Human Impact Project

Rihan Shinwari, an 18-year-old Afghan high school senior at Cheshire High School in Connecticut, was detained by ICE on April 6, 2026, during a traffic stop. ICE detained him based on erroneous paperwork claiming his humanitarian parole had expired in October 2025, though court filings confirmed it remained valid until October 2026. His family had legally entered the U.S. on humanitarian parole in October 2024 after his father served as an interpreter for U.S. forces in Afghanistan. Held at Plymouth County Correctional Facility in Massachusetts for over two weeks, an immigration court judge set his bond at $1,500 and ordered his release on April 21, 2026. Rihan was released on April 22, 2026, and remains in removal proceedings; his attorneys sought reinstatement of his humanitarian parole.

An asylum seeker who entered the U.S. in September 2024 was released on parole in November 2024, then re-detained by ICE in April 2026 after reporting to a scheduled appointment. The government argued his parole was revoked for violating conditions, but provided no written notice. The court ordered his immediate release, finding the detention violated due process.

Allan Marrero, a Cayman Islands native, was detained by ICE on November 24, 2025, after arriving for a routine marriage-based green card interview at a USCIS office in Lower Manhattan. ICE discovered a prior removal order from 2022 related to an overstayed tourist visa and a missed immigration court hearing that occurred while Marrero was in alcohol rehabilitation. An immigration judge reopened his case and granted bond in January 2026, citing his clean criminal record and community support, but ICE refused to accept bond payment and used procedural mechanisms to continue his detention. Marrero was moved between multiple facilities across Arizona, Texas, Mississippi, and New York. After 150 days in custody, he was released on April 23, 2026, following a lawsuit that challenged ICE's refusal to honor the bond order. He was reunited with his husband Matthew.

Ten crew members from Disney Cruise Line were arrested by ICE agents on April 23, 2026, as the Disney Magic ship was being unloaded at the B Street Cruise Terminal in San Diego. The arrests occurred in full view of disembarking passengers, including children. Two days later on April 25, ICE returned to the same terminal and arrested four additional crew members from Holland America's MV Zandaam.

ICE agents detained a man on April 23, 2026, at the Sonoma County Jail while he was in the process of being released after a court hearing. The arrest occurred in the transportation hall between the release paperwork area and the public lobby, where his sister was waiting. The detention sparked renewed protests from immigrant rights advocates calling for the Sheriff's Office to end all cooperation with federal immigration authorities.

Juan Marcos Carly, 36, was detained by ICE on April 23, 2026, at 7:00 AM while traveling on Interstate 4. His wife, Roselyn Arteaga, launched fundraising efforts on social media to raise money for his bail bond. The family arrived in the United States in 2018 and has two young children, ages 3 and 1. They have a court hearing scheduled for 2028.

U.S. District Judge Michelle Williams ordered ICE to immediately release Isaac Antonio Villegas Molina, a Pasadena resident detained during an ICE check-in. Villegas is a plaintiff in a federal lawsuit challenging immigration raids in Los Angeles. The judge prohibited the government from redetaining him without notice and a hearing, and returned his removal proceedings to the nondetained docket.

An Instagram post shows a group of people being transported by ICE in buses at what appears to be a detention facility in El Reno, Oklahoma. According to the caption, multiple women were hospitalized due to heat strokes and poor conditions during transport, and the post characterizes them as mothers forcefully separated from their families.

Ray Barraez, a 50-year-old Venezuelan Uber driver, died of a heart attack during a traffic stop in Seminole County, Florida after being stopped for a broken license plate light. According to his wife's account, Barraez had hypertension and was in an open asylum process; fear of detention by immigration authorities contributed to the cardiac event that caused his death.

Isaac Antonio Villegas Molina, a construction worker suing ICE with ACLU support, was detained again during an ISAP check-in after the Supreme Court refused his challenge to ICE. The detention occurred following the high court's rejection of his legal challenge.

