HUMSI — Human Security Initiative

Human Impact Project

A living database documenting reported immigration enforcement incidents and their human impact.

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4032 incidents with known locations
⚐ Highlighted incident #11734 (not on this page in normal date order)Clear

Argentine woman held by ICE in Texas for a month despite voluntary departure order

Sep 9, 2026TXArgentina

Ernestina Pavlovsky, a 33-year-old Argentine personal trainer who lived in Aspen, Colorado for 13 years, was detained by plainclothes ICE agents at Miami International Airport on August 1 while returning from visiting family. She was held for several days in Miramar/Pompano Beach, Florida, where her partner said constant lighting felt like 'a torture chamber,' before being shackled at the wrists, waist and ankles and driven overnight to the CoreCivic-run Laredo Processing Center in Texas. She has no criminal record, had entered the U.S. on a tourist visa, and had a stalled application to regularize her status after a divorce from a U.S. citizen. She and her family described conditions at the Laredo facility including rats, cockroaches, ants, mold, contaminated water, restricted bottled-water access, and sleep deprivation from overnight guard patrols. A judge initially denied her bond over flight-risk concerns, but at a September 1 hearing granted her request for voluntary departure. She remains in ICE custody in Texas awaiting a flight back to Argentina, and supporters have raised roughly $50,000 through a GoFundMe campaign for her legal costs.

Man deported after 30 years in U.S., leaves wife and sons behind

Aug 23, 2026TXMexico

Ulises, originally from Veracruz, Mexico, was deported after living in the United States for 30 years, leaving behind his wife and two sons who remain there. He was held at an ICE detention center in Texas before being flown to Tulum with no money, and said he plans to apply for a passport and visa so he can reunite with his family through legal channels.

Oaxacan father deported after years of remittances funded children's schooling

Aug 23, 2026TXMexico

Santiago, a father from Oaxaca, Mexico, was deported after years of working in the United States and sending remittances that funded his children's education, including one child who recently graduated with a specialty in gastronomy. He was held at an ICE detention center in Texas before being flown to Tulum without money or belongings, and relied on relatives to pay for a flight home.

Mexican man deported after years working to repay $16,000 debt

Aug 23, 2026TXMexico

David, from Querétaro, Mexico, was deported after working in the United States for more than two years to repay a $16,000 debt he borrowed to make the trip north. He was held at an ICE detention center in Texas before being flown to Tulum, arriving with no money or belongings and relying on family and friends to pay for a domestic flight home. He returned to Mexico with no savings and no job.

Venezuelan singer John Theis detained by ICE agents

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Aug 23, 2026Venezuela

John Theis, a Venezuelan singer and rapper, was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. News of his arrest was confirmed and shared on social media by music industry colleagues, including producer and artist Junior Caldera and singer ADSO. Colleagues launched a campaign using the hashtag #FreeJohnTheis calling for his release.

Rideshare driver detained at Camp Pendleton gate despite valid work permit

Aug 23, 2026Oceanside, CA

Assim Alkhawaja, a 53-year-old Middle Eastern immigrant who moved to Oceanside about two years ago to pursue graduate studies in human rights, was detained by ICE while dropping off passengers at a Camp Pendleton gate. He holds work authorization valid until 2030 amid a pending asylum case and has no criminal history. His sister Arwa, a U.S. citizen, said he provided his driver's license and work permit at the gate before being told to pull over and detained, then transported to Otay Mesa Detention Center, where he spent about eight days. An immigration judge found he posed no danger to the community and was not a flight risk, ordering his release on $10,000 bond; he now wears a GPS monitor while his case continues. Before his detention, Alkhawaja had sold his businesses in the Middle East to open Sands Coffee Roasters, a coffee shop nearly ready to open. Attorneys say he is among dozens of rideshare and delivery drivers for companies including Uber, Lyft, DoorDash, GrubHub and Roadie detained at the base's gates under a pilot program launched in 2025 in which military police call ICE on non-citizen drivers.

