Human Impact Project

Jasmir Urbina, a 35-year-old Nicaraguan asylum-seeker living legally in New Orleans with her husband, was defrauded by a scammer posing as "Susan Millan," an attorney affiliated with Catholic Charities USA. Through WhatsApp messages and fake documents, the scammer convinced Urbina that she had won residency in a fake virtual hearing and told her to skip her real immigration court check-in scheduled for November 24, 2025. Urbina and her husband paid nearly $10,000 through Zelle for the fraudulent services—money they had saved to buy their first home. After Urbina reported the fraud to authorities, ICE changed her scheduled December virtual check-in to an in-person meeting. When she appeared for the in-person appointment, ICE agents arrested her, shackled her hands and feet, and deported her to Nicaragua in January 2026. She is now living with her mother in a remote village in Nicaragua, separated from her husband who remains in the U.S. Her case was documented in a ProPublica investigation that found immigration scam complaints have doubled since Trump's election, with victims reporting at least $94.4 million stolen over five years.

Alex Pretti, a U.S. citizen, was shot and killed by ICE agents in January 2026 during an immigration enforcement operation in the Minneapolis area. The killing occurred within two weeks of another death, that of Renée Good, both happening during Operation Metro Surge. Pretti's death triggered large demonstrations and widespread international condemnation, and contributed to renewed scrutiny of ICE tactics. The incident led to the removal and demotion of Border Patrol Commander-at-large Gregory Bovino to his earlier post at the El Centro Border Patrol office and contributed to the firing of DHS Secretary Kristi Noem in March 2026.

Zahra Razavinik, a 66-year-old Iranian immigrant, has taught preschoolers at Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church in Houston for nearly 30 years and cared for her husband with a heart condition. She was detained by ICE in January 2026 during a routine immigration check-in and has been held at El Valle Detention Center in Raymondville, Texas for six months. Her attorneys argue she cannot safely return to Iran because she is Christian and faces persecution there, and that no other country has agreed to accept her. A 2006 immigration judge's order had previously granted her a stay of deportation due to risk of persecution as a Christian.

In January 2026, federal agents posing as utility company employees knocked on several homes in Gresham, a suburb east of Portland, Oregon, with the goal of getting migrants to come out of their houses, according to complaints from three affected families. The families reported the incident to state lawmaker Ricky Ruiz, identifying the agents as ICE. Ruiz stated: "They are doing everything they can to deceive people, lie to our community and then detain them. They don't even follow the law." The incident prompted local utility companies Portland General Electric and Northwest Natural to issue statements warning about people using "pressure tactics to get into homes" and emphasizing that their employees carry official identification and never ask to enter homes.

Multiple Minnesota residents detained by ICE in January 2026 and transported to Camp East Montana detention center in El Paso, Texas reported serious medical neglect and unsafe conditions. An 18-year-old legal resident with a thyroid condition arrived with severe abdominal pain but received no medication during her detention and had her documents taken upon release. A Cuban man with a pending asylum application waited five days to see medical staff, at which point he was diagnosed with COVID. Two detainees under age 21 were placed in a holding cell with 40 people despite its 20-person capacity. Detainees reported limited access to phones to contact family and lawyers, and inadequate food. The reports prompted state and federal officials to call for a full investigation into facility conditions.

Alexander Perez, a 15-year-old from the Dominican Republic, was detained with his mother and 14-year-old brother when immigration agents stopped their bus traveling from Los Angeles to Houston and checked everyone's immigration status. He had been detained for four months at Dilley by the time of interviews. He reported inadequate school instruction with mixed-age classes limited to 12 students for one hour, lessons below his level, and an uncomfortable interrogation about immigration policy during a social studies class. His mother Teresa was appealing a denied asylum petition.

Ariana Velasquez, a 14-year-old from Honduras who immigrated to the U.S. at age 7, was detained at Dilley with her mother for approximately 45 days. She was a freshman at Hicksville High School in New York and cared for her two younger siblings after school. Detention caused her to fall behind in classes and separated her from her siblings and favorite teacher. She reported severe depression, sadness, and inadequate medical care with long wait times for medication.

Two brothers, both U.S. citizens, were arrested in January 2026 without being asked about their immigration status during warrantless enforcement operations across North Carolina. They are among five plaintiffs in a federal class-action lawsuit filed in February 2026 against DHS, ICE, and CBP, alleging widespread warrantless arrests without probable cause.

