 2026 after three months in ICE detention following an arrest during a routine ICE check-in in November 2025. His American citizen wife Cassidy and their four children, ages 6 months to 8 years, remain in Fort Worth while working with an attorney to find a way for him to return to the U.S., though he is currently barred from re-entry for 10 years due to a 2022 marijuana possession conviction.

A woman who arrived in the U.S. at age 9 was detained by ICE and is facing deportation for overstaying her visa. She is married to a military veteran and has built her life in the country. Her family is raising funds to cover legal expenses.

Abel Ramirez, a man with schizophrenia who had two strokes, was detained by ICE and deported to Mexico without his family being allowed contact. He moved to the U.S. as a child and is now alone in Mexico. His family is seeking help locating him after he was last seen boarding a bus to Mexico City.

Enrique, brought to the U.S. at age three and raised there for 24 years, was stopped by a state trooper for a license plate light issue and taken into custody based on his Mexican passport despite lacking a driver's license. He spent three months in ICE processing with multiple court appearances before being granted voluntary departure. He is now in Mexico documenting his experience and attempting to maintain his business remotely while seeking residency.

Three sisters in Big Bear Lake are facing the possibility of losing both their mother, who is in hospice with stage 4 brain cancer, and their father, who was recently detained by ICE.