Human Impact Project

Andrea Pedro-Francisco, a 23-year-old Guatemalan asylum seeker and house cleaner, was detained by ICE on February 5, 2026, during an enforcement operation in the Minneapolis area while driving her mother and siblings to work. She had been scheduled for surgery to remove a golf-ball-sized ovarian cyst five days before her arrest. After being transferred to Camp East Montana, a tent detention facility near El Paso, Texas, Pedro-Francisco was repeatedly denied approval for the urgent surgery despite nine independent physicians concluding the operation was necessary to prevent serious complications including infertility and potential death. ICE provided only over-the-counter pain relief instead of approving the medical treatment. Her attorneys filed court motions seeking supervised bail to allow her return to Minnesota for treatment, with U.S. Rep. Angie Craig calling for her release on April 13, 2026.

A 23-year-old Honduran man granted legal status and work authorization under a federal court settlement for families separated by the Trump administration's zero tolerance policy was arrested by ICE in October 2025 after Louisiana wildlife officers reported him for target shooting in a protected area. Despite possessing valid immigration documents and parole status, he was detained for over five months and issued a deportation order on January 6, 2026. At least 25 other people with similar legal protections have been detained or deported by ICE in recent months. The government has also imposed new $1,000-per-person fees and canceled contracts with legal service providers, violating the terms of the federal settlement agreement. The ACLU filed a motion for his release on April 1, 2026.

Jose Luis was detained by ICE in January 2026 while riding his bike in California. He has lived in the United States for nearly 20 years and is the father of two children, ages 13 and 8. He was held at the Adelanto detention facility. His family organized a fundraiser (Kermes) in Garden Grove, California in April 2026 to raise funds for his legal expenses and release. Activists visited him in detention during this period.

Andriy Shepitsen, a 46-year-old Ukrainian man, has been detained in ICE custody since December 2025 at Krome North Service Processing Center in Miami. Despite being prescribed medications for bipolar disorder, major depression, and ADHD, detention staff denied him these drugs for over four months. In February 2026, Shepitsen began a hunger strike to protest detention conditions, which lasted 60 days and resulted in a 46-pound weight loss, causing him to develop life-threatening hypotensive shock and requiring hospitalization. He reported suicidal thoughts multiple times during his detention. Advocacy groups including Amnesty International USA and the ACLU of Florida demanded emergency medical intervention and his release.

The Trump administration revoked the lawful permanent resident status of several Iranian nationals and detained them via ICE enforcement actions in Los Angeles starting in early April 2026. Detainees included Seyed Eissa Hashemi, his wife Maryam Tahmasebi, their son Seyed Mobin Hashemi, Hamideh Soleimani Afshar, her daughter Sarinasadat Hosseiny, and Dr. Fatemeh Ardeshir-Larijani, a researcher removed from her position at Emory University. The Hashemi family were relatives of Masoumeh Ebtekar, who served as spokeswoman during the 1979 U.S. Embassy takeover in Tehran. Soleimani Afshar and her daughter were claimed to be relatives of slain Iranian General Qasem Soleimani, though both women and Soleimani's family denied any familial connection. Soleimani Afshar, who suffers from a severe blood disorder, was denied medical treatment while detained. 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.

Tania Warner, a 47-year-old Canadian citizen with a valid U.S. work visa through 2030, and her seven-year-old autistic daughter Ayla Lucas were detained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection on March 14, 2026, at a Border Patrol checkpoint on Highway 77 near Sarita, Texas while returning from a baby shower. Despite presenting valid documentation including her work visa and Social Security number, both were taken into custody and transferred through multiple detention facilities including Rio Grande Valley Central processing center and Dilley Immigration Processing Center. During their approximately three-week detention, the family experienced inadequate healthcare, food shortages, health issues from harsh cleaning detergents, and insufficient education for the child. They were released on April 2-3, 2026, after posting a $9,500 bond. Warner was fitted with an ankle monitor and now faces immigration hearings and ongoing ICE check-ins; she plans to file a lawsuit alleging unlawful detention and harm to her daughter.

A federal judge in California ordered the Department of Homeland Security to stop using coercive language to pressure unaccompanied immigrant children to self-deport. DHS had been telling recently detained minors they would face prolonged detention if they did not leave the U.S. and threatened to prosecute their sponsors. The ruling upholds a 40-year-old court mandate protecting the due process rights of unaccompanied immigrant children.

