Human Impact Project

Twenty-five migrants from multiple countries, including Morocco, Albania, Cameroon, China, Guatemala, Honduras, India, and Kenya, were deported from the United States to Costa Rica in April 2026 under a new bilateral third-country deportation agreement signed in March 2026. This marked the first implementation of the policy allowing the U.S. to send non-Costa Rican deportees to Costa Rica rather than directly to their countries of origin. Costa Rican authorities and the International Organization for Migration provided immediate assistance including food, shelter, and temporary humanitarian legal status. The agreement permits up to 25 deportees per week, with U.S.-funded support including housing and food for the first seven days.

A federal judge denied Minnesota's lawsuit seeking to halt Operation Metro Surge, an ICE enforcement operation in Minneapolis that began in January 2026. The judge acknowledged evidence of racial profiling and excessive force but ruled the state failed to prove a 10th Amendment violation. The operation has resulted in two deaths and sparked protests demanding accountability.

The Trump administration announced the end of ICE surge operations in Minneapolis that had resulted in thousands of arrests and sparked intense protests. The operation, which deployed approximately 3,000 federal agents beginning late 2025, included three fatal shootings and generated significant community opposition and economic hardship.

Andriy Shepitsen, a 46-year-old Ukrainian man detained at Krome North Service Processing Center since December, has been denied psychiatric medications and medical care for severe bipolar disorder, major depression, and ADHD. After beginning a hunger strike in February to protest detention conditions, he lost 46 pounds and developed life-threatening hypotensive shock, prompting advocacy groups including Amnesty International USA and the ACLU of Florida to demand emergency medical intervention and his release.

Tania Warner, a Canadian mother, and her 7-year-old daughter Ayla were detained by ICE after being stopped at a border patrol checkpoint during a routine drive. They were held at the Rio Grande Valley central processing center in McAllen and later transferred to Dilley detention center, where they experienced inadequate healthcare, food shortages, and health issues from harsh cleaning detergents. The family was released on a $9,500 bond but faces ongoing ICE check-ins and uncertain legal status.

Annie Ramos, a 22-year-old Honduran-born wife of US Army Staff Sergeant Matthew Blank, was detained by federal immigration agents on April 7, 2026, after arriving at Fort Polk military base in Louisiana to register for military benefits and obtain a green card. Ramos had lived in the United States since infancy and applied for DACA status in 2020. She was held for nearly a week before being released on GPS monitoring while removal proceedings continue, following public backlash. An outstanding removal order from 2005 was cited in the case. DHS confirmed she would receive full due process.

The Trump administration revoked the lawful permanent resident status of several Iranian nationals with ties to the Tehran regime and detained them via ICE enforcement actions in Los Angeles. Those detained included Seyed Eissa Hashemi, his wife Maryam Tahmasebi, and their son Seyed Mobin Hashemi—relatives of Masoumeh Ebtekar, who served as spokeswoman during the 1979 U.S. Embassy takeover in Tehran. Additional detainees included Hamideh Soleimani Afshar, her daughter Sarinasadat Hosseiny, and Dr. Fatemeh Ardeshir-Larijani, removed from her position at Emory University. Secretary Marco Rubio announced the coordinated enforcement action, stating the individuals should not have been permitted lawful permanent resident status given their connections to the Iranian government.

Alejandro Cabrera Clemente, a 49-year-old from Mexico, died while in ICE custody at Winn Correctional Center in Louisiana on April 11, 2026. He was arrested by ICE on January 8, 2026, in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and transferred to the facility on January 13, 2026. He was found unresponsive and pronounced dead at approximately 8:51 a.m. after emergency medical services transported him to Winn Parish Medical Center.

Alejandro Cabrera Clemente, a 49-year-old from Mexico, died in ICE custody at Winn Correctional Center on April 11, 2026. He was found unresponsive in his cell, and staff called emergency medical services and began life-saving measures. He was transported to Winn Parish Medical Center, where resuscitation efforts continued, but he was pronounced deceased at approximately 8:51 am. Cabrera had been in ICE custody since his arrest in January 2026.

A federal judge ruled that ICE's arrest of a 19-year-old Connecticut teenager was based on erroneous information in his immigration paperwork, which listed an incorrect expiration date. When the paperwork was corrected, ICE revoked the teenager's immigration status anyway. The teenager is currently held at a detention center in Massachusetts, where a judge will decide his case.

Costa Rica received its first group of 25 migrants deported from the United States under a third-country agreement signed in March 2026. The migrants were citizens of Albania, Cameroon, China, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Kenya, and Morocco. Under the agreement, Costa Rica will receive up to 25 people per week, with the U.S. providing financial support and the International Organization for Migration offering food and accommodation for the first seven days.

