Human Impact Project

Ehsan Rajabi, an Iranian graduate student at Johns Hopkins University studying art history, had his student visa cancelled by U.S. border officials at the American border near Buffalo, New York. After presenting all required documentation including his student visa and Canadian visitor visa, officers searched his car and phone, interrogated him for hours, and then used a red marker to draw a cancellation line across his student visa.

Community organizers in Fontana, California are providing legal representation and mental health support resources to an Indigenous family in connection with immigration enforcement actions.

Paulino Martin, an undocumented handyman who lived in Beaverton for over 30 years, was detained by ICE while driving to get lunch and deported to Mexico within three days. The community gathered at Southridge High School to rally in support of Martin, a father of three with no criminal record, as speakers praised his character and work ethic.

Federal immigration enforcement officer Bovino was found by U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis to have lied about a rock-throwing incident used to justify deploying tear gas against protesters in Chicago's Little Village neighborhood during Operation Midway Blitz. Video evidence contradicted his claim that he was hit by a rock before throwing tear gas, and the judge issued a preliminary injunction against federal immigration agents for violating her temporary restraining order by using force without warning.

U.S. citizens testified before Congress about violent encounters with federal immigration agents. Daniel Rascon described an incident where agents pointed rifles at him and shot at his car.

Indigenous actor Elaine Miles was stopped by ICE agents in Redmond, Washington, who questioned the validity of her tribal ID from the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, with one agent calling it "fake." Miles said the agents did not identify themselves and attempted to take her phone when she tried to call the tribal enrollment office to verify her ID. Her son and uncle were also reportedly detained by ICE agents who initially rejected their tribal IDs before being released.

Alma Bowman, a 59-year-old Macon resident, was released from Stewart Detention Center in late November 2025 after spending 243 days in ICE custody. Bowman was detained on March 26, 2025, during a routine check-in despite claiming U.S. citizenship as the daughter of an American serviceman. Her attorney argued the prolonged detainment violated her constitutional rights. Bowman's citizenship status, stemming from her birth in the Philippines to an American father, remained a point of legal dispute throughout her detention.

Gabriela Lozano Sousa, a Venezuelan national who entered the U.S. legally through a humanitarian parole program in 2023, has been detained by ICE for five months following a domestic dispute in October 2025 that resulted in no criminal charges. Despite entering legally and marrying a U.S. citizen in April 2025, ICE incorrectly classified her as an "arriving immigrants," subjecting her to mandatory detention without a bond hearing. Her attorneys argue the classification is legally incorrect and that she should be eligible for bond review as someone arrested within the country.

Leticia Jacobo, a 24-year-old Native American woman, was jailed in Iowa for a traffic infraction and faced potential transfer to an ICE Detention Center for deportation. Indigenous rights groups intervened to prevent her deportation.

A person warned their community that ICE agents were staging outside houses and then parked at a trolley station to observe. When ICE agents returned to the station, they attempted to detain the person, who fled because the agents were masked and refused to identify themselves. The person claims to be an American citizen and states that other people were also detained at the scene.

Joel Andre and his family were detained by ICE and held in a detention facility in Texas. The community is calling for legal assistance and urging elected officials Collins, King, and Pingree to help prevent his deportation.

Jeffrey Lopez-Suazo, 26, was arrested during an ICE raid on November 25 after allegedly ramming his vehicle into an ICE agent's van while attempting to flee. The raid drew hundreds of protesters who clashed with police and federal agents. Lopez-Suazo, seeking asylum from Honduras, was charged with assaulting an ICE agent and was subsequently held for immigration proceedings.

Fernando Vazquez, an 18-year-old U.S. citizen born in Raleigh, was detained by Border Patrol agents at a construction site in Cary, North Carolina on Tuesday. Despite showing his North Carolina Real ID, agents handcuffed and transported him before dropping him off a half mile away. The incident occurred during large-scale immigration enforcement operations in the Triangle area.

Allan Marrero, originally from the Cayman Islands, has been detained by ICE for 113 days following a marriage-based green card interview at Federal Plaza in New York City on November 24, 2025. His husband Matthew Marrero and advocates including clergy and legal counsel have been working to secure his release.