Haitian asylum seeker detained by ICE at Key West hotel restaurant

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Aug 22, 2026Key West, FLHaiti

Herlandez Wadner Juste Mondesir, a Haitian man, was detained by ICE agents at Tavern N Town inside the Marriott Beachside Hotel in Key West, Florida. A bystander recorded video of the arrest in the hotel lobby, during which an agent can be heard warning Mondesir, "If you keep fighting we're going to get into a real fight." Mondesir had an asylum case scheduled for October of this year at the time of his detention.

Guatemalan man remains in ICE custody after Chantilly arrest

Aug 22, 2026Chantilly, VAGuatemala

Osman Estrada-Gonzalez, a Guatemalan national who entered the U.S. from Mexico through Texas in June 1999, was arrested by ICE on Aug. 22 during a targeted enforcement operation in Chantilly, Virginia. DHS said he allegedly tried to drive away from the traffic stop and hit an ICE vehicle, then refused to identify himself or exit the car and resisted officers as they tried to remove him. His criminal record includes convictions for assault and battery on a family member, and he remains in ICE custody while removal proceedings continue.

Armenian asylum seeker detained by ICE seeks release or prompt bond hearing

Aug 22, 2026Armenia

The petitioner, a citizen of Armenia, entered the United States in 2021 on a visitor visa and has had an application for asylum and withholding of removal pending since October 2023. He was detained by ICE on August 22, 2026. On August 29, 2026, he filed a Motion to Schedule Initial Bond Redetermination Hearing in Immigration Court. He then filed a federal habeas petition and an emergency TRO application seeking immediate release or, alternatively, an order requiring prompt resolution of his bond hearing request. Respondents disputed his claim that he was arrested without a warrant, providing evidence of an arrest warrant, but conceded he appears entitled to a bond hearing under recent Ninth Circuit precedent. The district court denied the TRO application, finding no imminent irreparable harm and noting the case would proceed on an expedited habeas briefing schedule.

Gainesville teen football player, mother released after ICE detained family in Texas

Aug 22, 2026Gainesville, FLVenezuela

Sebastian Jimenez Peroza, a 17-year-old Venezuelan senior at Gainesville High School who plays football, soccer and baseball, was detained by ICE agents along with his mother Antmary Peroza Barrios, stepfather, and sister Fabiana Morillo Peroza at their Gainesville apartment complex days before the school year began. The family had fled Venezuela due to his mother's activism against the government and had been pursuing asylum after their visa expired. Football coach Ashour Peera rallied community support, describing Jimenez as 'a remarkable young man' who 'lights up a room' and a teammate who checked in on others; students displayed a Venezuelan flag with his jersey number, and a GoFundMe raised more than $20,000. After two weeks at the Dilley Immigration Processing Center in Texas, Sebastian and his mother were released on $5,000 bonds each and flew back to Jacksonville, where they were greeted by his coach and classmates; his stepfather was released separately on a $6,500 bond, his location undisclosed. His sister's case remained open, with a bond hearing scheduled for Sept. 9, and ICE has not explained why the family was detained.

Father detained by ICE outside his home in Tennessee

Aug 22, 2026Greeneville, TN

Joselyn Rodriguez's father was arrested by ICE in front of his home after returning from grocery shopping, having just dropped his children off at school. No reason was given for his detention, leaving the family shocked and struggling to understand what happened. His daughter is raising funds to help pay for legal fees and consultations as the family seeks to bring him home.

Guatemalan man restrained by ICE agents inside New York laundromat

Aug 22, 2026NYGuatemala

Silvano (also reported as Silvino) López Domingo, a Guatemalan man, was detained and physically restrained by ICE agents while waiting to pick up his laundry at a laundromat in New York state. Neighbors who filmed the arrest said four agents forcibly took him away and threatened him with an electric shock. His wife, Milvia Chávez, currently in Guatemala with their 5-month-old daughter, said he has no criminal record and is asking for help to secure his release. Witnesses who saw the arrest expressed concern about the increase in immigration enforcement operations in the state.

Man detained by ICE agents outside Yakima grocery store

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Aug 22, 2026Yakima, WA

Federal immigration agents were seen detaining a man in the parking lot of a Grocery Outlet on South First Street in Yakima, Washington. Witnesses recorded video of the encounter as it unfolded in broad daylight. The man's identity and immigration status have not been confirmed.