The Dilley Immigration Processing Center, reopened by the Trump administration in late 2024 after closure under Biden, currently houses between 900 and 1,400 people including infants, young children, and pregnant women. Since reopening, lawyers, inspectors, and medical professionals report widespread medical neglect including children with untreated asthma and appendicitis, measles outbreaks, respiratory distress requiring emergency hospitalization, and an 18-month-old hospitalized with COVID, RSV, pneumonia, and bronchitis who was returned to the facility. Children report sleep deprivation from continuously lit lights, contaminated food with worms and mold, poor sanitation, inadequate medical care with long waits for medicine, and severe psychological distress. Emergency dispatch logs show at least 11 emergency ambulance calls since mid-September 2025 for children in medical crisis. The Trump administration is fighting court-ordered restrictions on family detention, arguing existing laws are sufficient to keep children safe.

Rev. James Eliud Ngahu Mwangi, a Kenyan priest and assistant rector in the Episcopal Diocese of Texas, was arrested by ICE on October 24-25, 2025, while returning home from his job as a correctional officer with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice in Huntsville, Texas. Despite holding a valid work permit verified through E-Verify and lawful employment status, ICE detained him at a facility in Conroe, alleging he had overstayed his B1 visa. The Episcopal Diocese of Texas disputed ICE's claims and coordinated legal counsel to document his employment and immigration records. After months in detention, described as punitive and emotionally draining, and facing denial of bond despite his pending asylum application, Rev. Mwangi chose to voluntarily depart to Kenya in early January 2026. His attorney indicated the voluntary departure was a strategic decision to preserve his future eligibility to legally re-enter the United States.

Jacob, a 9-year-old boy with a pending asylum case, was separated from his mother when she was detained at an ICE check-in appointment in January while Jacob and his father waited in the office. His mother had no criminal record and was detained for approximately five months at Adelanto ICE Processing Center before being released on a habeas corpus petition in May. Jacob experienced severe trauma including sleep disturbances, inability to eat or attend school, and emotional dysregulation following the detention.

Jacob's mother, a Colombian national with a pending asylum application and no criminal record, was detained at an ICE check-in appointment while her son Jacob and husband waited in the room. She was held for almost five months at Adelanto ICE Processing Center before being released on a habeas corpus petition in May. Jacob, who had already experienced trauma fleeing paramilitary threats and witnessing violence during migration, developed severe separation anxiety, depression, insomnia, and behavioral problems following his mother's detention.

Hugo Diaz, a 49-year-old Guatemalan immigrant who built a transportation business in Minnesota, was arrested by ICE in January 2026 and deported to Guatemala, leaving behind his wife Blanca Lara and two young sons in Burnsville. The family is among thousands separated by the Trump administration's mass deportation campaign, including Operation Metro Surge, which resulted in over 3,700 arrests across Minnesota. Diaz's younger son has stopped eating since his father's departure, and both children struggle emotionally with the separation.

Amir, a 1-year-old whose Russian parents Alsu and Azat fled Russia fearing persecution for opposing the war in Ukraine, was detained at Dilley Immigration Processing Center for approximately four months after the family presented themselves at a legal port of entry. During detention, Amir developed speech delays and began hitting himself in the face. Staff allegedly forced his weaning from formula despite his age, leaving parents struggling to provide adequate nutrition; they resorted to hiding cereal in their clothing to prevent him from going hungry. The facility lacked age-appropriate toys and Russian-language books. Amir's speech development slowed to just two words—'mom' and 'dad.' After release in January 2026, now 2 years old, Amir is laughing more, speaking more, and has stopped hitting himself, though his parents report he seems to be recovering from the experience.

A report by ACLU-WV and Dragline analyzing data from Operation Country Roads, a January 2026 immigration enforcement surge in West Virginia, found that 75% of the 593 people arrested had no criminal record. The report disputed government claims about the operation, finding zero detentions for sexual assault or crimes involving children, and only two misdemeanor drug possession arrests, contradicting state officials' characterizations.

The ACLU of West Virginia released a report challenging federal claims about "Operation Country Roads," an ICE-led immigration enforcement sweep conducted statewide in January 2026. The report found that ICE inflated arrest numbers from 593 to 650, and that three-fourths of those arrested had no prior criminal record, contradicting federal claims that the operation targeted people convicted of serious crimes. Federal judges subsequently ordered the release of multiple immigrant detainees.

