Human Impact Project

Two workers assisting with wildfire firefighting in Washington state's Olympic National Forest were detained by Border Patrol agents on charges of unauthorized entry and reentry. One of the detainees had a pending U-visa application and a previous removal order. The detentions occurred while the workers were engaged in firefighting efforts on the Bear Gulch fire, an approximately 9,000-acre wildfire. Democratic lawmakers, including Senator Patty Murray and Representative Emily Randall, made statements regarding the operation. Randall was subsequently denied entry to the ICE facility where the men were being held.

A U.S. judge blocked the government from deporting Guatemalan children who had crossed the border without their families. The children were already on the tarmac awaiting deportation when the court order was issued.

Rodrigo Preciado, who had lived in the United States for 37 years and was awaiting a U Visa and green card, was detained by local police and transferred to immigration authorities. He was deported to Mexico without being given a court hearing or due process. His family, including his wife and four children, is seeking legal representation to fight for his return and financial support during his absence.

A man was detained at 7:20 a.m. on August 29. A community member observed the detention and noted interaction between the man and officers.

Immigration attorneys and relatives reported conditions at ICE's field office in Northern Virginia, including detainees receiving only one meal a day, 40-90 people in single rooms with no beds, and some held for up to seven days without bathing. The facility, designed as a temporary holding office, has become overcrowded due to increased immigration arrests in Washington D.C. since mid-August. Attorneys reported detainees are being denied legal representation, medical care, and basic hygiene access.

Detainees at Florida's 'Alligator Alcatraz' immigration detention facility reported that guards deployed teargas and beat detainees indiscriminately with batons during an alleged uprising. The incident occurred after migrants began shouting for 'freedom' upon learning of a relative's death. Florida and ICE officials denied the reports and stated detainees receive safe conditions. The facility faces a court-ordered closure within 60 days.

ICE has been operating four unofficial and undisclosed long-term detention sites in Arizona. Some detainees have spent over three months in "hold rooms" that are not permitted to contain beds and are not required to contain toilets, according to reporting by the Colorado Times Recorder.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have detained DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) recipients in recent months. Over 515,000 DACA beneficiaries, including Paulo Cesar Gamez Lira and community organizer Catalina Santiago, have been arrested and detained. ICE has conducted raids, airport detentions, and detentions of DACA recipients.

Jemmy Jimenez Rosa, a 42-year-old legal permanent resident from Peru with a valid green card for over 20 years, was detained by CBP and ICE for 10 days after returning from a family vacation in Mexico on August 11, 2025. She was initially held at Boston Logan International Airport for four days without proper medication or access to basic necessities, then transferred to a detention center in Maine. Her detention was based on a marijuana possession conviction from over 20 years ago that had been pardoned and her record sealed. Her attorney challenged the detention as unconstitutional, leading to her release on August 28.

Flor Ivet Vargas-Loya, a DACA recipient and mother of two, was detained while shopping at a T.J. Maxx store in Arizona, according to Arizona Rep. Yassamin Ansari. The incident was reported by 12 News Arizona.

Jean Carlos, 37, has lived in Miami for 31 years and is a father of two. He is a DACA recipient who is currently detained. Multiple DACA recipients are currently in detention. Children of detained immigrants are being separated from their parents.

Newly unredacted documents obtained by the ACLU reveal details about Immigration and Customs Enforcement's plans to expand immigration detention capacity in Colorado. The documents show multiple facilities across the state with proposed capacities ranging from 700 to 2,250 people, with timelines for operations ranging from 30 days to one year after funding approval. The expansion is part of a larger federal initiative allocating $45 billion to ICE for detention infrastructure expansion.

Daryn Herzberg, a U.S. Marine veteran, filed a federal lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security after being tackled by federal agents during a protest outside Portland's ICE facility on August 13. The lawsuit alleges battery and unconstitutional use of force, claiming the contact was unwanted and caused injuries including chest contusions and breathing issues. Federal authorities charged Herzberg with obstructing the facility and throwing objects, charges his attorney describes as bogus and retaliatory.