Mexican father arrested by ICE during morning walk in Redondo Beach

Aug 22, 2026Redondo Beach, CAMexico

Ernesto Alejandro Perez-Garcia, a Mexican national, was arrested by ICE agents while on his morning walk along the Redondo Beach esplanade. He initially denied his identity but admitted the truth after agents showed him a previous mugshot. Perez-Garcia has a lengthy arrest history dating to 2003 and had previously been deported, later re-entering the U.S. multiple times; he said his children live in the United States and he does not know what will happen next. Redondo Beach police had twice declined to honor ICE detainer requests for him, in 2020 and 2026.

Husband arrested by ICE, leaving wife to care for infant twins

Aug 21, 2026Miami, FL

A young mother in Miami is caring alone for her one-year-old twin daughters after her husband was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The family is now facing unexpected expenses for housing, food, diapers, formula, childcare, transportation, and legal assistance related to his immigration case. A GoFundMe campaign was created to help support the mother and her daughters during this time.

Father detained by ICE, family raises funds for detention costs

Aug 21, 2026Jacksonville, FL

A close family friend, described as a father of two, uncle, and brother, was arrested by ICE. According to the organizer, he had worked and paid taxes in the U.S. for years without incident. The family started a fundraiser to help cover future costs related to his detention, citing uncertainty over his timeline in the detention facility.

Father detained by ICE at workplace in Albuquerque, family raises bail funds

Aug 21, 2026Albuquerque, NM

A father was detained by ICE while at work in Albuquerque, New Mexico on Friday, August 21st. His daughter started a fundraiser to cover potential bail, which the family's lawyer said could range from $5,000 to $10,000, plus legal fees. The family describes him as 'the pillar' of their household.

Man arrested by ICE on way to work, family seeks help fighting deportation

Aug 21, 2026Haltom City, TX

Gustavo was arrested by ICE on a Wednesday morning while on his way to work. His wife, Flor Cecilia, who is unable to work due to health issues, and their children Kenia and Gustavo Jr. are struggling financially as a result. The family is raising money to hire an attorney to secure his release from jail and fight his deportation case.

Mississippi man detained by ICE after car accident, leaving pregnant wife alone

Aug 21, 2026Kiln, MSMexico

Heriberto "Eddie" Reyes-Ochoa, a 34-year-old originally from Mexico who has lived in the U.S. for 20 years, was detained after a minor traffic accident near his home in Kiln, Mississippi. A Mississippi Highway Patrol trooper determined he lacked legal immigration status and took him to the Hancock County jail, where he stayed over the weekend before posting bond; ICE then took him into custody the next day and transferred him to the Adams County Correctional Center in Natchez, Mississippi. Reyes works in marine construction, has been married to his wife Catherine Cool, a U.S. citizen, for over a decade, and the couple is expecting their first child in January. Reyes had been pursuing lawful permanent residency through consular processing and was awaiting a visa interview when he was detained.

Black bystander handcuffed by Border Patrol agent over immigrant assumption

Aug 21, 2026Lake Worth Beach, FL

A Black man with no connection to an ongoing traffic stop was questioned and handcuffed by a US Border Patrol agent at an Orion gas station in Lake Worth Beach, Florida. Video shows the agent demanding his identification and telling him it was 'because you're an immigrant' before officers forced his arms behind his back and restrained him. He was released minutes later after a status check cleared him. A second man who appeared Latino was seized shortly afterward, and an older man filming the encounter was ordered to move away from the scene.

Neighbor intervenes to stop ICE from detaining mother of three

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Aug 21, 2026Los Angeles, CAMexico

A Mexican mother of three said ICE agents attempted to detain her in Los Angeles during an enforcement operation in a residential neighborhood. A neighbor intervened, which prevented the arrest from happening. The woman said she now fears being deported.

161 Haitians deported to Cap-Haïtien after TPS protections end

Aug 21, 2026Haiti

More than 160 people were deported from the U.S. to Cap-Haïtien, Haiti, on a flight Thursday, the first such deportation since the Trump administration ended Temporary Protected Status for Haitians. The group included TPS holders who had lived and worked legally in the U.S. since 2010, as well as people of Haitian descent born in the Dominican Republic who are not recognized as citizens there. One deportee, Jean Diane Louis, told reporters he left Haiti at age 5, that his family lives in New York City, and that ICE detained him without questioning before sending him back. Upon arrival, Haitian immigration officials offered deportees a maximum of $65 along with food and water, and many said they had nowhere to go and no family remaining in Haiti.