Maria Cristina Tapia Cornejo, a 71-year-old undocumented immigrant, has been held at Eloy Detention Center for over 10 months following an ICE raid on Colt Grill restaurants in July 2025. Despite multiple requests for humanitarian release citing her age, hearing impairment, lack of criminal record, and deep family ties in Arizona, ICE has kept her detained. The restaurant owners who were arrested on charges of hiring undocumented workers were released and granted court-approved travel out of state while awaiting trial. An immigration judge ordered Tapia Cornejo's deportation in January 2026, and she is appealing while remaining in custody, citing safety concerns related to cartel violence in her hometown.

A statewide surge of immigration enforcement in West Virginia in January involved state and local cooperation with ICE through the 287(g) program, resulting in 1,831 arrests (1 in 10 of the state's noncitizen population). Over half were collateral arrests with minimal violent crime convictions; more than three-quarters had only immigration-related violations. A federal judge ordered two detainees released, citing constitutional concerns.

Luis Gilberto Loja Mayancela, 24, an Ecuadorian immigrant with Special Immigrant Juvenile status and valid work authorization, was detained by ICE on January 15, 2026, despite his protective status. A U.S. District judge ruled he is entitled to a bond hearing in immigration court, with seven days to schedule the hearing or he must be released. Mayancela, held at Moshannon Valley Processing Center, was separated from his wife and 3-month-old son at the time of his arrest.

Oudone Lothirath, a 57-year-old Laotian refugee who arrived in the U.S. in the early 1980s, was detained by ICE in January 2026 during an immigration enforcement surge in Minnesota. While held for 10 days at a detention facility in El Paso, Texas, he missed vital chemotherapy sessions for terminal Hodgkin's lymphoma and received no medical care for his diabetes and heart condition. After his release, he was too weakened to continue his remaining chemotherapy treatments. His cancer subsequently spread to his bone marrow, and he is now receiving hospice care with days to live.

Dmytro Kulyk, a Ukrainian national admitted under the Uniting for Ukraine program in late 2023, was detained by ICE on January 1, 2026, while his re-parole application remained pending—unlike his wife and daughter's approved applications. The 39-year-old was apprehended in a Walmart parking lot in Minnesota while working as a delivery driver and doing roofing work to support his family. His immigration attorney suggested the delayed re-parole decision may have been intentional to provide grounds for deportation. Kulyk remains detained and faces potential removal despite having no criminal record and following all required legal procedures.

Activists point to fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by immigration officials in Minneapolis and two killings in San Diego under CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott's watch. The incidents share similarities including victims' positions when attacked, officials' claims of aggression later questioned, and CBP's involvement in evidence handling. Activists note patterns they have identified in federal law enforcement investigations.

Jose Sanchez was detained by ICE in November 2025 and deported to Mexico despite having a pending citizenship case. He died in January 2026 while attempting to cross the Rio Grande to return to his family in San Antonio. His partner, Tiffany Barrera, is a U.S. citizen and mother of five.

The Trump administration has virtually stopped releasing undocumented children in federal custody to their parents and relatives, according to government sources and immigration attorneys. Starting in early November, the Office of Refugee Resettlement began issuing verbal orders to staff to halt child releases to sponsors, even those who had passed vetting requirements. The government released approximately four children per day in October but only four total children over the following six weeks.

The US Trump administration deported 17 non-Cameroonian nationals from 9 African countries to Cameroon in January and February 2026 under an agreement. Cameroonian authorities detained the deportees, with 15 remaining in detention in Yaoundé. Several deportees had court-ordered protections against deportation to their countries of origin due to persecution or torture fears.

A Venezuelan trafficking survivor identified as 'Flora' was detained by ICE during a routine check-in in January 2026 and separated from her two young children. Flora alleges she was subjected to sexual assault, forced labor, and physical abuse after arriving in the U.S. in 2023. Her legal team filed a habeas corpus petition in February 2026, arguing her detention violates the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, and reports indicate at least 41 trafficking survivors have filed similar petitions since early 2025.

A University of Washington Center for Human Rights report documents immigration enforcement across the Pacific Northwest during late 2025, with arrests increasing from 250 in late 2024 to 2,250 in the final three months of 2025. Yakima County had 180 arrests per 100,000 residents, the highest rate per capita in the state. The report documents that federal immigration agencies use systems like NLETS to access driver information through state departments of licensing to identify and arrest suspected undocumented immigrants.

