Human Impact Project

A family of four—two parents and children ages 1 and 2—nearly died while attempting to cross from New York into Quebec in March 2025. Unprepared for winter conditions, the parents lost their shoes and hiked barefoot in snow while their young children had no cold-weather gear. After several hours in freezing conditions, the mother called 911, and the family was rescued by local firefighters and Canadian authorities. All four survived but were treated for severe hypothermia.

Gustavo Alfonso Garcia Olivares, a 24-year-old Venezuelan migrant, drowned in the Rio Grande near the U.S.-Mexico border and was buried in Eagle Pass, Texas. His parents in Venezuela watched the funeral service via livestream. The burial was the first funeral service organized by Border Vigil, a human rights organization, for a migrant who died crossing the border.

A father was detained by ICE on March 6th and is being held in Canyon County with a hearing scheduled for April 10th. His family is seeking $5,000 in financial assistance to cover mortgage, legal fees, groceries, and other expenses while he is in custody.

Jensy Machado, a naturalized U.S. citizen, was detained by ICE agents on March 5, 2025, while driving to work in Manassas. The agents were searching for another man with a deportation order who had provided Machado's home address. Machado was handcuffed and questioned about his immigration status before being released after showing his driver's license.

Issa Salma Baouna, a 49-year-old green-card holder from Niger, was denied reentry to the United States at John F. Kennedy International Airport on March 6 after CBP determined he was inadmissible due to a prior removal order from 2022. Baouna had been ordered removed following an arrest for assault and visa overstay, and was paroled back into the country multiple times in 2023. After voluntarily returning to Niger, he contracted malaria that led to kidney failure. His wife left the U.S. with their two children to reunite with him.

ICE agents detained an employee at a Minneapolis business owned by Nesta Rodriguez. Rodriguez spoke to Sky News about the incident.

Jhoan Bastidas, a 25-year-old Venezuelan national, was deported from the United States and detained for 16 days at the U.S. naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba before being transferred to Venezuela. During his detention, he was confined to a small cell, shackled when leaving the cell, allowed sunlight only three days per week, and had minimal access to food, books, or activities. The U.S. government alleged Bastidas was a member of the Tren de Aragua gang based on his chest tattoos, a claim he denied. He has since returned to his hometown in Maracaibo and begun working at a hot dog stand.

Bryan David Tasiguano Leon, an Ecuadorian citizen and Latin Kings member, was arrested by NYPD on February 14 on suspicion of assault on a first responder. Despite an ICE detainer, NYC authorities released him. ICE agents arrested Leon on March 4 during enforcement operations in New York City. He remains in ICE custody pending deportation proceedings.

A man went to the Broadview ICE facility searching for his wife of five years after she was taken to another room during a court hearing and disappeared. He tracked her phone to the facility but the signal cut off, and police offered no assistance in locating her.

Quebec Vasquez, a DACA-protected mother of three U.S. citizen children, announced plans to self-deport to Mexico due to fears about rapidly changing immigration policies under the Trump administration. Despite being protected from deportation through DACA for 10 years, she cited uncertainty and fear about her family's future as reasons for considering leaving the United States.

Kamal Morales, a counselor at Community Healthcare Network South Bronx clinic, was detained on March 2 during a routine immigration appearance and subsequently deported to Venezuela after 12 years out of the country. He was held in detention centers across five different states before deportation. Community members in the South Bronx and Queens are rallying in support.

The Trump Administration has reopened family detention centers in Texas and is detaining immigrant families, including some who have been living in the United States for years. Legal advocates report that children in these facilities are experiencing hunger, sleep deprivation, and psychological distress. The government is potentially planning to detain thousands more at military bases like Fort Bliss.

Javier Hernandez was prepared to testify against two alleged drug smugglers in Los Angeles before ICE deported him to Mexico in March without alerting federal prosecutors. Without his testimony, the case against the alleged traffickers fell apart and the defendants were acquitted.

Yunseo Chung, an undergraduate permanent resident at Columbia University, was pursued by ICE in March 2025 following her arrest for trespassing at a pro-Palestine demonstration on Barnard College campus in early 2025. ICE searched her dorm room and went to her parents' home but did not find her. Chung went into hiding and filed suit against the U.S. government for violation of First Amendment rights. On June 5, 2025, a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction prohibiting ICE from arresting or detaining her, and rejected the government's motion to dismiss her lawsuit.

Juan was detained on January 12 and deported in March, separating him from his 2-year-old daughter in Oregon and his 10-year-old daughter in Colombia. His partner Verónica is now struggling to pay for rent, food, diapers, and medical expenses for his daughter's heart surgery.

A.G., a Venezuelan national with Temporary Protected Status and a pending asylum application, was detained by ICE agents during a traffic stop in Orange County while driving to work. Despite holding a valid driver's license, work permit, and Social Security card, he was handcuffed and held in ICE custody for several days. During detention, ICE repeatedly pressured him to self-deport. He was released on his own recognizance with assistance from Rep. Anna Eskamani and legal advocates.

Sergio Garcia, a Mexican chef, was deported by ICE in March 2025 after 36 years living in the United States. Garcia had no criminal record besides a two-decade-old deportation order for illegal re-entry from 1989. He was apprehended while loading his food truck. His deportation separated him from his four U.S.-born adult children and wife. After deportation, he was held captive in Mexico and faced violence in Chiapas.