A family of four from the Durham, North Carolina area seeking asylum since 2022 was detained by ICE agents during a scheduled administrative/asylum appointment in Charlotte on April 10, 2026, and deported to Honduras within 24-48 hours. The family included two elementary school children, ages 8, 10, or 11 and 6 (sources vary on exact ages). ICE stated the family failed to appear for an immigration hearing and had entered the country without authorization, resulting in a final removal order. Advocates and local organizations including Siembra NC disputed the circumstances, arguing the family was complying with the asylum process and did not receive due process or adequate time to seek legal assistance. The rapid deportation prompted responses from Durham Public Schools, local lawmakers, and community protests.

On January 7, 2026, ICE agent Jonathan Ross fatally shot Renee Nicole Good, an unarmed U.S. citizen. Six federal prosecutors from the Minnesota U.S. attorney's office and four leaders of the DOJ's civil rights division resigned in protest after Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon declined to open a civil rights investigation into the shooting, despite career prosecutors' offer to lead an inquiry. By April 2026, the incident was cited among factors contributing to reduced international tourism confidence in the United States, alongside concerns about expanded ICE enforcement at airports and TSA staffing shortages.

On April 6, 2026, ICE agents arrested 18-year-old Rihan, an Afghan national and Cheshire High School senior, while attempting to rearrest his father Zia, a former U.S. military interpreter. Rihan had legally entered the United States on humanitarian parole in October 2024 and submitted a pending application for legal permanent residency in June 2025. ICE claimed his parole had expired in October 2025, though court filings indicate it was valid until October 2026, suggesting the arrest resulted from administrative error. He was transported to Plymouth County Correctional Facility in Massachusetts, approximately 170 miles from home, preventing him from attending final exams and graduation. On April 10, 2026, Connecticut state officials including Governor Lamont, Senator Blumenthal, and Attorney General Tong held a press conference calling for his release.

A Supreme Court in Eswatini ruled that four men deported there by the U.S. under the Trump administration's third-country deportation program can finally meet with a lawyer after being denied in-person legal counsel for nine months while held at a maximum-security prison. The men, from Cuba, Yemen, Laos, and Vietnam, had completed their U.S. prison sentences and are detained in Eswatini without being charged with any crime there.

The Department of Justice announced that 10 Indian nationals were indicted by a federal grand jury in Massachusetts for visa fraud conspiracy. The defendants allegedly conspired to stage armed robberies of convenience stores, liquor stores, and fast food restaurants to allow store clerks to falsely claim they were crime victims on U visa applications. The defendants face up to five years in prison and are subject to deportation after sentencing.

The Trump administration announced a new ICE "Birth Tourism Initiative" targeting networks that allegedly help pregnant foreign nationals obtain U.S. citizenship for their children born in the country. The operation seeks to identify fraud and prosecute those involved in facilitating birth tourism, though the administration acknowledges that giving birth in the U.S. itself is not unlawful.

Three Democratic members of Congress conducted an unannounced visit to an ICE detention facility at Mesa Gateway Airport on April 10, 2026, and documented severe overcrowding conditions. They reported that rooms designed to hold 21 people contained 40-50 detainees forced to sleep on concrete floors in shoulder-to-shoulder conditions that exceeded fire code capacity. Detainees reported complaints of heat and fever. The lawmakers sent letters to the Department of Homeland Security requesting information about the facility. A Republican congressman characterized the visit as a political stunt, while DHS denied the allegations.

A report from the Deportation Data Project shows that deportations increased five-fold and street arrests by immigration enforcement agents rose eleven-fold during the first year of the current presidential administration compared to the end of the Biden administration. ICE arrests more than quadrupled overall, with eight times more arrests of people without criminal convictions. Daily detention beds holding people arrested in the United States quadrupled from approximately 14,000 in late 2024 to around 57,000 in January 2026.

Ezequiel Vélez Cáceres, 32, resigned from his job after his TPS (Temporary Protected Status) was cancelled. His U.S. citizen spouse states he was in the process of obtaining a work visa.

Federal officials have detained or deported at least 25 people whose families were granted temporary legal status under a 2023 court settlement stemming from the Trump administration's 2017 family separation policy. The government has violated key terms of the settlement by imposing a $1,000 per-person fee, stopping payments to contractors assisting with family reunification, and detaining and deporting individuals who were supposed to be protected under the court order.

Olivia has been detained at the Dilley immigration detention facility since November while her family members have been released. She has lost approximately 20 pounds since her arrival and struggles with appetite and food quality. She had planned to start work as a nurse's assistant in Maine and aspired to become a nurse working with children.

