Human Impact Project

Britain Rodriguez, 31, was shot in the face with a less-lethal round by Homeland Security officers during an anti-ICE protest in Santa Ana on January 9, 2026, causing severe eye damage and vision loss. He was the second person shot in the face that night; the first was 21-year-old Kaden Rummler. The officers opened fire on protesters who were demonstrating against ICE deportations and police brutality. DHS claimed rocks and fireworks were thrown. Local police and video evidence indicate only orange traffic cones were used.

Ahmed Bin Hassan, a Somali American Uber driver and U.S. citizen, was accosted by over a dozen Border Patrol and ICE agents at Minneapolis-St. Paul airport. The agents approached him citing his accent, which Bin Hassan later characterized as evidence of racial profiling. During the viral confrontation, Bin Hassan remained defiant, refusing to provide identification and questioning the agents' authority, before they ultimately walked away.

Federal officers drove through a crowd of protesters outside Hartford's federal building on January 8, 2026, striking at least one person with their vehicles. The protest was held as a vigil for Renee Macklin Good, who was fatally shot by an ICE agent in Minneapolis. Hartford police are investigating potential hit-and-run and assault charges against the federal officers involved.

ICE agents arrested Alberto Castañeda Mondragón near a St. Paul shopping center on January 8, 2026, and claimed he suffered severe skull fractures and brain hemorrhages by running headfirst into a wall while handcuffed. Medical staff at Hennepin County Medical Center, including doctors and nurses, stated his injuries were inconsistent with that account and suggested he was mistreated by federal agents. Disagreement exists between ICE and hospital staff regarding custody practices and restraint policies.

A man named Julio, an ImmDef Law Center client and father of a U.S. military servicemember, died on February 25 after his health rapidly declined following ICE detention. Despite having a lawful pathway to permanent residency and being medically vulnerable, ICE refused to release him and he was handcuffed to a hospital bed during his final days. His attorney secured his release but the damage to his health was irreversible.

Ricky Chandee, 52, was detained by federal immigration agents on January 24. His lawyer filed a motion in federal court in Texas to block his deportation, which was rejected on Friday.

Under President Trump's administration, the Trump administration has detained and transferred asylum-seekers to out-of-state detention centers before they receive final removal orders. This represents a change from previous administrations' practice of allowing asylum-seekers to remain in the U.S. during court proceedings.

Dulce Consuelo Díaz Morales, a 22-year-old Maryland mother, was detained by ICE on December 14, 2025, and held for 25 days across facilities in Louisiana, Texas, and New Jersey. She presented a U.S. birth certificate and other documentation to support her citizenship claim, but DHS maintains she is not a citizen and crossed the border without authorization in 2023. Following legal intervention, a federal court judge issued an order preventing her immediate deportation, resulting in her release with an ankle monitor requirement and reunification with her 5-year-old son. She remains subject to ongoing deportation proceedings with a hearing scheduled for July 2026.

Border Patrol agents entered a Target store in Richfield, Minnesota on January 8, 2026, and detained two U.S. citizen teenagers employed at the store, Jonathan Aguilar Garcia and Christian Miranda Romano. Despite the detainees' assertions of citizenship and presentation of a U.S. passport, agents proceeded with detention. Both were later verified as U.S. citizens and released without charges. The incident sparked protests demanding accountability and restrictions on agent access without warrants.

Thi Dua Vang, who legally came to the U.S. in December 2023 and is awaiting green card approval, was detained by ICE agents on January 8, 2026 at her St. Paul home. She was transferred to detention facilities in Texas for nearly two weeks before an immigration judge ordered her release on bond. Since her release and required check-in with ICE, agents have reportedly returned to her home three additional times attempting to make contact.

ICE agents arrested Mexican immigrant Alberto Castañeda Mondragón on January 8, 2026, and claimed he suffered eight skull fractures and brain hemorrhages by running headfirst into a wall while handcuffed. Medical staff at Hennepin County Medical Center disputed this account, stating the injuries were inconsistent with such an accident. A federal judge ordered his release from ICE custody, though he faces significant memory loss and ongoing recovery.

Pablo Nieves, a Venezuelan asylum seeker who legally entered the U.S. in 2018 with a work permit, was detained by ICE agents in a Home Depot parking lot in Plymouth, Minnesota on January 8, 2026. He was transferred to a detention center in El Paso, Texas, where he was held for two weeks before being released on bond after a court hearing. The detention occurred during Operation Metro Surge, a federal immigration enforcement initiative targeting asylum seekers with pending applications.