Colombian father detained after ICE ambushes his car in Queens

Aug 21, 2026College Point, NYColombia

Andrés, a Colombian immigrant living in College Point, Queens, was driving his wife and 6-year-old daughter home from getting food in late June when masked ICE agents in unmarked cars boxed in his vehicle and ordered him out. Agents used a vehicle registration lookup on his New Jersey plates to confirm his identity and immigration status before arresting him, even though he had no criminal history, a valid work permit, and an upcoming immigration court date. He spent about three weeks at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn before a federal judge ordered his release following a habeas corpus lawsuit. Since his release, his daughter has continued to break down in tears, and he now carries copies of his release papers in case he is stopped again.

Venezuelan man deported after Missouri traffic stop, family now struggling

Aug 21, 2026Christian County, MOVenezuela

Angel Acosta Ramirez, 43, a former mechanical engineer from Venezuela who later worked as an Uber driver in Branson, was pulled over by the Christian County Sheriff's Office for allegedly speeding near Highlandville in January 2026. Despite holding a valid work visa, he was arrested and jailed on an immigration hold, spending six weeks in the Greene County Jail before being deported. He had fled Venezuela in 2022 with his wife, Maria Fernanda Arrioja Romero, their infant son Santiago, and his parents, believing he had a right to remain in the U.S. Acosta Ramirez said the hardest part of his detention was being separated from his wife and not knowing what would happen to their young son. His wife was later held for months in the same Greene County Jail, which contracts with ICE to detain hundreds of immigrants daily. Acosta Ramirez said life since his deportation has been 'really hard,' with his family now struggling to earn enough money to survive.

Colombian woman detained nine months by ICE, family cites health concerns

Aug 21, 2026Basile, LAColombia

Wendy Vanessa Triviño Carrillo, a Colombian woman from Cúcuta, has been detained for more than nine months at the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center in Basile, Louisiana. Her father, Luis Eduardo, says she has experienced health problems while in custody and has appealed to the Colombian government and its Foreign Ministry for consular assistance. "We are not asking them to bypass the law. We are asking someone to look at my daughter's case, that someone listen to us," he said. The family is seeking more information about her immigration case, detention conditions, and medical care, and says that if she must return to Colombia they want it handled through proper procedures.

Venezuelan man beaten, detained by ICE agents while driving to work in Gainesville

Aug 21, 2026Gainesville, GAVenezuela

Mikel Junior Sanchez Ortiz, a 24-year-old Venezuelan man, was beaten and taken into custody early on August 19 while driving to work with his girlfriend, Haklin Olivares, 22, on Dawsonville Highway in Gainesville, Georgia. Olivares said several men in a truck stopped them, demanded their licenses, forced open the car doors, and struck Sanchez Ortiz until he bled before pulling him out; she was released after the men said her immigration status was in order but his was not. Sanchez Ortiz later told her by phone that his nose and mouth were injured internally, with a cut on his forehead and marks on his neck from being grabbed. Olivares said the men confiscated her phone and demanded she delete photos of the incident, and said she is uncertain whether they were ICE agents or bounty hunters. The couple has a pending asylum case with a court date scheduled for 2027, hold valid work permits and driver's licenses, and say they have no criminal record. Sanchez Ortiz is being held at Stewart Detention Center in southwest Georgia, and Olivares started a GoFundMe seeking $1,600 to support him.

Venezuelan father deported to Liberia despite protection order, separated from newborn son

Aug 21, 2026TXVenezuela

Carlos Tellez Sanchez, a 35-year-old Venezuelan man who fled Venezuela and settled in Dallas, Texas in 2021, worked days at a car dealership and nights driving for Uber Eats to support his family. Though he held a 2021 Withholding of Removal order protecting him from deportation to Venezuela and had no criminal record beyond civil immigration violations, he was detained by ICE in December 2025 during what he believed was a routine check-in appointment. After nearly eight months in detention, he was flown in handcuffs to Liberia along with 19 other deportees, nearly 6,000 miles from his wife and newborn U.S. citizen son, whom he has only seen via video calls since the boy's birth. His brother, Juan Tellez, described him as 'a good person and hard worker' who 'doesn't deserve what happened to him.' He is now staying at a hotel in Liberia while deciding whether to seek asylum there or travel elsewhere.

