Human Impact Project

The Trump administration is deporting individuals to third-party African countries including Rwanda, South Sudan, and Eswatini rather than to their countries of origin. Deportees' identities, charges, and whereabouts are being concealed. No attempt was made to return them to their home countries. Detainees report being held in isolation without legal representation or explanation. The deportation countries have poor human rights records.

Darian Maldonado Medina, a Venezuelan with Temporary Protected Status, was detained by ICE during a routine check-in in Tampa on September 5, 2025, and deported to Venezuela three weeks later. He had valid TPS status at the time of detention, a pending family petition through his U.S. citizen mother, and a 15-month-old U.S. citizen son and partner remaining in Florida. A federal court order had extended TPS protections prior to his deportation. Lawyers have argued that the deportation violated federal law and court orders.

The Trump administration has deported migrants to African countries including Ghana, South Sudan, Eswatini, Rwanda, and Uganda. Detainees were removed from U.S. detention centers and transported on military aircraft. Some detainees were placed in straitjackets when they refused to board. The deportees are now in these countries with uncertain status.

A California State University Channel Islands professor was charged with throwing a tear gas canister during an incident. In a separate immigration enforcement action in Southern California, a legal green card holder who was working toward U.S. citizenship was detained by ICE. The woman's husband expressed concern following her detention.

Omar Salazar, a Dallas community leader and Southern Methodist University graduate, was detained by ICE after being stopped for a traffic violation in Lubbock, Texas. Salazar, who came to the U.S. from Mexico in 2008 without legal status, was arrested after providing his ID to a police officer. He is being held at the Blue Bonnet Detention Facility in Anson, Texas, with his first hearing scheduled for October.

A Valley family and their attorney claim that Immigration and Customs Enforcement should release their relative while his legal status is clarified. The man was granted a special cancellation of removal in Phoenix in 2022, but the case was never finalized and remains pending. He was recently detained for new removal proceedings, and his attorney argues his status should have been protected since the last court hearing three years ago.

A couple expecting their third child is facing deportation. Their two other children, including a 5-month-old, have been placed with family members. LULAC has found legal representation and is seeking financial assistance to help care for their U.S. citizen children.

The Trump administration issued a July 9 directive requiring parents seeking to reunite with unaccompanied children in federal custody to appear in person for identification verification interviews, where ICE officers may be present. Legal advocacy groups report that some parents have been arrested during these interviews, leaving their children in government custody. The policy represents a change from previous practice where sponsors could submit identity documents online.

The Trump administration attempted to repatriate 76 Guatemalan children from U.S. government custody in overnight operations. Children were woken from their beds and reported crying and vomiting. A federal judge temporarily blocked the removals after attorneys argued the government violated U.S. law protecting unaccompanied minors from deportation without due process. The children were returned to shelters after being placed on planes. Declarations indicated many had not requested to return and stated they feared danger if sent back to Guatemala.

Two carwasheros were detained from car washes in Orange County. Their families and legal advocates fought to secure bonds, with Cuberto's bond set at $2,500 and Rodolfo's at $2,000. The post appeals for help reaching fundraising goals to release these individuals.

Leidy Tatiana Mafla-Martinez, a Colombian immigrant and TikTok influencer living in Los Angeles, was arrested by ICE agents while livestreaming from her car. Federal agents detained her and the incident was recorded by bystanders. The Department of Homeland Security stated that Mafla-Martinez had entered the country in 2022 and was convicted of driving under the influence in Los Angeles. A government vehicle was also reportedly towed during the incident.

Amir, who legally immigrated to the United States in 1996 and had been living under asylum supervision for 30 years, was detained by ICE in September 2025 during a regularly scheduled check-in at an immigration office. His asylum had been denied in 2003, but he was allowed to remain in the country under supervision. His family was not immediately informed of his detention, and he was held in a facility indefinitely.

A Chelsea, Massachusetts mother who is a U.S. citizen was detained by ICE in September 2025. Her 18-year-old daughter, Ana Michelle Ramirez Sanan, testified before a Senate committee about the encounter, describing finding their car with shattered windows and her mother being thrown to the ground during the incident.

Jose Manuel Allende, a 58-year-old who came legally to the U.S. from Cuba through the Freedom Flights, was detained by ICE in his driveway in September 2025 due to a decades-old criminal history and lack of citizenship. His family secured a motion to stay and a motion to reopen his case, but he remains detained at the Federal Detention Center in Miami facing deportation on April 6 if not released, creating a legal standoff where he cannot complete his pending green card application while in custody.

Karen Newton, a 65-year-old British tourist, was detained by ICE for 42 days despite holding a valid B-2 tourist visa. She and her husband were held at the Northwest ICE Processing Centre in Tacoma, Washington after attempting to cross into Canada. DHS cited her previous visa overstay of nearly four years and her husband's expired work visa as reasons for the detention, though Newton maintained she had no criminal record and was lawfully present.

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.

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.

Bayron Rovidio Marin was arrested by Border Patrol and federal agents during an immigration raid at a car wash in Carson on August 27, 2025, and sustained severe leg injuries during the arrest. He was held in a hospital for 37 days without being charged with any immigration violations, with ICE agents monitoring him at all times. A federal judge ordered ICE to release him, finding that the prolonged detention without charges violated his due process rights and exceeded legally permissible holding periods.

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.

Audio recordings documented an exchange between a Walworth County Commissioner and the Sheriff's department regarding an ICE arrest taking place inside the courtroom.

Jorge Cruz, a green card holder and street vendor who has worked at LA art events including Frieze LA and the Hammer Museum, was detained by ICE on August 27 while returning home with his wife from dropping off their four children at school. Cruz, who came to the U.S. as a child and was previously protected under DACA before obtaining his green card through marriage to a U.S. citizen, was transferred to a detention center in Adelanto about 90 miles northeast of Los Angeles, where he remains held. Immigration authorities reportedly pursued removal based on his past arrests for minor infractions related to unpermitted street vending, despite charges being dismissed.

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.

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.

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.

According to a court filing, Adrian Sotelo Guzman was forcibly removed by ICE from Fairview Southdale hospital shortly after a judge initially ruled he should remain in Minnesota.

Hagop Chirinian, an undocumented Lebanese immigrant who has lived in the U.S. for 50 years, was arrested by ICE after wandering onto Camp Pendleton during an early morning surf trip near Oceanside. He had been enrolled in an ICE supervision program for 20 years with regular check-ins. He has been detained at Otay Mesa Detention Center for four months without a court hearing or bond hearing. Chirinian was a legal permanent resident until losing his status in 2005 due to a felony drug conviction.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Armed ICE officers in an unmarked SUV detained Jediael Amaya Sanchez, 46, in a crosswalk outside the Buncombe County Courthouse on August 21 without notifying local law enforcement or his public defender. Amaya Sanchez had just been acquitted in a jury trial two weeks prior and had only traffic-related convictions. He was transferred to a detention center in Lumpkin, Georgia.

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.