Alberto C.M., a Mexican citizen with a valid H2B visa, was arrested by ICE agents during Operation Metro Surge and suffered severe head injuries including skull fractures and brain hemorrhages. The court found his detention unlawful because he was arrested without a warrant and ordered his immediate release after 15 days of hospitalization under ICE custody. ICE agents had refused to explain the cause of his injuries, telling hospital staff only that 'he got his shit rocked.'

Jonathan Aguilar Garcia, a 17-year-old U.S. citizen and Target store employee in Richfield, Minnesota, was detained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents on January 8, 2026, along with coworker Christian Miranda Romano. Despite repeatedly asserting their U.S. citizenship and presenting identification including a passport, both teenagers were physically apprehended and removed from the store. Garcia was later released at a Walmart parking lot with injuries after his citizenship was verified.

Sithy Yi, a Cambodian Genocide survivor who came to the U.S. in 1981, was detained by ICE at a routine immigration check-in in Santa Ana on January 8 and held at Adelanto Detention Facility for almost two months. A federal judge ordered her immediate release following a lawsuit arguing she was held unconstitutionally and that ICE failed to follow required procedural steps. Yi's attorney alleged she experienced retaliation, verbal abuse, and poor detention conditions while in custody.

Hongbo Zhao, a Chinese citizen with a pending asylum application, was detained by ICE on January 7, 2026, during a routine check-in at an ICE field office. He had been released on his own recognizance since April 2024 and had complied with all reporting requirements. The federal court ordered his immediate release, finding that ICE violated his due process rights by detaining him without notice or a pre-deprivation hearing.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced plans to deploy floating buoys along more than 500 miles of the Rio Grande River as part of expanded border security efforts. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem stated that 130 miles of buoys were already under contract and installation began on the day of the announcement. The floating barriers are part of a broader Trump administration initiative to build a "Smart Wall" combining steel barriers, waterborne barriers, patrol roads, lights, cameras, and detection technology.

ICE agents were reportedly present outside Roosevelt High School, leading to conflicting accounts from union and DHS officials about the nature and purpose of the operation. Law enforcement and workers' representatives provided different accounts of what occurred.

An investigation identified Border Patrol agents Michael Sveum (EZ-2) and Edgar Vazquez (EZ-17) from an El Paso BORTAC unit as key participants in violent federal enforcement operations across the Midwest. The agents were documented using chemical munitions, pepper spray, and tear gas against crowds in Chicago and Minneapolis, including at the scene where ICE agent Jonathan Ross killed Renée Good on January 7, 2026. The investigation analyzed body camera footage, CBP reports, and incident videos to identify the agents and their role in multiple violent escalations.

Marimar Martinez, a woman shot by Border Patrol in Chicago in October, commented on a fatal shooting of another U.S. citizen by an ICE agent in Minneapolis on January 7, 2026. Martinez was shot during an immigration operation. Her attorney noted similarities between the two incidents. Both shootings involved motorists and federal agents. Government officials labeled the individuals as engaging in terrorism.

According to an Instagram post, two individuals (described as a father and son) were detained by ICE agents who arrived in unmarked cars without a warrant. The post alleges the agents blocked in the vehicle, broke a window, and used force during the detention, including choking one individual with a jacket.

ICE agents detained Jose Martinez, a U.S. citizen and Coast Guard veteran, while he was sleeping in his cruise ship cabin during a Carnival cruise in the Caribbean. Agents tackled his wife Tamara Verhas and confiscated her phone to prevent recording. The couple was eventually released but forced to delete all photos and video documentation of the incident.

Melisa, a Maryland resident with a valid work permit and pending asylum case, was detained on December 15, 2025 during a routine immigration check-in. She had no criminal record and was employed full-time while preparing to start classes at Carroll Community College and planning her wedding. Her community is raising funds to help her hire an immigration attorney.

Dulce Consuelo Diaz Morales, a 22-year-old U.S. citizen born in Maryland, was detained by ICE for several days despite possessing a valid birth certificate and other documentation proving her citizenship. ICE claimed the documents were not authentic, according to her attorney Victoria Slatton. Morales had spent time in Mexico before returning to the United States.