ICE arrested Valeria Mendoza Santiago, a 25-year-old pregnant woman from Oaxaca, Mexico, at a bus stop in Anchorage in March 2026. She was transferred to Hiland Mountain Correctional Center and scheduled for transfer to federal detention in Tacoma, Washington. Her lawyers obtained a temporary restraining order citing ICE's own guidelines against detaining pregnant women, resulting in her release. Santiago remains in federal immigration removal proceedings while living at home with her son. The arrest occurred during a broader ICE enforcement surge in Alaska that resulted in at least 47 arrests in the first four months of 2026.

ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) agents used force against two U.S. citizen minors during an enforcement operation in the Pueblo de Palmas neighborhood of Edinburg, Texas on April 23, 2026. A 16-year-old boy was struck in the face with a closed fist by an agent, and a 14-year-old girl was detained and allegedly grabbed around the neck. The incident was documented on video and shared on social media. ICE has not issued a public statement regarding the alleged use of force.

Jorge Cubillos and Carlos Rodelo, Colombian nationals who fled armed groups and extortion, were deported to the Democratic Republic of Congo despite holding legal protections (withholding of removal and Convention Against Torture protections) that prevented their return to Colombia. Cubillos was physically restrained around his waist, feet, and hands for 24 hours during the deportation flight and reported feeling imprisoned upon arrival in Kinshasa. Rodelo was arrested in August 2025 and detained for eight months across multiple ICE facilities; Cubillos was held in Florida, Louisiana, and at Alexandria airport. Both were deported without formal removal orders and without being informed of their destination, health requirements, or mandatory vaccinations. At least 15 Latin American migrants were sent to Kinshasa under a U.S. agreement with the Congolese government, with deportations costing over $130,000 per person.

Rufino Beca, a 59-year-old pastor from Angola who arrived in the U.S. in 2017, was detained by ICE agents on April 20, 2026, outside a store on St. John's Street in Portland, Maine. Beca leads two Assembly of God congregations in Biddeford and Portland. He was apprehended while collecting funds to help another congregation member held in immigration custody. DHS stated he overstayed a six-month tourist visa. His daughter disputes this claim, stating he is an asylum seeker with no criminal record. Beca remains held at Strafford County Jail in Dover, New Hampshire.

William Alexander Alfaro, a Honduran national with an active asylum case, was detained by ICE agents on March 18, 2026, while driving his three children to school in San Antonio, Texas. Alfaro held a valid work permit and driver's license and was in compliance with the asylum process. He was arrested at Crosspoint, an ICE check-in and processing facility in San Antonio, as he arrived for a scheduled appointment. During approximately one month in ICE detention, Alfaro was not treated for a knee tumor requiring emergency surgery. He was deported to Honduras without receiving the scheduled medical procedure, likely resulting in amputation. His wife, who witnessed the initial detention, now fears she will be targeted for deportation, which would leave their three U.S. citizen children in San Antonio without parents.

Jaime Nino Astudillo, a gay Mexican man who had been granted withholding of removal in 2018 based on persecution fears, was detained by ICE officers during his routine annual check-in at the Los Angeles Field Office on April 22, 2026. He had been complying with supervision requirements since 2018 and attending annual check-ins without incident. The court granted his habeas petition and ordered his immediate release from Adelanto ICE Processing Center.

Carlos Bejarano was detained by ICE on April 22, 2026, in Kissimmee, Florida. Described as a hardworking father and family provider, his detention has left his family struggling financially. His family is seeking donations and financial support to cover legal expenses and basic needs while he faces immigration proceedings.

ICE arrested eight people on April 22 at two Davenport restaurants—Izumi and Jiang's Hot Pot & BBQ—as part of an ongoing investigation into immigration violations. Local law enforcement was not contacted in advance of the operations.

Hector V. was detained during an ICE raid at the Allston Car Wash in November 2025 alongside eight coworkers. Though he had legal work authorization, he remained in custody due to an outstanding removal order from a 2007 hearing he missed because he is illiterate and was given incorrect information. After spending five months in the overcrowded South Texas ICE Processing Center under harsh conditions, he elected to self-deport at the end of January and was deported to El Salvador in mid-April, 11 weeks after making that choice. His attorney filed a motion to hold the government in contempt for failing to schedule a required bond hearing and a motion to reopen his case, both of which were denied.