A married couple from Mexico, Vasquez (49) and Ramirez (40), were arrested by ICE on August 27, 2025, during a traffic stop in Tulsa despite having pending U visa applications and federal deportation protections as crime victims who assisted law enforcement. ICE claimed to be conducting surveillance for a fugitive but detained and separated the couple anyway. Ramirez was held for four months at Bluebonnet Detention Facility in Texas, where she was denied access to seizure medication for her epilepsy and experienced poor detention conditions. Vasquez was detained for over seven months at a CoreCivic facility in Cushing, Oklahoma, attended 13 immigration court hearings, and initially was denied bond until winning a habeas corpus lawsuit that granted him a bond hearing. The prolonged detention cost them their home, jobs, and thousands of dollars in accumulated debt.

Vasquez, 49, and Ramirez, 40, a married couple from Mexico with pending U visa applications and federal deferred action protections, were arrested by ICE on August 27, 2025, during a traffic stop while driving home. They had applied for U visa status after helping law enforcement prosecute a serial rapist. Despite having federal immigration protections and work permits, they were detained in separate facilities in Texas and Oklahoma for months—Ramirez for four months and Vasquez for eight—during which Ramirez suffered seizures from her epilepsy. The arrest cost them their home, jobs, and left them in significant debt.

Jorge Cruz, a green card holder and street vendor from Mexico City who has lived in the U.S. since age 5, was detained by ICE on August 27 while returning home with his wife from dropping off their four children at school. Cruz, who obtained his green card in 2014 after marrying a U.S. citizen, remains held in a detention center in Adelanto about 90 miles northeast of Los Angeles. His attorney and wife report that the specific grounds for his detention remain unclear, though authorities have referenced past dismissed charges related to street vending infractions and a verbal altercation with another vendor that resulted in dropped charges.

Alejandro Theodoro Orellana, 29, a member of the Boyle Heights-based community organization Centro CSO, pleaded not guilty to handing out protective face shields to protesters during an anti-ICE demonstration in Los Angeles. He faces federal charges of conspiracy and aiding and abetting civil disorder. Trial was set for August 26 in LA federal court.

Carlos Enrique Espada Hernandez, a Guatemalan citizen and father of three U.S. citizen children, was arrested by immigration authorities on August 26, 2025 and detained at Adelanto ICE Processing Center. He had resided with his family in Los Angeles for many years and has only a misdemeanor DUI conviction. The court ordered his immediate release on prior conditions after finding the immigration judge abused discretion in denying bond.

Francisco Hernandez-Corona, an undocumented immigrant who had lived in the U.S. for most of his life, self-deported to Mexico. He was married to a U.S. citizen, but a permanent bar from a childhood unauthorized entry prevented him from adjusting his status while in the country, leaving him with no legal pathway to remain.

Balbino Mayora, an Arizona resident of nearly 25 years and business owner, was arrested by Phoenix police over vehicle registration issues. After his court hearing on August 27, ICE agents apprehended him outside the courthouse and he was transferred to the Eloy Detention Center. Mayora, who entered the US legally on a visa but overstayed, is now in removal proceedings while his family fights for his release.

Marlon Pastor-Cabrera, a native of Guatemala who entered the U.S. without inspection in 2019, was arrested and detained by immigration officials at the Phoenix Police Department on August 25, 2025. He alleges that no agent produced a warrant, explained the reason for detention, or provided any documents. The court ordered respondents to answer his habeas corpus petition within 20 days and denied his motion for temporary restraining order.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents stopped Maria on Thursday morning while she was on her way to pay rent and buy a cake for her grandson's birthday. Sandra Hernández, director of Latinos Unidos Siempre, stated that Maria was racially profiled. The incident resulted in extensive injuries to Maria.

Adrian Sotelo Guzman was forcibly removed by ICE from M Health Fairview Southdale Hospital in Edina and transferred to a mental health facility in Texas, despite hospital staff determining he was experiencing psychosis related to bipolar disorder and was not stable enough for discharge. A federal judge approved the Department of Homeland Security's request for his removal. Medical providers and advocates raised concerns that Sotelo Guzman could not make independent decisions due to active psychosis and was denied family contact during the transfer. His family and advocacy groups are now seeking to reunite with him and calling for investigations into the circumstances of his removal.

