Human Impact Project

Nazira Haji Zada, an Afghan lawful permanent resident, was arrested in Texas and is the subject of the first-ever case brought in the Alien Terrorist Removal Court, a specialized federal court created in 1996 but never used until now. The Trump administration is seeking to deport her, alleging she helped her son and son-in-law plan a mass casualty attack on behalf of ISIS during the 2024 election. Public defenders challenged the proceedings on due process grounds, though the judge allowed the case to proceed.

A family was detained by ICE less than two days after a federal court ordered their release, violating the court's directive. The family had been in immigration proceedings when the court issued an order for their freedom, but ICE apprehended them again shortly after, defying the judicial decision.

ICE agents conducting enforcement operations across New York City's five boroughs on July 30-31, 2026 were documented on video pepper-spraying a woman in Inwood, Manhattan who was filming them on her cellphone. The woman appeared to be documenting the agents' presence without provocation, according to witnesses. The same day, ICE agents were also spotted questioning a family in Bushwick, Brooklyn, checking passports including those of a young child, though the family was not detained. The reported surge in ICE activity marks an unusual increase in enforcement operations across neighborhoods including Inwood, East Elmhurst, College Point, and areas on Long Island, with agents conducting more vehicle stops than previously documented.

An 18-year-old was detained by masked individuals alleged to be federal agents in Glendale, California, and forced into an unmarked vehicle. Video of the incident shows the teenager struggling with the agents, calling out in Spanish for help and his mother, and repeatedly stating he did nothing wrong. According to social media posts, this was the second similar incident reported on the same block in one week. Bystanders questioned whether the masked men were actual federal agents, with some comparing their appearance to bounty hunters.

Don Graham, 54, a Canadian resident of the United States for over 22 years, was forcibly removed from his work van by federal agents on a Tacoma freeway. According to his daughter Madyson Graham, six black SUVs forced his vehicle off the road, and agents aggressively removed him, shackled him, and transported him to the Tacoma ICE Detention Center. Graham's family—his wife, who is a stay-at-home mother homeschooling their eight-year-old daughter, and his three adult children who are U.S. citizens—are now facing financial hardship as he was their primary income provider. The family is seeking legal representation and hopes to either have him released or, if deported, be able to reunite in Canada.

ICE conducted a targeted operation at a construction site off Franklin Road in Nampa on July 30, 2026, arresting and detaining six undocumented immigrants. DHS stated the individuals will remain in ICE custody pending removal or removal proceedings and will receive full due process.

Mabel, an Oakland resident from Ecuador, was detained by ICE agents at Phoenix airport while waiting for a connecting flight. She had a pending asylum claim and held a valid work permit issued by U.S. immigration authorities. According to her husband Abraham Sanchez, an ICE officer approached the couple with a photo of Mabel on his phone, asked her to confirm her name, and took her away. She spent her first night detained near the airport before being transported to Eloy Detention Center. Her case is part of a broader ICE airport crackdown targeting individuals with expired visas and pending immigration applications.

ICE agents arrested two men in Freeport on East Seaman Avenue early Thursday morning following what witnesses described as a vehicle pursuit. Video and photos show agents forcing a man to the ground and removing two men from a white van. Witnesses reported seeing agents searching the men, placing their belongings in white bags, and handcuffing them. Community advocates report the arrests are part of increased immigration enforcement activity across Long Island, with ICE agents also spotted in Hauppauge and Roosevelt.

A Guatemalan man was arrested by ICE during what his family describes as a violent encounter that left him with a broken nose, missing and chipped teeth, and cuts and bruises on his head and hands. He was Tasered during the arrest and subsequently hospitalized. After being taken into ICE detention, his family reports he has not received proper medical care and struggles to breathe.

Two ICE agents pepper sprayed two community members without provocation near Seaman and Isham Avenue in Upper Manhattan. According to a video posted on social media and stopice.net, the agents approached one community member and sprayed her and another person in the face before walking away. The agents were not under threat at the time of the incident.

Mariana, a Mexican national, entered an immigration office in Fresno believing she had an appointment to advance her legalization process, but ICE agents arrested her there. She was transferred to California City Detention Center, where she spent a month before being released. She reported extremely cold cell temperatures, inadequate medical care for gastrointestinal problems, poor food quality, and detainees having to help each other with emergencies because medical staff was unavailable. A pregnant detainee she witnessed was only given water for a nosebleed and panic attack. Mariana says the experience left her with physical and psychological scars and describes the facility as feeling like a jail.