Man deported to Mexico after 30 years in the US finds refuge in 'Little LA'

Aug 21, 2026Los Angeles, CAMexico

Christopher Gil Ortíz, who had lived in the U.S. since childhood, was stopped by ICE agents on his way to work in Los Angeles and detained before being deported to Mexico, leaving behind his wife and two children. He was dropped in Tulum, had his belongings stolen in Cancún, and eventually settled in Mexico City's Tabacalera neighborhood, known as 'Little LA' for its community of returnees. He found support from New Comienzos, an organization helping deportees reintegrate into Mexican society amid an expected surge in deportations under the Trump administration.

Guatemalan man tackled and detained by ICE while eating outside NY home

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Aug 21, 2026New Rochelle, NYGuatemala

Jonatan López, a man from Guatemala, was eating chips and drinking a soda on the steps outside a residential building in New Rochelle, New York, when ICE agents approached and began questioning him. Witness Brenda Figueroa, who recorded part of the encounter, described the detention as violent and said one agent who arrived later acted with particular aggression. Another witness said agents arrived in three unmarked vehicles, took a bystander's phone during the incident, and did not present a warrant despite repeated requests to do so.

Oceanside man killed in Tijuana months after ICE deportation

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Aug 21, 2026Oceanside, CAMexico

An Oceanside, California man originally from Mexico was shot and killed during a robbery in Tijuana, according to his family. The killing occurred seven months after he was detained and deported by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

1-year-old baby ordered to file asylum application alone or face deportation

Aug 21, 2026

A 1-year-old unaccompanied migrant child appeared in Arizona immigration court without legal representation and was told to file an asylum application before the next hearing or face deportation. This follows the end of a federal contract with the Acacia Center for Justice that had funded legal representation for over 24,000 unaccompanied migrant children. Nonprofits allege new government-contracted attorneys from USCRI have remained silent during hearings, leaving children to represent themselves despite a court order requiring continued legal services.

TB case at Aurora ICE facility prompts Colorado to seek court order against GEO Group

Aug 20, 2026Aurora, CO

Adams County Health Department confirmed a laboratory-confirmed case of active tuberculosis involving a detainee at the GEO Group-operated Aurora ICE Processing Center. Officials said GEO failed to provide medical records, patient access, and housing or movement information required to investigate possible exposure among detainees, staff, contractors, or visitors, prompting a Public Health Order on June 25, 2026 requiring compliance with Colorado tuberculosis investigation laws. ICE denied any active TB cases at the facility and denied violating any laws or guidelines. As a lawsuit between the state and GEO Group continued, Colorado health officials asked a judge in August 2026 to force the company to allow investigators to complete the tuberculosis probe.

Miami Gardens man's deportation flight diverted to Equatorial Guinea after Liberia standoff

Aug 20, 2026Miami Gardens, FLCuba

Carlos Rodríguez López, a 35-year-old Cuban man who had been living in Miami Gardens with his wife, was deported after being held in ICE custody since April 2025. He was part of a group of deportees flown out of the U.S. on Aug. 19-20, 2026, who refused to leave the aircraft after it landed in Liberia, arguing the country was not their home. Officers reportedly handcuffed and forcibly removed the men, twisting their cuffs and pinning at least one to the floor, before the plane continued on to Malabo, Equatorial Guinea. His wife, Igrayne Ribot, said she learned where he was only through a brief video call, telling a reporter she broke down when he said he was in Africa. Advocates representing the group say conditions at the hotel now holding roughly 40 deportees, including Rodríguez López, have included withheld meals and physical abuse by guards.