Gustavo was detained by ICE on August 24, 2025, while working at Bubble Hand Car Wash in Torrance. After being held for 7 months, he was granted bond at $17,500. His sister Rosa organized a GoFundMe to raise funds for his legal expenses, noting that Gustavo is elderly with medical conditions including high blood pressure, diabetes, and cirrhosis.

Rodrigo Almendarez, a U.S. citizen born in Canoga Park, was detained by ICE agents outside his workplace in Simi Valley without being identified or told why. He was released after showing his ID and a coworker's intervention. He plans to file a lawsuit over the incident.

An ICE officer fired at a U.S. citizen during an enforcement incident. Video footage shows the officer firing while the citizen stated he had children in his car.

A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction halting further expansion of an immigration detention center nicknamed "Alligator Alcatraz" built in the Florida Everglades. The judge ordered the winding down of the facility and transfer of detainees to other locations within 60 days, citing violations of environmental laws and inadequate consideration of alternative locations. Environmental groups and the Miccosukee Tribe had challenged the project, arguing it threatened protected wetlands and reversed decades of Everglades restoration efforts.

Arnulfo Bazan was deported after being intimidated into signing a voluntary departure form. He has returned to his home country. The community organization fielhouston commented on the actions taken against Bazan and his family.

HSI and ICE agents chased a family in Indio, California, causing a couple to crash their vehicle. Agents removed the man from the scene in their vehicles. The children were left at the scene. An ambulance arrived for the mother and children.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers opened fire during an immigration enforcement operation in San Bernardino, California on Saturday, firing three shots at a departing vehicle. Masked agents in unmarked vehicles surrounded the family's truck with weapons drawn and broke windows without identifying themselves, prompting the driver to flee out of fear. Federal authorities claimed the action was self-defense after the vehicle struck two officers, though no agents were injured. The family later refused to allow agents into their home without a warrant, and federal agents surrounded the residence for several hours.

U.S. Representative Brittany Pettersen made statements regarding DHS and ICE immigration enforcement operations in Chaffee County, Colorado that resulted in multiple detentions. The operations involved masked agents using unmarked vehicles. Pettersen requested details about the enforcement actions, who was detained, and whether agents followed guidelines to protect families.

ICE arrests continue to increase across the Western Pennsylvania region, including areas like Monroeville and Ambridge. Federal immigration authorities are receiving assistance from local police in conducting these enforcement operations. The article references an incident on Tuesday involving more than two dozen workers arrested at a construction site at Mount Nittany.

ICE agents arrested a father from Guatemala outside Park Dale Lane Elementary School in Encinitas on Wednesday morning while dropping off his daughter. The arrest was witnessed by parents and school staff. This was the third ICE arrest outside a San Diego-area elementary school in August. The man had an outstanding removal order from an immigration judge since 2017, according to ICE.

José Escobar Molina, 47, a Salvadoran native with temporary protected status who had lived in Washington, DC for 25 years, was grabbed and handcuffed without questions by ICE agents in two cars as he approached his work truck. He was held overnight in Virginia before being released. He is a plaintiff in a class-action lawsuit challenging warrantless arrests in DC.

Jediael Amaya Sanchez, 46, was detained by ICE agents outside the Buncombe County Courthouse on August 21 while attending a civil complaint hearing. Armed officers in tactical gear conducted the arrest in an unmarked vehicle without notifying local law enforcement or his public defender. Amaya Sanchez had recently been acquitted in a jury trial and had only traffic-related convictions on his record. The incident occurred amid a reported 170% increase in ICE arrests in North Carolina this year, raising concerns among civil rights advocates and local law enforcement about procedural transparency and safety.

Cottonwood School of Civics and Science relocated from its location next to a Portland ICE facility. The school experienced exposure to chemicals, munitions, and gases on its grounds during summer 2025, prompting cleanup efforts and enrollment decline. The K-8 charter school moved to a new location on Southwest First Avenue before the school year began on September 2.

Undocumented immigrants in Florida and Texas face choices between seeking shelter during hurricanes and immigration enforcement during disaster season. The Trump administration has expanded immigration enforcement capacity, including 287(g) agreements with local law enforcement and FEMA funding for detention centers. Schools, hospitals, and emergency shelters have become locations where immigration enforcement occurs. Federal and state agencies have not provided clarity on whether immigration enforcement would be suspended during natural disasters. Vulnerable communities rely on nonprofits and grassroots organizations for support.