Maria Perez, a Guatemalan woman seeking asylum from domestic violence, was arrested by ICE in Nashville on May 19 without a warrant while preparing to take her two children to a medical appointment. She is the nursing mother of a 10-month-old infant and a 2-year-old son with Down syndrome. Since her arrest, Perez has been held at the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center, nearly 700 miles away from her children, who are now in the care of a neighbor. Her sudden separation from her nursing infant has caused her physical harm, compounded by her diabetes. Perez has no criminal history and has complied with all immigration process requirements since entering the United States in 2022. Her attorneys argue the arrest violated the U.S. Constitution and ICE's own policy against detaining nursing mothers without extraordinary circumstances. Multiple organizations are submitting a formal complaint to the Department of Homeland Security seeking her immediate release, and her children have missed critical medical appointments.

Iryna Gorb, a 38-year-old Ukrainian photographer and barista, was arrested by plainclothes ICE agents at San Francisco International Airport on July 22-23, 2026, as she returned from Portland. Gorb had lawfully entered the United States on a visa on July 6, 2010, which expired on May 31, 2011, and had lived in San Francisco for over 15 years working at Better Half Cafe in the Polk Gulch neighborhood while also selling repurposed vintage clothing and doing photography work. Video recorded by Richmond City Councilmember Doria Robinson shows plainclothes agents pinning Gorb to the ground while she screamed "You're choking me!" and pleaded for help. Witnesses reported the agents did not display clear identification. After her arrest, Gorb was transferred to California City Detention Facility in the Mojave Desert, where she remains in ICE custody pending removal proceedings. Her family home in Kharkiv was destroyed in Russian attacks, and she had been using nearly all her earnings to support family members who fled to Europe. Friend Andy Eblin described her as "fiercely loyal, always willing to help friends." State Sen. Scott Wiener condemned the arrest and noted that deporting Gorb to Ukraine would send her to a war zone. Gorb is working with attorneys on a petition for her release, and a GoFundMe campaign has raised over $47,000 to support her legal defense.

Galina Bobreneva, a 40-year-old Russian national who entered the U.S. legally on a tourist visa in 2021, extended her stay after the war in Ukraine began, and applied for asylum in 2022, was detained by a plainclothes ICE agent at Burbank airport on July 13 while traveling with her husband, Brent Jindra, a technology salesman who says he voted for Trump three times. The couple married in December 2025, and Jindra had filed a marriage-based green card petition for her in April, with fingerprinting already completed; her lawyer maintains she was never out of lawful status, while DHS says she overstayed her visa and calls her 'an illegal alien.' She spent 16 days in detention, including a night on the floor of a basement holding cell in downtown Los Angeles and about two weeks at the Adelanto ICE Processing Facility, where she said she was treated 'like a piece of meat, not like a human,' citing sleep deprivation, only four working showers for about 120 women, scarce drinking water, and denied healthcare. She was released on July 29 on a $35,000 bond and fitted with an electronic monitor, with an ICE check-in scheduled for September 7 and a court appearance set for October 22. 'A US citizen just watched his wife get dragged away and had no idea where she's going,' Jindra said. 'We are living in fear in my own country.'

Juan Quim, 19, a Guatemalan national who arrived in the U.S. at age 10, was pulled over for a traffic offense in Littleville on July 29, 2026, and transferred to ICE custody via a 287(g) transfer. He recently graduated with honors from Russellville High School, excelled in the school's welding program, earned several awards, and worked at a local restaurant. Active in his church and deeply connected to his community, Quim now faces deportation despite an outstanding removal order allegedly issued after he failed to appear at immigration hearings in 2023 when he was 15 years old. According to community organizer Gracie Pounders, Quim and his family were unaware of the hearing. He is currently detained at a facility in Natchez, Mississippi.