Bobby Nuñez, a tow-truck driver, was acquitted by jury of charges that he stole government property after hooking an ICE vehicle. The acquittal came as federal prosecutors under the Trump administration faced a losing streak in cases against ICE protesters, with judges citing civil rights violations and credibility issues with law enforcement testimony.

Victor Rodriguez Ocampo Sr., 54, owner of La Playa Taco Shop in Mission Beach, was seized by ICE on October 31 and deported to Mexico after approximately two months at Otay Mesa Detention Center. Rodriguez, who operated the restaurant for about 30 years, was detained despite having minimal connection to Mexico. His son has established a GoFundMe fundraiser that has raised over $18,500 to support the family and cover legal expenses.

An internal ICE memo obtained by The Associated Press authorized agents to forcibly enter residences without a judge's warrant based on administrative arrest orders, marking a significant policy shift. The change occurs as the Trump administration escalates a mass deportation campaign nationwide. For decades, immigrant communities have relied on Fourth Amendment protections requiring judicial warrants for home entries, but this memo permits officers to bypass that requirement. Civil liberties organizations have stated the policy conflicts with constitutional protections against unreasonable search and seizure.

Alieskys V.S., an asylum seeker who entered the United States on November 2, 2022, was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on December 31, 2025, at a routine immigration check-in appointment without a warrant or explanation. Despite having complied with all terms of his release for nearly three years, maintaining employment as a shop foreman, applying for asylum and permanent residency, and having no criminal history, he was held for nearly six months without a hearing. A federal district court granted his habeas petition on June 26, 2026, finding his detention violated Fifth Amendment due process protections and ordering his immediate release.

An ICE agent driving into the Crosspoint check-in facility in San Antonio pointed a gun at two community members from Comrade Coffee Collective who were filming and distributing aid outside the facility. One volunteer said hello to the agent from a distance, prompting him to reach for his gun and point it at her despite her backing away, then at another volunteer further away.

Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino stated to Fox News that his agents have arrested U.S. citizens on charges of assaulting federal officers. The article also details allegations of excessive force by Border Patrol and ICE agents, including a November incident in Chicago involving Bovino during 'Operation Midway Blitz.'

ICE officers entered Hennepin County Medical Center without a warrant on December 31, 2025, and guarded a patient seeking medical care for approximately 28 hours. The patient was reportedly shackled to their hospital bed at times and denied family visits while officers maintained watch. Immigration advocates and healthcare workers held a press conference demanding policy changes to protect patients from immigration enforcement in hospitals.

Immigration officials detained two U.S. citizen siblings in a Mission Bay parking lot in late December. The siblings were held in the basement of the Edward J. Schwartz Federal Building for most of the day before being released to their father. The family believes the incident was a case of racial profiling and reports that officers used physical force during the arrest.

A Chicago Tribune analysis of Operation Midway Blitz, a federal immigration enforcement operation, found that of 106 people arrested, only nine faced pending felony charges. The vast majority had charges dropped or never filed by prosecutors. Federal judges questioned agents' credibility, and a grand jury unusually refused to indict three defendants. Cases included a 70-year-old Air Force veteran, a man with intellectual disability, and multiple protesters arrested at demonstrations or in traffic altercations. Federal prosecutors acknowledged applying heightened standards due to concerns about jury nullification and the operation's chaotic enforcement pace.

Hamid Niazai was released on immigration parole in April 2024, then re-arrested by ICE on December 30, 2025, without any notice or explanation. He challenged his re-arrest through a habeas corpus petition, claiming violations of due process rights and federal regulations. The court granted his petition after the government did not oppose it, ordering his release under the same parole terms.

Vilma Palacios was detained by immigration agents in Belle Chasse days after graduating from LSU nursing school in Spring. The incident was reported on an Instagram post by fox8nola with a link to more information.

Brayan Stiven Martinez Cardona was re-detained by immigration authorities on December 29, 2026, after having been previously released on bond or conditional parole. The petitioner challenged his ongoing immigration detention through a habeas corpus petition, arguing that his re-detention without a pre-deprivation bond hearing violated due process. The court granted his petition and ordered his immediate release with the same conditions he had prior to his December 29 detention.