Christian Jimenez, 17, a U.S. citizen and high school senior born in Newberg, Oregon, was stopped by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers while driving his father's car around 12:30 p.m. during his lunch break. His older brother Cesar Jimenez reported the incident to media.

Dulce Consuelo Morales Diaz, an American woman, was released after being held in ICE custody for 25 days. She was detained after speaking Spanish outside a restaurant in Maryland during what her attorney describes as a 'Kavanaugh Stop.' Despite evidence of her American birth, the government has disputed her citizenship claim and she remains at risk of deportation.

ICE agents raided a Detroit home and detained two 16-year-old cousins who were asylum seekers with work permits and pending court dates. The teenagers were transported to a detention center in Texas away from their support system. A demonstration in support of the two teens was scheduled for later that day in Clark Park in Southwest Detroit.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested Vahid Abedini, an Iranian Studies professor at OU's College of International Studies, at Will Rogers International Airport on Saturday while he was boarding a flight to attend an academic conference in Washington, D.C. Abedini, who holds an H-1B visa for specialty occupation employment, was detained and later released Monday after being held for what DHS described as standard questioning.

An OU College of International Studies professor was reportedly arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement at Will Rogers Airport on Saturday. The arrest occurred at the airport, though additional details about the circumstances and charges were not provided in the available content.

Thi Dua Vang and her family found asylum in the U.S. in 2023 and she applied for her green card, which is awaiting final approval. ICE agents showed up at her doorstep, which Vang believed to be a mistake given her pending legal status.

Edwin Josue Padilla Molina, who entered the U.S. in 2013 as a 14-year-old and has lived continuously in Central Islip for twelve years, was detained by ICE on November 23, 2025 while driving his pregnant partner and mother-in-law. A federal judge granted his habeas corpus petition and ordered his immediate release, finding that his detention without an individualized custody determination violated federal law and constitutional due process rights. The court rejected the government's argument that he was subject to mandatory detention, ruling instead that he was entitled to a bond hearing.

A federal judge is determining if ICE agents had probable cause to charge Miguel Angel Garcia Martinez, a U.S. citizen, with assault. Martinez fled from officers who began chasing him while he was documenting Border Patrol operations in Charlotte. Court video showed ICE agents planned to 'smash' into Martinez's vehicle during the chase.

Christian Jimenez, 17, a U.S. citizen and high school senior, was detained by ICE officers while driving off school grounds during lunch break in McMinnville. An officer broke the car's driver's side window and detained Jimenez despite him stating he was a U.S. citizen. He was transported to an ICE facility in South Portland and released shortly before 7 p.m. Authorities are attempting to charge his brother with obstruction of investigation.

Sam Behpoor, a restaurateur and manager of Pismo's Coastal Grill, was released on bond after being held in ICE custody for over eight months beginning June 23, 2025, when he attended an immigration interview. Behpoor had lost his green card following a 2004 non-aggravated burglary conviction and was detained while attempting to reinstate it. An immigration judge determined he did not pose a danger to the community or flight risk, allowing him to post bond and return home to his wife and toddler. The Governor had pardoned his 2004 conviction in November.

On November 21, 2025, ICE agents detained Christian Jimenez, a 17-year-old U.S. citizen and McMinnville High School senior, during lunch break in Oregon. Despite asserting his citizenship, agents broke his car window and transported him to an ICE facility in South Portland before releasing him later that day. The detention was part of ICE sweeps in Yamhill County that week resulting in at least 7 total detentions, including at least 4 U.S. citizens. The incident occurred off school grounds but was witnessed by students in the area. A protest was held in response. The McMinnville School District confirmed increased ICE activity in the community while noting that agents have not entered school buildings.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducted enforcement operations in Long Beach on Thursday, resulting in at least nine detentions at workplaces. Mayor Rex Richardson and Supervisor Janice Hahn commented on the operations, with Richardson referencing a violent incident involving a gardener at a restaurant. DHS stated six people in the country without authorization from Mexico were arrested who had prior criminal histories.

ICE agents detained a 16-year-old high school intern at the Licht Judicial Complex in Providence on November 20, 2025, after misidentifying the teenager as their target. Superior Court Judge Joseph J. McBurney intervened, and agents verified their information and released the intern. Governor Dan McKee and Lieutenant Governor Sabina Matos issued statements regarding the incident.