Prem Raj Pun Magar, a Nepali national, filed a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus challenging the constitutionality of his detention in federal immigration custody. He is currently detained at the Rio Grande Processing Center. The petition names Miguel Vergara (ICE-ERO Field Office Director), Markwayne Mullin (Secretary of U.S. Department of Homeland Security), Todd Blanche (U.S. Attorney General), and the Warden of the Rio Grande Processing Center as respondents. On August 3, 2026, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas ordered respondents to file a response to the petition by August 10, 2026, with evidence from Magar's A-file. The court directed notification to the U.S. Attorney and ordered respondents to notify the court and Magar's counsel of any planned transfer or release.

Manuel Maria Sarmiento-Alvarez, a 46-year-old Ecuadorian national who has lived in the United States since 2003 and established community roots in Philadelphia with two U.S. citizen children, was detained by DHS/ICE on July 29, 2026, after officers showed him a photograph of a different individual they were seeking. Despite Sarmiento-Alvarez's denial that he was the person depicted, officers detained him anyway at the Federal Detention Center in Philadelphia. The court granted his habeas corpus petition on August 1, 2026, finding that his detention without a bond hearing violated the Immigration and Nationality Act, ordered his immediate release, and temporarily enjoined re-detention for seven days pending a proper bond hearing.

Carlos Ivan Mendoza Hernandez, a Salvadoran man and father of a 2-year-old daughter, was shot by ICE agents on Interstate 5 at Sperry Avenue in the Patterson area of Stanislaus County, California. ICE acting director Todd Lyons said Mendoza Hernandez was undocumented and an alleged gang member wanted for questioning in connection with a murder in El Salvador. His fiancée Cindy and attorney Patrick Kolasinski disputed the gang allegation, stating he had no criminal encounters since arriving in the U.S. around 2019 or 2020. Kolasinski said he received information from El Salvador that Mendoza Hernandez had been acquitted of the murder charge and there should be no active warrant. The family had not been given updates on his condition or told how many times he was shot. A Stanislaus County Sheriff's Office spokesperson said he was in critical condition. His fiancée believes a recent traffic stop for a cracked windshield may have led to him being targeted. Kolasinski criticized ICE's handling of the confrontation, saying proper protocol would have been a calm approach. The FBI is leading the investigation.

A woman discovered she was pregnant while in ICE detention and subsequently miscarried. After the miscarriage, she was shackled to a hospital bed while officers questioned her. The incident raises serious concerns about medical care and treatment of pregnant detainees in immigration custody.

A father has been detained by ICE and is facing deportation to Laos after spending most of his life in the United States. He is the primary financial provider for his family, leaving his wife to care for their younger son and manage household expenses alone. His daughter organized a GoFundMe to help cover legal and immigration expenses, travel and communication costs to stay connected with him, and basic living expenses while the family adjusts to losing his income.

Diana Avila's 20-year-old brother, who has autism since childhood and is described as intelligent, generous, and a good student, was arrested by ICE during an ongoing legal process and transferred between states. He is currently detained in Texas, where he reports being denied blankets, medicine, and adequate food. He developed a stomach infection and is experiencing high fevers but says staff insults and threatens him when he requests medical care, pressuring him to sign deportation papers. His family is unable to afford legal representation and fears for his safety.

José Trinidad Rojas Pliego, a Mexican citizen who has lived continuously in the United States since 1998, was detained by ICE agents on July 7, 2026, after witnessing a fatal shooting in Houston. Pliego was a passenger in a work van driven by Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a 52-year-old homebuilder and father of three who had lived in the U.S. for 35 years and was close to obtaining legal status. ICE agents pursued the vehicle, rammed it, and shot Araujo, who had no criminal record. Pliego, who is in a common-law marriage with a U.S. citizen and has multiple U.S. citizen children and stepchildren, and Araujo's other passenger submitted sworn statements describing the shooting differently from the government's account, stating that agents were not positioned in front of the vehicle and that it had been boxed in when the officer fired. This contradicted DHS's claim that Araujo had "weaponized his vehicle in an attempt to run over an ICE law enforcement officer." After being held at the Montgomery Processing Center for weeks with no criminal history, U.S. District Judge Keith Ellison ordered ICE to release Pliego on July 29, 2026, finding that his mandatory detention without an individualized bond determination violated his Fifth Amendment due process rights. Pliego has applied for a U-visa as a possible crime victim related to the ICE shooting, with the Harris County District Attorney's Office supporting that application.