Asif Amin Cheema, a 63-year-old Pakistani restaurant owner in Humboldt Park who lived in Chicago for 30 years, was deported to Pakistan in early 2026 after the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a deportation order from the 1990s that his family said they were unaware of. Despite having a valid work permit and a scheduled green card interview, Cheema was detained in September 2025 and subsequently removed. A community fundraiser was held in March 2026 featuring Chicago chef Zubair Mohajir to raise awareness and support for efforts to bring Cheema home, with proceeds directed to his family and immigration advocacy organizations.

David Courvelle, a former contract detention officer at the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center in Basile, Louisiana, pleaded guilty to sexually abusing a Nicaraguan detainee in federal custody. Between May and July 2025, Courvelle engaged in multiple sexual encounters with the detainee inside the facility, including in a janitorial closet, while enlisting other detainees to act as lookouts. He also smuggled gifts into the facility to maintain the relationship. The case was uncovered when investigators obtained recordings of phone calls between Courvelle and the detainee, prompting his resignation.

Jovanpreet Singh, an immigration detainee, was arrested on December 29, 2025 for misdemeanor driving under the influence and providing false information to a police officer. He was granted pre-plea diversion with the case set for dismissal in June 2026. Months after his arrest, Singh reported for his scheduled check-in with ICE, where ICE arrested and detained him. The court granted his habeas corpus petition and ordered his immediate release.

Orange County experienced significant federal deportation enforcement operations beginning in June 2025, with ICE agents targeting day laborers, car wash workers, and people at immigration court proceedings. The sweeps sparked widespread protests, prompts from local governments to create immigrant aid funds, and complaints from officials and advocates that agents were targeting vulnerable immigrants rather than serious criminals. A notable case involved Narciso Barranco, a Tustin landscaper and father of three U.S. Marines, who was violently arrested in June and later released; his case drew national attention and congressional testimony.

In September 2025, ICE made approximately 17,500 at-large arrests. Government data shows that more than 60 percent of people detained in at-large arrests since June lack criminal convictions or pending charges. The weekly rate of at-large arrests in September 2025 was more than four times the weekly rate from Trump's first term.

Rafaela Neri Angel, a Mexican citizen who entered the U.S. in June 1998 with no criminal history, was detained by ICE on December 28, 2025, outside her home without any pre-deprivation process or notice, despite not being subject to a final removal order. She has cancer requiring monthly medical monitoring and is the primary financial support for her family. On June 18, 2026, the federal court granted her petition for habeas corpus and ordered her immediate release, finding that her detention without pre-deprivation due process violated the Constitution, and enjoined respondents from re-detaining her without written notice and a pre-deprivation hearing.

Jessica Treviño, a 34-year-old DACA recipient with valid protected status until spring 2027, was detained by ICE on December 28, 2025, while traveling to church with her husband and daughter in a Home Depot parking lot in Harlingen, Texas. ICE agents rammed the family vehicle and used force against her and her family members. After months in detention, she was deported to Mexico in early 2026 despite her valid DACA status, separating her from her three U.S. citizen children who remained in Texas.

Federal officers are targeting immigrants in communities through at-large arrests. Data shows ICE made approximately 17,500 at-large arrests in September 2025. More than 60% of people arrested since June have no criminal convictions or pending charges. ICE made more than four times as many at-large arrests per week in September 2025 compared to Trump's first term.

Malik Velimetov, 21, born in Turkmenistan but raised in Key West, was taken into custody by US Border Patrol on December 28, 2025, while traveling with his family on US 1 in Marathon. He was detained for a month at Florida's immigration detention center in the Everglades due to his pending asylum case and was released with an electronic monitor. His family, including his parents and 17-year-old sister, were also taken into custody and separated from him.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducted raids across California's Central Coast from December 26-31, 2025, detaining more than 100 people. DHS stated all 118 arrested were criminals including sex offenders and burglars. Immigrant rights advocates reported 147 total detentions and stated that authorities engaged in racial profiling in predominantly Latino working-class communities. The operations resulted in family separations during the holiday season.

Arturo Rafael Brito Goncalvez, a 22-year-old Venezuelan pilot, was detained by ICE during a scheduled immigration appointment in Westerville, Ohio. His family claims he entered the country legally in 2023 with valid visas and employment authorization. He is fighting deportation and fears returning to Venezuela due to political persecution.