Miguel Alvarado-Lopez, a worker at Moonshot Tavern in Portland, was apprehended by immigration enforcement agents on January 24 while sitting in his car at a gas station in Northeast Portland. He was transferred to the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma, Washington, then to Arizona, and as of the report was awaiting deportation to Guatemala where his wife and son reside.

Guan Heng, a Chinese asylum seeker who documented internment camps in Xinjiang, was arrested by ICE agents at his home in Albany in August 2025 and detained for five months. Guan had fled China after his 2021 YouTube footage exposed human rights abuses targeting Uyghur Muslims. He arrived in the U.S. in 2021, applied for asylum, and settled in New York before his detention. The arrest reflects a troubling pattern affecting Chinese dissidents seeking refuge in the United States.

A father was briefly detained by ICE agents on August 19, 2025, after dropping off his child at a Garden Grove elementary school. Masked individuals in unmarked cars surrounded and handcuffed the man near campus around 7:50 a.m. He was held in an ICE vehicle in a nearby parking lot and released within an hour after providing documentation and confirming his identity.

An ICE enforcement action in Escondido resulted in the detention of a father while his children witnessed the incident. According to an Instagram post, children can be heard speaking in Spanish expressing distress about the situation.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents opened fire on a vehicle during an immigration enforcement operation after the driver allegedly struck two officers with his car. The three occupants, including an unauthorized immigrant, were not hit. The driver was briefly detained but released due to California's sanctuary policies, as agents lacked a warrant.

Federal agents detained a food delivery driver in Northwest Washington on Saturday morning, tackling him to the ground and apparently using a stun gun before placing him in an unmarked vehicle. The incident was witnessed and recorded by multiple people including a Washington Post reporter. The man was later identified as a Venezuelan national.

ICE agents confronted Francisco Longoria and passengers in San Bernardino on August 16, 2025. Masked agents in an unmarked vehicle surrounded the car and fired at least three shots. According to the family, the agents did not identify themselves before smashing the driver's window and opening fire, with bullets striking near where Longoria's teenage son was seated. ICE claimed Longoria drove toward officers. The family and their attorneys dispute this account and are requesting a criminal investigation.

On August 16, 2025, ICE conducted enforcement operations at a Home Depot and car wash in Anaheim, detaining at least five people despite a federal court order prohibiting indiscriminate sweeps. At the Euclid Car Wash, ICE deployed tear gas against a crowd of bystanders and arrested Isaac Dominguez, an uninvolved Black bystander who was there to wash his car, after he reportedly confronted the agents.

ICE officers arrested a Mayan-language speaking woman from Guatemala in San Francisco immigration court on August 15, 2025. The DHS attorney did not move to dismiss her case and agreed to reschedule her hearing for October. The woman, who spoke only Mam and had difficulty communicating through interpreters, was arrested in the courthouse hallway immediately after her hearing concluded.

Tatiana Martinez, a 24-year-old TikTok influencer with 47,000 followers, was arrested by federal agents while livestreaming from her car in downtown Los Angeles. Her attorney believes she was targeted for recording and reporting ICE activity, though DHS stated she was arrested due to a prior DUI conviction. Martinez was taken to a detention center in Calexico and reportedly suffered bruising during the arrest.

Mario Guevara, a journalist with a valid work permit who lived in the United States for nearly 22 years, was arrested while covering a protest in Doraville in June 2025 and deported to El Salvador in October 2025. After his deportation, Guevara continued working as a journalist, reporting from Central America and being invited to speak at international press freedom conferences. His family remained in the United States following his deportation.

Ribvar Karimi, an Iranian national, has been in ICE custody for over 50 days in Alabama. He missed the birth of his child while detained.

Mamadou Mouctar Diallo, a 20-year-old asylum seeker from Guinea and student at Brooklyn Frontiers High School, was detained by ICE on August 4, 2025, following a routine court appearance. He was transferred to a detention facility in Pennsylvania. Elected officials, immigrant advocates, and teachers rallied outside the Tweed Courthouse in Lower Manhattan in response to his detention. Diallo was held for approximately five months before being released in November 2025.