Alma Guadalupe Nunez-Quijada, a 45-year-old Mexican national who has lived in the U.S. since age 4, was arrested by masked ICE agents near the Pima County Consolidated Court Justice Court on Tuesday after attending a hearing for a noise-ordinance violation. The mother of three U.S. citizens was detained at cross streets adjacent to the courthouse. Her children told the Arizona Daily Star they do not know how ICE knew their mother would be there. An ICE spokesperson confirmed the arrest and said Nunez-Quijada has a criminal history including a domestic violence assault conviction from 2006, though KJZZ could not verify that claim; Pima County court records show she faced minor traffic charges in 2004 and a charge for failing to pay a fine in 2017.

Cristobal S. was forcefully detained by ICE agents on November 10, 2024, at 7 a.m. when agents smashed the window of his truck and cut him while removing him from the vehicle. He is the sole breadwinner for his family, leaving behind three children and his mother. His family is seeking financial assistance through a GoFundMe campaign to cover bills, legal fees, food, and other basic needs during his detention.

Aurora, 24, and her six-year-old daughter were detained by ICE and sent to a family detention center in Texas. The daughter had arrived at the U.S. border alone and spent more than six months in a child migrant shelter before reuniting with her mother in late March. The detention occurred after the Office of Refugee Resettlement shared information about unaccompanied children, their sponsors, and household members with ICE.

A 14-year-old Brazilian girl with an expired visitor visa was detained by ICE agents on March 11 in a parking lot outside Bethel Presbyterian Church in Marlboro, Massachusetts, after a car was pulled over. Her attorney stated she was with her U.S. citizen brothers, though DHS disputed this account, claiming she was with two Brazilian men suspected of gang ties with no familial relationship to her. ICE said the men's vehicle was connected to an alleged attempted home invasion in Walpole. The girl was taken to the JFK federal building in Boston for 10 hours, then transported overnight to a children's detention facility in New York. At a hearing, Federal Judge Leo T. Sorokin expressed concern about the detention and overnight transfer, stating it was the first time in his 22 years on the bench that he had seen agents detain a juvenile solely because no appropriate person was available to release her to. He ordered her immediate return to Massachusetts, and she was reunited with her maternal aunt, a U.S. citizen, at the JFK building in Boston.

Ibrahim Mohammed, a 44-year-old Ethiopian national who came to the U.S. in 2014, was granted protection from deportation in 2024 under the Convention Against Torture after an immigration judge found he would likely face torture or persecution if returned to Ethiopia. Despite federal court orders in February and March requiring his release, roughly 10 ICE agents arrested him a third time on July 28, 2025, at his Baltimore-area apartment after falsely telling him and his attorney his ankle monitor was malfunctioning. Agents shoved his head into a car and gave him documents referencing Eswatini, a country ICE had previously tried unsuccessfully to deport him to. A judge again ordered his immediate release the same day, and U.S. District Judge John deGravelles later held then-ICE deputy field office director Vernon Liggins, who ordered the arrest on his last day in that role, in civil contempt, ordering ICE to pay Mohammed's attorney's fees and $180 for lost time. Mohammed, who spent 13 months in and out of ICE custody, testified the repeated detentions caused him nightmares and led his landlord to force him to move out.

Daniela Murillo Narvaez is a 30-year-old Colombian citizen who has lived in the United States since March 2023, when she was admitted on a B-2 visitor visa. She filed an asylum application in June 2023 that remained pending for over one year. Narvaez has been employed since April 2024 as a Distribution Analyst with Cordiasla USA in Texas and has a partner residing in California. She has no criminal history and has been treated for depression and anxiety with bupropion medication since 2024. On July 28, 2026, while traveling for work from Houston to Ontario, California, ICE agents detained Narvaez upon her arrival at Ontario International Airport without advance notice or a pre-deprivation hearing, and confiscated her documents. She was transferred to the Adelanto ICE Processing Center where she has been held for over one week without receiving her required psychiatric medication, which her physician warned could result in serious health risks if interrupted. Narvaez filed an ex parte application for a temporary restraining order seeking immediate release from detention. On August 10, 2026, the federal court granted her application, ordering her immediate release under the same terms as before her detention, requiring return of seized property, and prohibiting re-detention without notice and a pre-deprivation hearing before a neutral adjudicator.