Woman re-detained by ICE without hearing wins court-ordered immediate release

Aug 20, 2026California City, CA

The petitioner, who had previously been released on bond, conditional parole, or humanitarian parole, was re-detained by immigration authorities on August 20, 2026. She is currently held at the California City Detention Facility. She filed a habeas corpus petition and motion for a temporary restraining order, arguing that her re-detention without a pre-deprivation bond hearing before a neutral arbiter violated the Due Process Clause. The government did not identify any facts or legal arguments distinguishing her case from several prior rulings in the same district finding such re-detentions unconstitutional. The court agreed, finding that the proper remedy for the government's failure to provide a constitutionally compliant hearing was her immediate release. The court ordered her released under the same conditions that applied before her August 20 detention, barred additional restrictions like electronic monitoring absent a future hearing, and required at least seven days' notice and a bond hearing before any future re-detention.

Mother in ICE custody separated from toddler son, seeks bond release

Aug 20, 2026Sanbornville, NH

Kenia is currently in ICE custody, separated from her 2-year-old son Nico and her husband, according to a fundraiser started by her mother-in-law, Anne Limon. Kenia came to the U.S. legally as an infant on a visa that expired in 2015 while she was still a child, and she has no criminal history. A judge found her eligible for bond during a recent immigration hearing and allowed her release while she continues fighting her case, but her family needs to raise funds for the $1,800 bond and a fee for a Cancellation of Deportation application due by August 26.

Pennsylvania man detained by ICE, family seeks legal defense fund

Aug 20, 2026PA

Sylwester was detained by ICE in Pennsylvania on August 20, 2026, and is being held in a detention center away from his family in Brooklyn. His wife, Mariya, is raising funds for a licensed immigration attorney and an ICE bond ahead of his first court hearing scheduled for September 2, 2026. The family says they could not find pro bono legal help in Pennsylvania on short notice and describes Sylwester as the backbone of the family.

Cuban deportee with untreated medical condition held in restraints after Equatorial Guinea diversion

Aug 20, 2026Cuba

One of the Cuban men diverted from a Liberia-bound deportation flight to Equatorial Guinea arrived in Malabo still restrained, according to Meredyth Yoon, litigation director at Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta, who represents several of the group. The man has a serious abdominal condition requiring a colostomy bag that needs regular draining, but the hotel where he and roughly 40 other deportees are being held has no medical staff on site. Yoon described the scene as chaotic when the group arrived, with conditions at the facility reportedly worsening in recent months, including guards accused of withholding meals and, in some instances, choking or beating detainees.

Man wrongfully detained after ICE violated probable cause injunction, judge orders release

Aug 20, 2026CO

Chief Magistrate Judge Scott T. Varholak ordered a habeas petitioner released after finding that ICE agents had violated an injunction issued by Senior Judge R. Brooke Jackson requiring agents to meet probable cause requirements before making warrantless arrests. Varholak wrote that the case was 'one in a series' in which the Department of Homeland Security 'appears to have simply ignored the law and detained an individual in violation of the law,' noting the government could not defend the decision. He set a hearing for September 10 for the government to address its 'apparent repeated violation of the law.'

Cuban legal resident shoved off deportation plane, hospitalized in Equatorial Guinea

Aug 20, 2026Lehigh Acres, FLCuba

Leonardo Sánchez Fernández, a 49-year-old Cuban lawful permanent U.S. resident from San Miguel del Padrón who had lived in Lehigh Acres, Florida, was deported by ICE to Equatorial Guinea under a third-country agreement despite holding valid residency until 2030. He had been detained by ICE at a gas station after a drug possession arrest and completing community service, then held at the Alligator Alcatraz facility before being flown for more than 36 hours from Alexandria, Louisiana without being told his destination. During a stopover in Liberia, witnesses said guards shoved him and he fell face-first onto the tarmac, aggravating a preexisting abdominal hernia and intestinal damage from an old stabbing injury and prior surgery. He is now hospitalized in Malabo receiving IV fluids without a passport, documents, consular assistance, toothbrush, or clothes, and may miss a scheduled surgery at Jackson Memorial Hospital. His mother Caridad and sister Dorty, in Lehigh Acres, learned of his location after seeing a video posted from Equatorial Guinea and have been trying to secure his release.