Malunda Destino has been detained by ICE in New Hampshire since August 2025 while his asylum case is pending. A federal court ordered him to receive an individualized bond hearing due to due process concerns. Destino has been separated from his newborn son and family, and ICE attempted to deport him but a stay was obtained after community fundraising paid for appellate representation. Destino has also reported degrading treatment by ICE agents while in detention.

Neysis, a woman who was six months pregnant with twins, experienced painful contractions and a miscarriage while in ICE custody. According to reporting, officers shackled her to a hospital bed during the medical emergency instead of providing compassionate care. The incident highlights conditions in ICE detention facilities for pregnant detainees.

A 50-year-old Mexican man named Jesús died in late February after avoiding hospital care out of fear of ICE detention and deportation. His wife attributes his death to harsh U.S. immigration policies. He remained bedridden at home despite declining health and was only taken to a hospital when it was too late. He left behind four children, including one minor.

A University of Washington PhD student and his 13-year-old son were deported from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport after the student's visa was suddenly revoked without explanation provided.

A person named Abad was detained by immigration authorities in Corona in a warrantless stop. An advocacy account is requesting support for Abad and his family as they work to bring him home.

The U.S. attorney's office in D.C. suspended processing of U visas for immigrant crime victims throughout most of 2025, creating barriers for victims who cooperated with police or prosecutors. The suspension increased distrust of law enforcement among immigrant communities, even as ICE arrest levels in the city subsequently declined.

The Trump administration is detaining DACA recipients at increasing rates, treating them as deportable despite their protected status. The article documents cases of multiple DACA holders detained for months, including some with no criminal records, and highlights how long renewal processing times and mandatory detention policies are creating uncertainty for the roughly 600,000 DACA recipients in the U.S.

Dayerlin Serrano Ordonez, a Venezuelan citizen who entered the U.S. in 2023 and was granted withholding of removal to Venezuela in February 2025, was detained by ICE on April 9, 2026 during a routine check-in. His wife was informed that authorities intended to remove him to Africa. The court required respondents to show cause why his habeas petition should not be granted and ordered advance notice of any removal.

Brandon, a U.S. citizen, was detained for eight hours at the Whipple building during Operation Metro Surge and reported appalling detention conditions including unresponsive guards, unsanitary facilities, and interrogations. After his release, he was hit with pepper balls and exposed to tear gas and flash bangs as ICE agents confronted a protest outside the facility.

Mahadin Hussein Nour is currently in custody of ICE at the Joe Corley Processing Center in Conroe, Texas. He filed a petition for a writ of habeas corpus challenging his continued confinement and a motion for a temporary restraining order seeking immediate release. The court ordered the respondent to file an answer by April 17, 2026, and established procedures for the case.

Haiyang Wang, a petitioner detained at Desert View Annex Detention Facility following a routine immigration check, filed for immediate release from custody through a habeas corpus petition. She argued her ongoing detention constitutes constitutional deprivation and feared potential transfer to another facility would impair her access to counsel. The court denied her emergency application for temporary restraining order but ordered the government to show cause why habeas relief should not be granted under an expedited briefing schedule.

Mouhamed Nasim Asmi Toloza is being detained by ICE at the Dodge County Detention Facility in Juneau, Wisconsin. He filed a habeas corpus petition arguing he should be categorized under 8 U.S.C. § 1226(a) rather than § 1225(b)(2), which would require an individualized assessment before continued detention. The court denied his motion for a temporary restraining order to prevent transfer to another detention facility.

Azael Torres Berruecos, a native of Mexico, filed a habeas corpus petition challenging his immigration detention that has lasted nearly two years. The court found his petition unclear about whether he is detained under pre-removal or post-removal statutes. The court denied his motions for emergency relief and appointed counsel but ordered the government to respond and clarify the legal basis for his continued detention.

Jose Ivar Pineda Campos, an asylum seeker from Nicaragua, was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) without a prior hearing before a neutral decisionmaker. The court granted a temporary restraining order for his release and issued a preliminary injunction barring further detention without a pre-detention hearing. The court also prohibited transferring Pineda Campos out of the district without prior approval.

Aurelio Ixcox Chum, a Guatemalan national, was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and held at Mesa Verde Detention Center. Government alleged he ran upon seeing officers and resisted arrest, and had no pending applications for relief with immigration authorities. The Eastern District of California granted his motion for preliminary injunction and ordered respondents to provide him with a bond hearing before a neutral arbiter within seven days.

Ren Xun Lin, detained at Imperial Regional Detention Facility, filed a habeas corpus petition challenging his prolonged immigration detention without a bond hearing as a due process violation. The government conceded and the court ordered a bond hearing within seven days where the government must prove by clear and convincing evidence that Lin poses a danger or flight risk. The court declined to order immediate release.