Juan Carlos Pichardo Mejia, a Mexican national who entered the United States in 2006, was detained by ICE on July 28, 2026, and held at the Farmville Detention Center. He filed a habeas corpus petition on August 1, 2026, challenging his detention and seeking either release or a bond hearing before an Immigration Judge. The respondents argued he was properly detained under the mandatory detention provisions of 8 U.S.C. § 1225(b)(2) because he entered without inspection. The federal court granted his petition, finding that because Pichardo Mejia entered the country in 2006 and was already present in the United States, he falls under the category of noncitizens already in the country subject to discretionary detention under 8 U.S.C. § 1226(a), not mandatory detention. The court ordered that he be provided with a bond hearing before an Immigration Judge within seven days and enjoined respondents from denying bond based on § 1225(b)(2).

Ezzat Adel Abdalla Magly, an Egyptian national, is detained at the Western Tennessee Detention Facility pending removal proceedings. He filed a habeas corpus petition seeking release from custody or a bond hearing, along with a motion for temporary restraining order to prevent transfer outside the district. The court denied his motion for temporary restraining order, finding he failed to demonstrate irreparable harm from a potential transfer.

Elzon Lemus, a 23-year-old electrician and U.S. citizen from Brentwood, New York, was stopped and detained by ICE and Homeland Security agents while riding in a passenger seat on his way to work in Westbury. Agents told him he "looks like somebody we are looking for" but refused to identify themselves or specify who they were searching for. When Lemus refused to provide ID without identifying information from the agents, he was handcuffed and held for 20-25 minutes while they confiscated his phone; they eventually found his ID in his pockets. His attorney, Fred Brewington, is calling the incident racial profiling and a breach of federal civil rights, while state assemblyman Philip Ramo demanded a Department of Justice investigation.

Two brothers working as kitchen staff at El Nopalito restaurant were taken into ICE custody earlier in the week. They have legal advisors but require financial support for expenses including phone calls, legal communications, and personal hygiene items while in custody, as well as to support their families with housing, food, and utilities during their absence from work. A fundraiser was organized by to cover legal, travel, and family support expenses as the brothers work through the immigration process.

Fatima Ameaka, a public health researcher at Johns Hopkins University's Bloomberg School of Public Health and native of Cameroon, was detained by ICE on July 28 at Baltimore-Washington International Airport while boarding a domestic flight. Ameaka entered the United States in 2023 on a visa that has since expired. She was transferred to a detention facility in Texas but was released within days and returned to Maryland. Johns Hopkins University described her as 'a respected member of our community' and stated it is actively providing legal representation and support. Ameaka is awaiting her next court hearing.

Khandaker Nazmunnessa Ullah, a Bangladeshi native who came to the U.S. in 1994, is a married mother of four and owns a convenience store with her family in Nashua. Federal prosecutors are seeking to strip her of U.S. citizenship, alleging she lied about her immigration history when applying for naturalization in 2007. Authorities claim fingerprint records show Ullah was ordered deported in 1995 under a different name before being granted lawful permanent residency in 1996. No court records suggest she committed any crime or human rights abuses.

Thirteen people were arrested by ICE agents at a checkpoint near Wilson Creek recreation area in Pisgah National Forest on July 26, 2026, during a multi-agency operation involving the U.S. Forest Service and Caldwell County Sheriff's Office. According to ICE, many of those arrested had criminal histories including DUI and illegal reentry charges. The operation occurred at a weekend destination used by Latino families from surrounding communities, with witnesses describing it as "terrifying." Sandra Salazar, co-founder of Hands of Hope y Adventurous Latinos, reported that the partner of her cousin was among those detained, and many families with pending asylum cases were caught in the enforcement action. Sheriff Kevin Bean denied reports that children were separated from families during the operation.

Diana Ledesma, a DJ known as DJ Reina Azteca in the Stockton music scene, was detained at Otay Mesa Detention Center on December 18, 2025, for nearly four months. She was detained during an immigration check-in while enrolled in the Intensive Supervision Appearance Program and had a pending U-Visa and open asylum case. Ledesma alleges she was forced to take a pregnancy test against her will after initially refusing, was confined to a cold holding cell without adequate clothing, and experienced other harsh conditions including allegations of potential infectious disease outbreaks and human-sized cages. She lost access to her DJ music and accounts during detention and was uncertain about recovering her confiscated identification documents from the federal government.