Video shows ICE agents forcing women to ground during Fort Myers, Florida stop

Aug 20, 2026Fort Myers, FL

According to a viral social media post, ICE agents in the Pine Manor neighborhood of Fort Myers, Florida, grabbed several women, forced them onto pavement and against parked cars, and continued restraining them while a child stood nearby. The post claims agents threatened to shoot the women during the confrontation. The claims have not been independently verified by news sources.

Cuban man's deportation flight to Liberia diverted to Equatorial Guinea after refusal

Aug 20, 2026LACuba

Carlos Rodríguez López, a 35-year-old Cuban man who lived in Miami Gardens after 16 months in ICE detention, was placed on an August 20 deportation flight to Liberia under a U.S.-Liberia removal agreement. He and other detainees refused to disembark, arguing Liberia was not their country and would endanger them; Liberian authorities also refused to accept them. Instead of returning to the U.S. as expected, the plane was diverted to Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, where Rodríguez López and roughly 40 other deportees were met by masked police, searched, and taken to a hotel without passports or legal assistance. His wife, Igrayne Ribot Hernández, a U.S. citizen who runs a family business in Miami Gardens and has a nine-year-old daughter with him, said he had rebuilt his life after serving an 11-month sentence for a prior conviction and called the deportation to a country with no ties to him unlawful and inhumane. A habeas corpus petition filed in November 2025 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana remains unresolved, and Rodríguez López told Univision by video call that he considers the diversion an illegal deportation.

Five migrants resist Liberia deportation, forced off plane in Equatorial Guinea

Aug 20, 2026

Five people the U.S. attempted to deport to Liberia this week refused to leave the plane upon landing and were instead flown to Equatorial Guinea, according to sources familiar with the incident. The group included three Cuban men, one Brazilian man, and one Cameroonian woman, who were told they would be returned to the U.S. but were instead forced to disembark in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea. They are now being held with more than 30 other migrants previously sent there under a similar third-country deportation deal, which human rights groups have criticized for poor conditions and lack of legal aid.

ICE detains three men in Syracuse stop, one tasered while resisting

Aug 20, 2026Syracuse, NY

Federal immigration agents detained three men in a white Jeep in the Westcott neighborhood of Syracuse, stopping the vehicle in the 400 block of Westcott Street. Witnesses said two of the men complied with ICE agents, but the driver tried to flee and was tasered several times before being tackled by ICE agents. Syracuse police officers, who initially stopped to assist thinking it was a local warrant execution, backed off once they realized it was an ICE operation and later only wrote a crash report at ICE's request. The men, who have not been identified, were taken to ICE's Central New York headquarters in Mattydale; the incident is one of more than 80 similar detentions reported in Onondaga County in the first two-and-a-half months of the year.

Woman detained by ICE while baby on oxygen sat in back seat

Aug 20, 2026Santa Fe, NM

A woman, identified by her daughter-in-law Yajaira Gutierrez as her mother-in-law, was arrested by ICE agents who surrounded her car in Santa Fe while a baby on oxygen was in the back seat. Family members said agents told them they would break the car's windows regardless of what they did and would take her anyway. Gutierrez said the family could only watch as their relative was taken away, adding that "everyone has rights, but apparently in this country they don't."

5-year-old boy detained with father in Austin traffic stop, held at Dilley facility

Aug 20, 2026Austin, TXMexico

Liam Tadeo, a 5-year-old just days from starting kindergarten, was detained by ICE agents alongside his father, Victor Martinez Nieto, after federal agents stopped their vehicle in Austin, Texas, while the family was headed to a soccer game. Both were booked into the CoreCivic-operated South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, where DHS said they would remain together pending Martinez Nieto's removal. Attorney Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch said Martinez Nieto begged ICE to release Liam to his mother, as was done for the boy's 3-year-old cousin and uncle detained in the same stop, but ICE refused. Liam's mother said she could not say goodbye to her son, that his bedroom remains untouched, and that the family wants them reunited. His aunt described him in a GoFundMe post as 'a beautiful, intelligent, and big-hearted little boy.' DHS said Martinez Nieto, a Mexican national, had previously accepted voluntary departure in February before reentering the U.S. without authorization. Fuerza Migrante called on Mexican authorities to intervene, while U.S. Rep. Greg Casar called for Liam's immediate release and closure of the Dilley facility, and U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro said ICE denied his request to visit the family. Members of Congress have said children at Dilley have been denied medical care, and an immigration attorney said Liam will likely remain there for weeks with an uncertain future.