Rajinder Kumar, a 32-year-old undocumented Indian national, was detained by ICE on April 22, 2026, after being released from Oregon jail on April 2. Kumar is accused of causing a fatal crash on November 24, 2025, on U.S. Highway 20 in Deschutes County that killed newlyweds William Micah Carter and Jennifer Lynn Lower. He is currently detained at the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma awaiting deportation proceedings and has been charged with criminally negligent homicide and reckless endangerment.

Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics agents seized approximately 8,897 marijuana plants during a raid at a marijuana grow operation in Wynnewood. Three people were detained, with one taken into ICE custody.

Javier, a 76-year-old Cuban man with dementia, has been detained by ICE and is being held at a GEO facility in Aurora, Colorado. His next court appearance is scheduled for mid-May, and advocates are raising funds to cover an estimated $11,000 in legal fees for his immigration case.

ICE agents disguised as contractors offered children $100 to perform yard work in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, then revealed themselves when the children arrived. Two minors fled and fell from a second-story balcony while being chased by agents, sustaining severe leg injuries. One minor was detained after being taken to an emergency room; the second minor, also with a leg fracture, avoided seeking medical care out of fear.

Walter Marcelino Chao was deported by the U.S. government to Lima, Peru, resulting in separation from his young daughter Ashley, who no longer recognizes him. The child, who had lived with her father in Miami Gardens, now refuses to acknowledge him during video calls and has become withdrawn. The family was unable to prevent the deportation despite pleas to authorities.

Kerrie, a transgender Guyanese asylum seeker, was detained following collusion between Nassau County Police and ICE. She is being held in a men's detention facility and is being denied gender-affirming care. Advocates are calling for her release and reunification with her community in New York City.

María de la Luz Loredo was detained at El Valle ICE Processing Center in Raymondville, Texas, when she learned her 17-year-old son had died in a shooting in Houston. After receiving this news, she reports being placed in solitary confinement and stripped of clothing, confined with only a blanket as punishment for crying. While detained, she was separated from her four children, including a 1-year-old still breastfeeding. Loredo states the only immigration check-in she missed was to be present at another son's deathbed during cancer treatment in 2020.

Ulugbek Badalov, a citizen of Tajikistan who entered the U.S. without inspection in early 2023, was detained by ICE during a routine immigration check-in on April 21, 2026. He had been living in the U.S. without incident and complying with all ICE reporting requirements while his asylum application remained pending. The federal court ruled that his mandatory detention under section 1225 was unlawful and granted his habeas corpus petition.

Wilfido Nolberto Cortez Esteban and other petitioners were detained and facing deportation to Guatemala. On April 21, 2026, they filed a habeas corpus petition and motion for temporary restraining order. The court granted the TRO on April 22, 2026, ordering their release by 9:00 a.m. and requiring their transfer from Texas back to the Northern District of California.

Children's entertainer Ms. Rachel appeared on MSNBC to describe conditions at the Dilley Immigration Processing Center in Texas after speaking with detained families. She reported undrinkable water, worms in the food, rotten food, and dangerously inadequate medical care for children in ICE custody.

Angelica Sanchez Briones, a Mexican national who has lived in the U.S. since 2001, was arrested on April 21, 2026 for driving under the influence and causing injury to a child. Although an Idaho magistrate judge ordered her release on her own recognizance, she remained detained at Jefferson County Jail in ICE custody under mandatory detention provisions. The federal court granted her habeas corpus petition and ordered her immediate release.

Edin Elezovic, a Bosnian citizen and lawful permanent resident, was detained by ICE on April 21, 2026, at Washington County Jail in Utah after completing a 120-day sentence for violating protective orders. ICE determined he was deportable under immigration law for domestic violence-related convictions including protective order violations, child abuse, and assault. The federal court denied his habeas corpus petition, finding his detention lawful under immigration law.