Hunger strikers at the Adelanto detention center in California faced retaliation from ICE officials after staging protests, according to attorneys with the Immigrant Defenders Law Center (ImmDef). Detainees were zip-tied, threatened with teargas, placed in solitary confinement, and transferred to other ICE facilities. ICE officials denied that detainees were forgoing food and denied that retaliation was occurring, instead claiming that one detainee who led the hunger strike faced disciplinary actions for vague facility violations.

An unnamed detained immigrant who began a hunger strike between October and December 2025 was subjected to forcible medical treatment in ICE custody, including force feeding, forced hydration, forced urinary catheterization, and involuntary blood draws, according to an ICE Health Service Corps document reviewed by the Guardian. The document confirms the Trump administration's use of forced medical treatment on hunger strikers since Trump began his second term. Healthcare associations and international human rights groups have described such practices as torture. An ICE Health Service Corps budget forecast noted at least seven detained people were on hunger strike in February 2026.

ICE agents conducted an enforcement operation at a Chevron gas station on Atlanta Highway in Forsyth County, detaining approximately 15 day laborers seeking work. Surveillance video shows agents chasing men through the parking lot and forcibly detaining them, with one agent knocking a man into a wall before handcuffing him. Business owner Jose Arellano, who had hired some of the detained men for his pressure washing company, expressed concern about the impact on local businesses and the community. The raid has left the area's day laborer population fearful, affecting local businesses that relied on this workforce.

A Venezuelan influencer known on social media as "La Real Muñeca" was detained by ICE agents at Orlando International Airport while preparing to board a flight. According to reports on social media, the agents were in plain clothes and were waiting near the boarding gate. She had been participating in a digital program called "La Prisión de Destino" and was heading back to her residence. A person close to the case reported that she has retained a lawyer. Immigration authorities have not publicly disclosed the reasons for her arrest or additional details about her legal situation.

Elaine Miles, an Indigenous actor best known for roles in 'Northern Exposure,' 'Smoke Signals,' and 'The Last of Us,' was detained by four ICE agents at a bus stop in Redmond, Washington, while walking to Target. When she presented her tribal ID from the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation—a form of identification recognized by federal agencies—the agents called it fake and claimed anyone could make one. Miles said the agents did not identify themselves when asked for names and badge numbers, and attempted to take her phone when she tried to call the tribal enrollment office to verify her ID. The agents left after a fifth agent whistled them back to their vehicles. Miles's son and uncle were also detained by ICE agents who initially rejected their tribal IDs before being released.

Antony Stevens Esteban-Espinoza, a Nicaraguan citizen, entered the United States without inspection on November 8, 2022, and was briefly detained before being released on parole with routine ICE check-ins. He filed an asylum application on August 1, 2024, which remains pending, holds a valid work authorization card, and has no criminal history. For over 43 months, he complied with all supervision conditions and DHS repeatedly determined his physical detention was unnecessary. On July 27, 2026, ICE detained him during a scheduled immigration check-in in Los Angeles, alleging no violations, no changed circumstances, and no individualized basis for custody, and providing no pre-deprivation hearing. He filed a habeas petition and TRO application arguing his re-detention violated Fifth Amendment due process rights. The Government did not oppose the TRO. The court found he demonstrated a likelihood of success on the merits, irreparable harm, and that the balance of equities favored release, ordering Respondents to immediately release him subject to narrowly tailored conditions and to file a status report within five days confirming release.

A 24-year-old man from Mexico was arrested by federal immigration agents at Seattle Center on July 27, just around the corner from where a mass shooting killed three people the previous day. An ICE spokesperson confirmed the arrest was for overstaying his visa and was not connected to the shooting. Witness Maya Crowder, 23, photographed the arrest and said it left her shaken, noting the arrest occurred at a tourist hub in the heart of the city. The arrest was one of nearly a dozen daytime arrests by masked agents in unmarked vehicles documented across Seattle since June.

Marvin Alexander Mejía Alvarado, a Honduran national with family in Memphis, died on July 27, 2026, weeks after being released from ICE detention. A federal judge in Colorado ordered his release on bond at the end of June after determining the government had not presented clear and convincing evidence to justify continued detention. After his release in early July, Mejía wrote to his aunt thanking God for allowing him to leave the detention facility and acknowledging the prayers that gave him strength to endure mistreatment by detention staff. His family reported that following his release, he experienced severe health complications they attribute to his treatment during detention, including lack of access to medications needed for a preexisting medical condition.