Rafael Vela, a 64-year-old from El Salvador who had lived in the U.S. for over 40 years, was detained by federal agents outside his Silver Lake home on January 7, 2026. Video shows masked agents struggling to detain Vela as he reached his doorstep before being taken away in an unmarked car. According to his family, Vela believed he had permanent resident status, but a letter later confirmed he did not.

Two U.S. citizens were stopped by ICE agents in North Carolina. When the men began recording the encounter, agents attempted to stop the filming and escalated the stop to violence. Civil rights advocates stated the stop violated the Fourth Amendment's protections against unreasonable searches and seizures.

ICE officers shot a woman in Minneapolis on January 7, 2026, during a federal enforcement operation. According to video evidence documented in the article, officers approached a Honda Pilot SUV blocking a road. When the driver reversed and began turning away from the officers, a third officer fired three shots into the vehicle, including two shots after the car had passed the officer. DHS provided a different account of the incident.

ICE officers shot and killed 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis on January 7, 2026. DHS and President Trump claimed Good attempted to run over officers with her vehicle. Multiple videos reviewed by CNN show the incident occurred after officers approached her stationary SUV and told her to exit the vehicle. Video evidence shows the car made contact with an officer before he fired his weapon.

ICE agents detained Mubashir, a 20-year-old Somali-American U.S. citizen, during a raid in Minneapolis's Cedar Riverside neighborhood. He was tackled, handcuffed, and held at Fort Snelling for several hours despite showing his passport multiple times. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Police Chief Brian O'Hara condemned the operation, with Frey stating the detention violated law and the Constitution. ICE agents also checked IDs at East African restaurants but found only U.S. citizens and made no arrests.

Shovgi Huseynov, a neuroscience researcher at the University at Buffalo, was detained by ICE after making a wrong turn onto the Peace Bridge on January 7, 2026. Despite having a valid work visa allowing him to work in the U.S. through 2029 and no criminal record, he was turned over to ICE by Customs and Border Protection agents and has been held at the Batavia detention center. ICE is now seeking to deport him, claiming he lacks legal status, despite his approved work authorization from the Department of Homeland Security.

Former Ghanaian Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on January 6, 2026, and listed as an undocumented person on the ICE detainee list. As of April 8, 2026, his name no longer appears on the ICE detainee list. His legal team had confirmed his arrest and stated he was cooperating with ICE while pursuing a pending petition for adjustment of status.

Luis Beltran Yanez-Cruz, a 68-year-old Honduran national, died on January 6, 2026, while in ICE custody at Imperial Regional Detention Facility in Calexico, California. He had been detained in November 2025 and reported symptoms including vomiting, chest pain, shortness of breath, and fatigue to his family for weeks before being transferred to a hospital on January 4. He was one of six people who died in ICE custody in the first two weeks of 2026. His family stated concerns about the adequacy of medical care he received while detained.

Rebecca Pinyerd, a 70-year-old Filipina lawful permanent resident who has lived in the United States for over 40 years, was scheduled for deportation to the Philippines but the flight was cancelled after airline officials determined she was medically unfit to fly due to advanced kidney disease, thyroid complications, and uncontrolled hypertension. She remains in immigration detention at Clay County Jail in Indiana with no new deportation date announced. Her family has expressed concerns about her access to medical care while in custody and has called for an independent medical evaluation.

Joey Martinez, a U.S. Coast Guard veteran and U.S. citizen, was mistakenly detained by CBP officers aboard a Carnival Cruise Lines ship in Miami after being identified by name match with someone else who had outstanding warrants. Despite only his name matching and his other identifying information not aligning with the warrant, Martinez was forcefully removed from his stateroom, handcuffed, and held in an immigration cell until he could verify his identity with official documents. He was eventually released without charges, compensation, or an apology, and Carnival Cruise Lines did not inform him of the name issue before the ship's arrival despite allegedly being aware of it.

A 10-year-old girl and her mother were intercepted by ICE agents while driving to a school bus stop in suburban Minneapolis and flown to a detention facility in Texas. The child, Elizabeth Zuna Caisaguano, and her mother Rosa were detained despite the family having pending asylum appeals. Over the following month, at least five other children from the same school district were also sent to the Dilley detention center in Texas.

ICE took a 5-year-old girl and her mother into custody after Austin police responded to a disturbance call in the Oak Hill community on January 5th. Officers identified the mother had an ICE administrative warrant and notified federal authorities who took both into custody. The family says the child is a U.S. citizen and reports no effort was made to contact family or involve Child Protective Services before the ICE custody transfer.