Anibal Sante Rojas, a Peruvian national with a pending asylum application, was detained by ICE on April 21, 2026, during a scheduled check-in appointment in San Francisco. He had been previously released on recognizance but was re-detained after being charged with identity theft and failing to appear for his criminal arraignment. The court granted his habeas petition in part and ordered ICE to provide him with a bond hearing within 14 days.

On April 21, 2026, ICE agents arrested two brothers, Israel Makoka (18) and Max Makoka (15), at their home in Diamondhead, Mississippi. Israel was shackled for nearly seven hours during transport and held at the Central Louisiana ICE Processing Center in Jena, where agents pressured him to sign self-deportation papers without legal counsel. Max was separated from his brother and transferred to a youth shelter near Houston, Texas, where he spent days in isolation without English-speaking staff or adequate educational services. Both brothers were released on April 30, 2026, following intervention by their community and U.S. senators, and returned home to continue their education.

ICE agents conducted a targeted enforcement operation in Shelbyville on April 21, 2026, and arrested four people during a vehicle stop. The driver, Mirzon Patlan-Trevino, 33, from Mexico, was recently arrested for DUI and determined to be unlawfully in the United States. Three passengers—Antonio Aguilera Garcia, 46, Alexis Saavedra Avile, 31, and Yoni Mora-Aguilera, 22—were also found to be unauthorized to be in the U.S. All four remain in ICE custody pending removal proceedings. ICE agents arrested four people in Shelbyville on April 21 during targeted enforcement operations. The arrests included 33-year-old Mirzon Patlan-Trevino from Mexico, who had been recently arrested for DUI, and three other individuals identified as Antonio Aguilera Garcia, Alexis Saavedra Avile, and Yoni Mora-Aguilera. All four remain in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.

William "Danny" Rosenmund, a library board member, was arrested at a Springdale Borough Council meeting on April 21 while speaking about the borough's 287(g) agreement with ICE. He was charged with two counts of aggravated assault and five misdemeanors after exceeding his three-minute speaking time and continuing to speak after being ordered to stop. The county's acting chief public defender called the charges "inappropriate" and said he would push for them to be dropped or reduced.

Approximately 200 to 1,400 detainees at North Lake Processing Facility, a 1,800-bed ICE detention center in Baldwin, Michigan, began a hunger and labor strike on Monday, April 21, 2026, to protest conditions including medical neglect, slow ICE communication, and prolonged confinement. The facility, operated by private prison company GEO Group, holds detainees with average stays of 49 days, though some have been held for nearly six months. By Wednesday morning, detainees in at least one unit had stopped the strike.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents detained at least four people in Heber City on Tuesday morning around 7:30 a.m. using undercover vehicles along Main Street near the Smith's Fuel Center and on U.S. 40. ICE pulled over vehicles and arrested individuals without notifying local police, though the agency later told the police chief it was targeting specific individuals with existing removal orders.

Dzhokhar Gutsiev, a Russian citizen who entered the U.S. in 2022 seeking asylum and was released on humanitarian parole, was detained by DHS in April 2026 while traveling for work in Imperial County, California. Gutsiev had been living in the community for 46 months with work authorization and no criminal history when his parole was abruptly revoked without notice. The federal court granted his habeas petition and ordered his immediate release, ruling that the government violated his due process rights by revoking parole without justification or hearing.

Francisco Salazar-Salazar was booked on drug possession charges (cannabis marijuana not more than 20 grams) and failure to appear charges. An ICE hold was placed on him during the booking.

A Venezuelan woman who entered the U.S. legally had her immigration case dismissed by a court. However, she remains detained in Jacksonville as federal authorities have 30 days to appeal the dismissal, leaving her future status uncertain.

Louis Duxbury, a Gadsden County resident from the United Kingdom, was ordered deported after spending months in ICE custody. He was arrested for overstaying his visa following a social media investigation that did not result in criminal charges. The case comes amid a surge in immigration arrests across Florida, with over 36,000 arrests reported since the start of 2025.