Emmanuel Gonzalez-Garcia, a 15-year-old with autism, was separated from his mother Maria Garcia on October 5, 2025, while they were selling fruit together as street vendors in Houston. After being reported missing and located by firefighters during a welfare check, he was placed in federal custody with the Office of Refugee Resettlement as an unaccompanied immigrant minor. A judge ordered his release after approximately 48-50 days in detention, ruling that authorities lacked legal authority to detain him since he was not truly unaccompanied. Emmanuel was reunited with his mother; their immigration court cases remain pending.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement has been holding 23-year-old Eric Sebastian Ferrales, a Laveen landscaper who has lived in the United States since age 3, for two weeks. Although Ferrales lacks legal status, his family states the U.S. is the only country he has ever truly known. He now faces deportation proceedings.

The longtime owner of La Playa Taco Shop, a well-known decades-old Mexican restaurant in Pacific Beach, San Diego, has been detained by federal immigration authorities and is facing possible deportation.

Federal immigration agents chased a gardener into Polly's Pies restaurant on Atlantic Avenue in Long Beach and tackled him in the waiting area. Local police officers were eating inside at the time and one briefly drew his gun in surprise before realizing it was an immigration enforcement activity. The officers did not intervene in the arrest.

ICE conducted a raid at a Koreatown plaza in Los Angeles. A security guard at the location reported that approximately 10 people were detained during the operation. The guard stated that shoppers were present at businesses in the plaza including Speakeasy Fitness and Food 4 Less.

An Instagram post shows federal agents in an unmarked vehicle stopping an individual. The post's caption states 'Violated My Rights' and comments suggest concern about the enforcement methods used, with some asserting the person targeted was a U.S. citizen.

Fernando Vazquez, an 18-year-old U.S. citizen, was detained by Border Patrol agents at his workplace in Cary, North Carolina on November 20, 2025, during a broader immigration enforcement sweep. Agents confiscated his wallet and personal belongings, including college and high school IDs and AirPods, before placing him in a vehicle. Vazquez asserted his First, Fourth, and Fifth Amendment rights during the detention. Agents released him after realizing their error, but he was left without his personal items. The incident occurred as part of enforcement operations that detained over 250 people in Charlotte during the same period.

Federal immigration agents conducted enforcement operations at multiple locations in Long Beach on November 20, 2025, including at Polly's Pies restaurant where agents chased and tackled a gardener in front of Long Beach Police Department officers. Agents also arrested three people outside Cherry Donuts and were spotted at four additional locations throughout the morning.

A British woman was arrested by ICE while holding her 5-month-old baby at her green card interview in San Diego on November 20, 2025. She spent five days in custody before being released with her green card approved on November 25. Multiple immigration attorneys noted that federal law provides exceptions for direct relatives of U.S. citizens undergoing adjustment of status.

ICE conducted operations at six locations in Long Beach on November 20, 2025, detaining at least nine people. One detention involved a gardener who was chased and attacked inside Polly's Pies restaurant in front of customers and dining police officers. Local elected officials and community organizations issued criticism regarding ICE's enforcement tactics.

A National Guard member reports that his stepfather, a Mexican native, was allegedly taken by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents while walking to work on Tuesday in Port Richmond. The stepfather came to America seeking a better life, and the incident occurred just one month after his son completed his first year of service in the National Guard.

On October 19, 2025, approximately 200-plus law enforcement officers from at least 14 agencies, including the FBI, ICE, and Border Patrol, conducted a raid on La Catedral Arena, a horse track near Boise in Wilder, Idaho, as part of a gambling investigation. The operation detained approximately 400 people for hours, resulting in 105 immigration-related detentions and 5 arrests on gambling charges. Officers zip-tied children as young as 8 and 11 years old, used flash-bang devices, and fired rubber bullets when crowds surged forward. Four protesters, including activist Avalon Hardy, were arrested and charged with misdemeanor resisting or obstructing officers after officers used force against them. One month after the raid, U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill ordered the release of 15 detainees, ruling the government failed to demonstrate they posed a danger or flight risk and that mandatory detention violated due process rights.