Jean Wilson Brutus, a Haitian immigrant, was abducted and transferred to a hospital where he died. A nurse stated it appeared he fell down stairs. ICE did not notify his family of his death for a week.

Jean Wilson Brutus, a 41-year-old Haitian man, was transferred to Delaney Hall ICE detention center in Newark on December 11, 2025. He showed no signs of distress during intake and had no known cardiovascular issues. He died less than 24 hours later. ICE delayed publicly acknowledging his death for a full week. This was the first death at Delaney Hall since it reopened under a contract with private prison company GEO Group.

The Trump administration's Operation Midway Blitz, which began in early September 2025, conducted mass immigration enforcement raids across the Chicago region, detaining over 4,300 people according to the Department of Homeland Security. Data shows that most detainees do not have significant criminal records. Hundreds of immigrants, protesters and bystanders were detained or arrested, and thousands protested across Chicago and suburbs.

Dinah Marie Chollet, a South Carolina restaurant co-owner, was charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor after joining a private group chat with Summerville High School students planning a walkout against ICE. Chollet stated she joined to express support for the students' activism, shared safety information, and then left the chat. She was arrested on February 12 and released on $1,000 bond, with an initial court appearance scheduled for April 14.

Juan Nicolas, a two-month-old baby, is the youngest person currently in ICE custody and is being held with his mother Mireya López Sánchez at a family detention center in Dulles, Texas. Due to poor conditions including rotten food and contaminated water, the mother stopped producing milk and the baby became sick. The child suffered a medical emergency but has not been seen by a doctor as there is none on site and immigration officials refuse to send him to a hospital.

Maria was detained and deported within 48 hours of a scheduled appointment without her family's knowledge. Activist group Somos Long Beach alleges her case is part of a pattern where children are used as leverage for deportations. The organization is calling for legal representation support and demanding the abolition of ICE.

Geraldo Lunas Campos, a 55-year-old Cuban immigrant held in solitary confinement at Camp East Montana detention facility in El Paso, Texas, died on January 3, 2026, after an altercation with guards. An autopsy ruled his death a homicide caused by asphyxia due to neck and torso compression. The medical examiner's ruling classified the death as a homicide in a case involving an ICE detainee, with witness accounts and evidence indicating guards applied pressure to his neck until he lost consciousness.

The Trump administration is seeking to deport two men who witnessed the January 3 death of Geraldo Lunas Campos at a Texas detention camp. The eyewitness accounts of the two men differ from the Department of Homeland Security's official account of the incident.

ICE deported a man who was apprehended in Utah. A judge has since ruled that the Trump administration must bring him back, indicating potential legal issues with the deportation proceedings.

About a dozen protesters attempted to block federal ICE agents from leaving with a detainee outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement field office in Durango on Friday. Protesters linked arms and sat in front of the ICE office driveway to prevent vehicles from departing. Federal agents responded by removing protesters and using pepper spray against them.

Deportations of Brazilian citizens from the United States reached a historic high in 2025, with more than 3 million citizens forced to return to Brazil, nearly double the 2024 total. The Ministry of Human Rights confirmed a 99.8% increase in deportations compared to the previous year. The sharp increase reflects the zero-tolerance immigration policy adopted by President Donald Trump, which has intensified enforcement actions against undocumented immigrants.

A federal judge ruled that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) illegally detained Jorge Eliecer Gonzalez Ochoa in Iowa on December 23 because the agency had not yet issued a required "Notice to Appear" document. The judge found that ICE later attempted to cover up the procedural violation by mailing the notice rather than serving it in person. The court ordered an individualized bond hearing within seven days but declined to order immediate release.

Nawras Maklad, a Syrian citizen who entered the U.S. without inspection in January 2022 and filed for asylum, is detained at the ICE Detention Center in Adelanto, California. An immigration judge denied his bond on March 27, 2026, finding him a flight risk. The court denied his ex parte application for a temporary restraining order to challenge his continued detention.

ICE agents arrested Cesar Ramos-Alcala, 48, and Marcelino Tapia-Lucas, 25, outside courtrooms at the Ridgedale Service Center in Minnetonka on Monday. ICE alleged that Ramos-Alcala is in Minnesota illegally and that Tapia-Lucas entered the U.S. illegally at age 16 and has prior arrests. The arrests occurred in a secure, controlled courthouse environment.