Mikayel Mikoyan, an immigration detainee held at the Adelanto Detention Facility by ICE, filed a habeas corpus petition claiming his detention violated his Fifth Amendment due process rights. The government did not oppose his motion for temporary restraining order. The court granted the motion and ordered his immediate release from immigration detention.

U.S. Rep. André Carson visited Miami Correctional Facility, which houses immigration detainees, and reported that detainees described systemic issues including lack of functioning intercom systems, delayed medical care, and inconsistent access to basic necessities. Carson stated that detainees believed at least one recent death may have been preventable had emergency reporting systems been in place, and called for a full investigation into two deaths that occurred at the facility in less than two months.

Three Democratic House members conducted an unannounced inspection of an ICE detention facility in Mesa, Arizona and found approximately 250 people detained in conditions designed for 157. Detainees were held in severely overcrowded rooms without adequate beds, blankets, showers, or medical attention, with some rooms holding over 40 people when designed for 21. Representatives reported detainees were sick with fevers and facility staff appeared unresponsive to requests for medical care.

ICE announced it had arrested multiple undocumented migrants with prior criminal convictions, coinciding with the one-year anniversary of the agency's reopened VOICE Office program supporting victims of crimes committed by undocumented migrants. The agency provided examples of five individuals arrested, including people convicted of assault, robbery, and injury to a child, but did not specify total arrest numbers or clarify whether individuals were newly arrested or transferred from local custody. According to an analysis by UC Berkeley's Deportation Data Project using ICE data, arrests of immigrants without criminal convictions increased 770% during Trump's second term, while street arrests surged over 1,000%. ICE arrests more than quadrupled overall, with the increased street arrests occurring in neighborhoods, immigration courts, and ICE field offices. The analysis found that detention has led more people to abandon their cases, resulting in higher deportation rates.

ICE detention data shows a significant decline of nearly 10,000 people over two months to 60,311 as of April 4, 2026. The decline is driven primarily by fewer undocumented immigrants without criminal histories being arrested and detained, while the number of detained immigrants with criminal convictions remains relatively stable. Daily ICE arrests have also declined since peaking in January.

A tattoo artist organized a fundraiser flash day on April 10th at a tattoo shop in Fort Lauderdale to raise money for attorney fees and living expenses after her 65-year-old father was detained by ICE. The father is the primary provider for the family, including her mother who requires full-time care and two disabled sisters.

Nairoby Cabrera posted on Instagram requesting financial assistance for her son, Daniel Zamora, who is currently detained by ICE. The family is seeking funds to cover legal fees and immigration bond costs to provide him with adequate legal representation.

Brian Morales, a 25-year-old U.S. citizen born in Denver, Colorado, was deported to Mexico on April 9, 2026, following a traffic stop while riding in a vehicle on his way to work in Texas. Morales possessed his birth certificate and Social Security card but had not yet obtained a state ID. He alleges that immigration agents threatened him with imprisonment if he did not sign removal papers. His family has questioned the legality of the deportation process.

Miguel Rosas Ruiz, a Mexican-born business owner and father of four from Ypsilanti, was detained by ICE on March 10, 2026, while driving to work on Carpenter Road. He is being held at the North Lake Detention Center in Baldwin. His daughter, Morelia Rosas Martinez, spoke publicly about the emotional impact of his detention on their family and others affected by immigration enforcement. The Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor City Councils passed resolutions advocating for his release and a bond hearing.

Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran national with withholding of removal status and U.S. citizen family members, was deported to El Salvador on March 15, 2025, despite a 2019 federal court ruling prohibiting his removal. The Trump administration characterized the deportation as an administrative error, though it was based on unsubstantiated MS-13 gang membership allegations contradicted by his immigration judge's 2019 credibility finding. After Garcia's wife filed suit, a federal judge ordered his return, and the Supreme Court unanimously ruled on April 10, 2025, that the government must facilitate his return. He was returned to the U.S. on June 6 but subsequently faced criminal charges for human smuggling in Tennessee and multiple deportation attempts to African countries, blocked by federal court injunctions. As of February 2026, a Maryland federal judge ruled ICE could not re-detain him.

Ohio prisons, including Butler County, are housing immigration detainees for ICE and receiving millions in federal payments. Six correctional facilities across Ohio currently hold immigration detainees, generating over $13 million in federal payments last year, with Butler County receiving more than $6 million. ICE pays facilities daily rates per detainee ranging from $68 to $125 per person, with Butler County now receiving $105 per detainee under an updated agreement.

Octavio Andrade-Aguilera, a Mexican national, was transferred to ICE custody at the Etowah County Detention Center in Alabama on April 5, 2026, after a federal judge in Chattanooga had ordered his release to avoid harming his wife and disabled American citizen daughter. Andrade-Aguilera is the sole financial support for his family and faces federal charges for reentering the country without authorization.