Alejandro Cabrera Clemente, a 49-year-old from Mexico, died in ICE custody at Winn Correctional Center 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. Cabrera was found unresponsive in his cell, and emergency medical services transported him to Winn Parish Medical Center, where he was pronounced deceased at approximately 8:51 a.m.

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.

Jose David Luis Paraiso, who has resided in the United States since he was 14 years old, was detained by immigration authorities on April 10, 2026 and held at the Adelanto Detention Facility. ICE charged him with being inadmissible as someone who entered without inspection, despite having an approved Form I-360 for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status with a current priority date. The court granted his habeas corpus petition and ordered he be given an individualized bond hearing within seven days.

Four men from Cuba, Yemen, Laos, and Vietnam were deported by the U.S. to Eswatini in July 2025 under the Trump administration's third-country deportation program, despite having no connection to the country. As part of a $5.1 million agreement between the U.S. and Eswatini to accept deported migrants who cannot easily be returned to their home countries, the men were held at a maximum-security prison and denied in-person legal counsel for nine months. After the Eswatini government appealed a lower court's decision granting them access to a lawyer, the Eswatini Supreme Court ruled in April 2026 that the men have the right to meet with legal counsel, rejecting government claims that they showed no interest in representation. The men had completed their U.S. prison sentences but remained 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.

A family of four from the Durham, North Carolina area—Genesis (11), Denis (6), and their parents—was detained by ICE agents during a scheduled immigration appointment in Charlotte on April 10, 2026, and deported to Honduras within 48 hours. The family had been seeking asylum since 2022 after arriving from Honduras and had complied with immigration requirements for four years with no criminal record. ICE cited a final removal order based on a missed immigration hearing and unauthorized entry. Advocates including Siembra NC and relatives disputed the circumstances, arguing the family was following the asylum process and did not receive adequate due process or time to seek legal representation. The rapid deportation prompted responses from Durham Public Schools, local lawmakers, and community protests.

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.

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.

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. Abad Jimenez Romano was detained by ICE on April 8 around 6 AM while traveling to a new job in Corona, California. According to the post, he has no criminal record and has been in the country for over 20 years. His family has launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise support.

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.

Mauro Yosueth Henriquez, 18, a senior at Sam Houston Math, Science and Technology Center in Houston and varsity soccer team co-captain, was detained by ICE on December 16, 2025, during a routine immigration check-in with his father. He was held at multiple ICE facilities including Montgomery Processing Center in Conroe and Livingston before being transferred to federal detention. After nearly four months in custody, Henriquez was deported to Honduras in February 2026. His detention prompted Houston students to organize protests calling for his release so he could graduate with his class. Elected officials and Houston-area Democrats responded to the case, while Texas Republican leaders declined to comment.

Nelson Gustavo Medina Ardila, a Colombian national who entered the U.S. in 2022 with his girlfriend and child, was detained by ICE at his asylum interview in Tustin on April 9, 2026. He had been living in Compton and appearing for immigration court hearings until they were terminated, then applied for asylum directly with USCIS. The court ordered his immediate release, finding his detention without notice or a hearing violated due process.

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. Reny Jesus Riera Paez, a Venezuelan citizen who entered the U.S. through CBP One and received humanitarian parole in November 2024, was arrested by ICE in December 2025 after DHS terminated his parole via email in April 2025. He had been living in Denver, working lawfully, and complying with parole conditions. The court granted a temporary restraining order preventing his removal, finding he is likely a member of a class whose parole terminations were ruled unlawful in a Massachusetts federal court case.

Hilda Sucely R.M.D.E., mother of two U.S. citizen children who lived in the U.S. for nearly 25 years, was arrested by immigration authorities on April 9, 2026, when she appeared for a fingerprinting appointment in connection with seeking relief under the Violence Against Women Act. She had been released on bond after entering without inspection in 2003 and had an in absentia removal order from September 2003 that she never received notice of. The court ordered her immediate release from immigration detention, finding violations of federal regulations requiring pre-deprivation process.

Diego Cabrera Gonzalez, a 9-year-old with cerebral palsy, and his family from Ecuador face possible deportation after an immigration hearing scheduled for later in April. The family came to the U.S. in 2023 seeking medical care for Diego, who has undergone four surgeries and has improved significantly since arriving. Their legal case was jeopardized when they hired someone who failed to properly file asylum paperwork, but they have since secured new legal representation and are fundraising to cover legal fees.