Two Raymond's restaurant workers detained by ICE in Montclair, NJ

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Aug 20, 2026Montclair, NJ

Two workers at Raymond's restaurant in Montclair, New Jersey were detained by ICE on a Wednesday morning while on their way to work, according to co-workers and public records. Both men are currently being held at Delaney Hall, a detention facility in Newark. ICE has not detailed the circumstances of the arrests.

Mexican man detained by ICE while walking home in New Rochelle, NY

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Aug 20, 2026New Rochelle, NYMexico

Arcadio Zavala García, known as "Callito," was detained by ICE agents while walking home in New Rochelle, New York. A neighbor, Marisol Cuevas, recognized him as a friend of her father's and began recording as agents questioned him in English, a language he does not speak. Cuevas said Zavala, originally from Veracruz, Mexico, was known for being respectful and, as far as she knew, had no criminal record.

Venezuelan man says he was beaten by alleged bounty hunters in Georgia

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Aug 20, 2026GAVenezuela

A 24-year-old Venezuelan man described suffering a broken nose, an injured mouth, and being beaten inside a vehicle during his detention in Georgia. He is now being held at the Stewart Detention Center. His girlfriend says the people who detained him were alleged bounty hunters.

Man questioned by Secret Service at home over private anti-ICE messages

Aug 20, 2026Carrollton, VA

Austin Connell, a concrete business owner who posts about politics online, was visited at his home in Carrollton, Virginia by Secret Service agents who had obtained screenshots of his private Instagram direct messages. Connell said he does not know how the agents accessed the private messages, which included anti-ICE content, and noted he had also publicly criticized ICE. "I'm for law enforcement—just not corrupt law enforcement," he said.

Pregnant Colombian asylum seeker held over 40 days at Dilley after fake lawyer scam

Aug 20, 2026

Maria Alejandra Gomez-Quiroz, a 21-year-old pregnant Colombian woman, was arrested by U.S. Border Patrol in June while fleeing violent guerrillas with her partner and planning to seek asylum. She was convicted of illegal entry on July 6 and has remained in ICE custody at the Dilley family detention facility in Texas for more than 40 days, now five months pregnant. Her sister, Kelly Ocampo, says the family paid more than $3,000 to someone posing as an immigration lawyer who sent a fraudulent letter on ICE letterhead falsely claiming Gomez-Quiroz's bond had been approved and she would be released. Ocampo says her sister has become 'very depressed' and has reported lower abdominal pain, while their mother is described as 'desperate.' DHS said Gomez-Quiroz remains in custody pending removal proceedings and disputed claims of inadequate medical care. She is one of at least 500 people detained at Dilley and one of four pregnant women held there, according to lawmakers.

Father with U visa detained by ICE outside Santa Fe clinic while taking child to doctor

Aug 20, 2026Santa Fe, NM

Edgar Chacon-Miranda, 45, was detained by ICE agents in the parking lot of La Familia Health/Medical Center in Santa Fe as he drove his young daughter to a medical appointment, after apparently being followed from home. Clinic staff, including chief information officer Jasmin Milz, said agents blocked his vehicle and took him into custody without entering the building, and the child was later picked up by a family member with help from community advocates. DHS labeled Chacon-Miranda a 'criminal illegal alien' with an 'extensive criminal history,' citing 2018 battery, criminal sexual penetration, and child abuse charges, but court records show those charges were dismissed after the alleged victim declined to cooperate. His attorney, Allegra Love, said he has full legal custody of his children under a New Mexico family court order and received a U visa in 2022 for cooperating with law enforcement, which expired in May while his residency application remains pending. Santa Fe District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies criticized federal officials for citing the dismissed case without noting its outcome. U.S. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández said ICE reported eight people detained in Santa Fe that day and called leaving the child in the parking lot 'cruelty.' New Mexico House Majority Leader Reena Szczepanski confirmed agents had followed the parent and child from their home.

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