A 23-year-old woman was detained at a Border Patrol checkpoint on State Route 94 and charged with assaulting a federal officer after allegedly pushing an agent and throwing a punch. Body-worn camera video obtained months later showed a more complex account of the incident. Federal prosecutors dismissed the charge in August, and the woman is among nearly half of 22 assault-on-officer cases filed in San Diego during Trump's second term that were later dismissed.

Federal immigration agents arrested a man in a parking lot at Eastway Crossing shopping center in Charlotte while he was documenting their activities. The man, Joshua Long, was released from an FBI office six hours later. DHS claimed he was arrested for vehicular assault against a federal agent, which Long disputed.

Katherine Carreño, who was facing 10 years for a felony assault charge on a federal officer, was acquitted of all charges. The post references an individual also known as Yorhena Panama or Bertha.

Melissa Tran, a Maryland mother who came to the U.S. from Vietnam in the 1990s as a refugee with a Green Card, was deported to Vietnam after being detained by ICE in May. Though a judge ordered her release in October, she still faced deportation due to a 2003 removal order stemming from a 2001 conviction for stealing checks as a teenager. Vietnam had previously refused to accept her, allowing her to remain in the U.S. for over 20 years while completing regular immigration check-ins, until her detention during a check-in in Baltimore.

On November 18, a 23-year-old asylum seeker named Fatima Issela Velasquez-Antonio was detained by U.S. Border Patrol agents at a construction site in Cary, North Carolina, and held at Stewart Detention Center in Georgia for over a month. A federal immigration judge ordered her release in late December, ruling that her detention violated a juvenile-arrival settlement agreement since she had entered the United States unaccompanied as a minor nine years prior and held a valid work permit. The detention was part of Operation Charlotte's Web, a federal enforcement operation that resulted in at least 370 arrests in North Carolina.

54-year-old John Bennett and his 59-year-old brother Mark Bennett were arrested for threatening to commit acts of violence against local police and ICE agents. John Bennett is an assistant principal at Kempsville High School in Virginia Beach.

Two U.S. citizens, Aliya Rahman and Marimar Martinez, testified before Congress about their experiences being apprehended by ICE. Rahman, who is disabled, was forcibly removed from her car while en route to a medical appointment in Minneapolis and denied medical care in detention. Martinez was shot five times by ICE agents in Chicago while attempting to warn neighbors about ICE presence in the area.

A man appeared in court in Lebanon, Tennessee for a routine traffic violation when ICE agents in plain clothes detained him without showing identification. His U.S. citizen daughter intervened and was injured in the process. The man was taken away in a white van, and his family reports lacking clear answers about his whereabouts or status. Five people were detained by ICE after appearing in Robertson County General Sessions Court on November 19 to answer summons for misdemeanor traffic violations. All five had pleaded guilty to traffic offenses and paid their fines before being escorted to a private room and subsequently removed from the courthouse in handcuffs and leg shackles by masked ICE agents. The detainees, including Yanim Lopez and Aurora Leao, both originally from Mexico, were transferred to detention facilities in Knoxville and later Louisiana. ICE arrested 6,251 people in Tennessee between January 20 and October 15, 2025, with arrest rates rising throughout the year. Attorneys report that immigrants following legal requirements—including routine ICE check-ins—are now being detained and deported, a shift from previous practice. The article documents cases where immigrants with no criminal records are detained at check-ins, judges in some counties are contacting ICE, and immigration holds prevent bonded release, leaving immigrants in jail for months before court appearances.

Federal agents detained nine people in the Raleigh area during a U.S. Border Patrol immigration enforcement sweep, including 23-year-old Fatima Issela Velasquez-Antonio of Wendell, who had no criminal record and came to the U.S. from Honduras at age 14. The detainees were held at New Hanover County jail before being transferred to an undisclosed location, with ICE providing no information to jail officials about their whereabouts or next steps.

Paramjit Singh, a native of India who entered the U.S. without inspection in 2004, was re-detained by ICE at a New York office during a scheduled check-in on November 18, 2025. Singh had been previously detained, placed in removal proceedings, and released, with an asylum application pending since 2024. The court ordered respondents to provide Singh with a bond hearing within seven days or release him.

Community organizers and immigration attorneys report an uptick in detainments at the Dallas ICE Field Office during routine check-in appointments. Multiple immigrants, including those with pending asylum cases and proper documentation, have been detained during check-in appointments.