Nearly 100 detainees at Moshannon Valley Processing Center in Clearfield County launched a hunger strike between April 16-19, 2026, to protest detention conditions and medical care. The strike began after a detainee became ill with influenza on April 16, with 50-70 detainees in the same housing pod initially refusing an evening meal due to food contamination concerns. Advocacy groups reported that detainees were protesting unsafe living conditions, including contaminated food, inadequate medical care, and staff indifference to medical emergencies, with reports of a recent medical emergency in which a detainee lost consciousness without receiving proper care. Advocacy group Frontline DIGNITY called for the facility's shutdown and independent investigation. Clearfield County commissioners met with GEO Group leadership, the facility operator, to address the incident.

Argam Nazarian, a 27-year-old Armenian Christian Iranian asylum seeker, was detained by ICE in June 2025 despite having an active asylum case and no criminal history. An immigration judge ordered his release on bond in August 2025, finding him neither a flight risk nor a danger, but ICE refused to release him, citing mandatory detention policies for those who entered without inspection. After 298 days in detention across multiple facilities, including El Paso, a federal judge ruled in April 2026 that ICE violated Nazarian's Fifth Amendment due process rights by holding him without a bond hearing and using incorrect legal authority. Nazarian was released and reunited with family in Los Angeles, though his immigration case remains pending.

Rogelio Bolufé Izquierdo, a 44-year-old Cuban national detained at Torrance County Detention Facility in New Mexico, organized approximately 200 detainees into a group called the Union of Those Kidnapped by ICE to document poor conditions including inadequate water access, spoiled food, insufficient medical care, and unsanitary sewage leaks. Izquierdo, who entered legally in 2020 but overstayed his visa, has filed multiple habeas corpus petitions challenging his indefinite civil detention without bail, while his fiancée documents his case and advocacy efforts.

Gilberto García (also referred to as Gilberto Garcia Cruz), a 26-year-old DACA recipient with autism, was detained by ICE agents at his home in LaBelle, Florida without an arrest warrant. According to his account, agents entered his property and the detention involved physical force that left marks on his arms. He was detained in front of his mother without explanation. He was subsequently released on April 10, 2026, following family intervention. After his release, García expressed fear about the possibility of deportation and separation from his mother. His family is now facing housing instability in the aftermath of the incident.

A 23-year-old South American woman was deported to the Democratic Republic of Congo after being detained in Louisiana for 15 months by ICE. An immigration judge had previously granted her protection from removal to her home country after she claimed persecution based on her LGBTQ+ status. Despite a federal magistrate judge's recommendation for her release in a lawsuit filed in December, she was deported before a district judge could approve the recommendation as part of a third-country deportation agreement.

Laura Ramírez lost her 10-year-old daughter Emily in a hit-and-run accident. As a victim of crime cooperating with authorities, Ramírez was eligible for a U visa. However, she was detained by ICE agents during a scheduled immigration appointment despite having this protection, separating her from her remaining daughter.

A Valencia College student with pending asylum status and legal documents was arrested by ICE while leaving home to go to work. The student had documentation showing their asylum case was in process at the time of detention.

Marie-Thérèse Hélène Ross, an 86-year-old French citizen, was arrested by ICE on April 1, 2026, at her home in Anniston, Alabama for overstaying her 90-day tourist visa. Ross had entered the U.S. in June 2025 on a Visa Waiver Program to marry William Ross, a retired U.S. soldier whom she had known since the 1950s. After her husband died unexpectedly in January 2026, Ross fell out of legal status and became involved in a contested probate dispute with her late husband's stepsons over his estate. She was detained in a facility in Basile, Louisiana, held for 16 days in a dormitory with 58 other women, where her health deteriorated. Following diplomatic pressure from the French foreign minister, Ross was released and returned to France.

Ankit Ankit, a native and citizen of India, entered the United States on March 6, 2024, near Tecate, California, without inspection. ICE officers took him into custody on April 17, 2026, and transferred him to the Desert View Annex facility in Adelanto, California. The court granted his petition for a bond hearing, ordering ICE to provide an individualized bond hearing within seven days.