Ronald Javier Vallejos is a native and citizen of Nicaragua who was ordered removed from the United States in 2012 and appealed to the Board of Immigration Appeals. The removal order became final in 2014. After 2014, Vallejos was released under an Order of Supervision and remained under supervision for nearly fifteen years. On July 27, 2026, Vallejos reported for a routine ICE check-in, where he was detained and subsequently transferred to River Correctional Facility where he remains. Vallejos filed a motion for a temporary restraining order seeking release under supervision, a detention hearing, and an injunction against removal from the United States or outside the Western District. The court denied his motion, finding that the requested preliminary relief mirrored the ultimate relief sought in his habeas corpus petition and should be addressed through standard habeas procedures rather than as an emergency TRO.

Tangieth Paola Carrasquero Lopez, 23, a Venezuelan asylum seeker with polycystic ovary syndrome, hepatitis steatosis, and obesity, was detained by ICE at a scheduled immigration appointment in Atlanta on July 27, 2026. Her treating gastroenterologist wrote that she requires ongoing medication (Tirzepatide) and monitoring, warning that interruptions in care could worsen her condition and metabolic health. Despite her medical needs, she has received only ibuprofen while detained at Irwin County Detention Center in Georgia and has not been provided her prescribed medication. Lopez, who entered the U.S. in 2021, was granted Temporary Protected Status in 2024 and had a job offer and was enrolled in English classes when detained; her partner said she has attended all required immigration appointments and has no deportation order.

Nepthali Zozaya Saucedo and Cinthia Sarai Cardona Otero, assistant pastors at Comunidad Cristiana Emanuel in Edinburg, Texas, were detained by immigration agents on Thursday while boarding a flight to a Billy Graham Evangelistic Association retreat—their first time away from their three children. The married couple was released on Saturday. During a Sunday worship service and press conference, they revealed that immigration agents allegedly mocked them and threatened family separation to coerce them to sign voluntary departure papers. DHS claimed they had overstayed a visa that expired in 2022, but faith leaders disputed this, saying the couple held valid religious worker visas. The couple must report to ICE in person in 6 months and call in monthly, with their immigration cases to be heard by an immigration judge.

Houman Rashidy, an Iranian citizen, was detained at Torrance County Detention Facility for approximately 13 months pending removal. On July 27, 2026, U.S. District Judge Kea W. Riggs granted Rashidy's petition for a writ of habeas corpus under 28 U.S.C. § 2241, ordering his release. The court found no significant likelihood of removal in the reasonably foreseeable future, as removal to Iran is withheld and three countries (Canada, Brazil, Honduras) refused to accept him.

Erika and Edgard, a married couple and parents of two with a granddaughter, were removed from their car by ICE officers without explanation. Erika was injured during the arrest, sustaining bruises to her hands and arms. The couple have lived in the country as taxpayers with no legal problems and have worked to build a better life for their family. Their daughter Valeria is seeking legal representation funds to help them fight detention and reunite the family.

Wilmer Solano, a 59-year-old Venezuelan journalist with over 20 years of professional experience, was detained by CBP/ICE agents on July 26-27, 2026, during a traffic stop while working as a private transport driver at Haulover Beach in Miami Beach. Solano entered the United States legally in January 2015 on a journalist visa and filed for asylum in December 2015 after being persecuted in Venezuela for his journalism covering opposition political campaigns and figures including Henrique Capriles and Julio Borges. In August 2011, he and his cameraman were beaten by municipal officials while covering news. He previously worked for Globovisión from 2002 to 2008 and founded and directed the news agency Zorro Comunicaciones. At the time of his detention, Solano held a valid Florida work permit and driver's license. He had been granted Temporary Protected Status beginning in 2021, which expired in September 2025. According to his wife María Moreno and the Venezuelan Journalists Abroad Association (Apevex), officers detained him without a judicial warrant and without criminal charges, telling him his asylum case could take another decade and that he was in irregular immigration status. DHS confirmed the arrest and stated Solano has no immigration status allowing him to remain in the U.S. He was transported to CBP headquarters in Dania Beach with removal proceedings and an immigration court hearing scheduled for August 26, 2026.