Washington state won a federal court ruling in November 2025 allowing health inspections at the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma, operated by private contractor GEO Group. However, state inspectors have been denied entry nine times since 2023, including after the court ruling. Advocacy groups report over 3,500 detainee complaints including concerns about religious accommodations during Ramadan, food quality, and medical care.

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.

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 José Morales García, a 25-year-old U.S. citizen born in Denver, Colorado, was stopped by Border Patrol agents near Fredericksburg, Texas on April 7, 2026. During the traffic stop, Morales repeatedly asserted his U.S. citizenship and offered to provide his birth certificate, Social Security card, and other documentation to verify his status, but agents refused to verify his claims and accused him of fraud. Morales stated he signed voluntary removal papers out of fear of imprisonment and separation from his daughter. He was deported to Mexico on April 9, 2026. The Department of Homeland Security disputed his account, claiming agents had identified him as a Mexican national through records and that he admitted to entering the U.S. illegally. His family has questioned the legality of the deportation process.

Ying-Hsi Chou, a Taiwanese citizen living in South Australia, faces deportation within 28 days due to a visa application error from 2012 in which she failed to declare a previous visit to Australia. She is married to an Australian citizen and has three Australian-born children. If deported, she would be separated from her family and must wait at least three years before reapplying for an Australian visa.

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.

A 35-year-old mother of two was detained by ICE agents in an unmarked van outside a New Jersey courthouse after testifying as a witness in a sexual assault case. She was subsequently forced to self-deport from the United States.

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.

A pregnant Venezuelan woman was arrested by ICE while traveling to a medical center in Seattle. Her 10-month-old baby was also taken into ICE custody during the operation. According to local police, the arrest was executed by the Department of Homeland Security based on a criminal court order allegedly related to human trafficking allegations, not immigration violations.

Tucker Collins, an 18-year-old USC freshman, lost his right eye after a Department of Homeland Security officer fired a less-lethal projectile at him during a "No Kings" rally near the Metropolitan Detention Center in downtown Los Angeles. Collins was attending the protest to take photos when he was struck directly in the eye, destroying his eyeball and fracturing bones in his eye socket. He is preparing to file a federal civil rights lawsuit against DHS, alleging the officer violated a federal injunction.

ICE agents arrested a U.S. citizen in Chicago after alleging she made a threat. The woman and onlookers disputed the allegation. Agents forced her to the ground and zip-tied her hands. The arrest followed a failed ICE attempt to access a nearby laundromat, where protesters had gathered.

ICE detained a mother of a newly enlisted U.S. military member without warning or explanation. The woman had lived in the United States for over 35 years, paid taxes since 1992, and worked in the courts.

ICE agents arrested a nursing student in his 20s from Southern Connecticut State University on Main Street in Middletown on Tuesday, April 1st, after following him from the courthouse and blocking in his vehicle at the intersection of Main and Court streets. Middletown Mayor Gene Nocera said local police were not notified of the operation and the man was not a city resident. In response, protesters gathered on Saturday, April 4th at Washington and Main streets to oppose the arrest and ICE enforcement activity in the area, with an additional rally scheduled for Monday outside the university library demanding the student's release. The Trump administration launched "Operation Catch of the Day," an ICE enforcement operation in Maine targeting individuals the administration characterizes as "criminal illegal aliens." ICE agents identified nearly 1,400 individuals for potential detention in Portland, prompting criticism from local officials and Democratic state leaders who questioned the tactics and raised concerns about impacts on Maine's Somali American community.

Stephanie Kenny-Velasquez, a 25-year-old Venezuelan national and wife of a U.S. Army Reserve Black Hawk pilot, was detained by ICE in Houston on December 5, 2025, during a routine check-in despite having been released in 2021 pending her asylum claim and consistently complying with all required appointments and hearings. She was held at the Houston Contract Detention Facility for approximately four months. A federal judge found due-process violations and ordered her release within 48 hours, permitting her to continue her immigration case outside of detention. Kenny-Velasquez reported poor conditions including overcrowding (60 women), lack of privacy, inadequate food, anxiety attacks, and limited access to medical care.

Qu Feng, a Chinese national, was held in prolonged immigration detention without a bond hearing, which he challenged as a violation of due process. The government conceded that Feng should receive a bond hearing where they would bear the burden of proving he poses a danger or flight risk. The court granted the habeas petition and ordered a bond hearing within seven days.