Human Impact Project

Subramanyam "Subu" Vedam, 64, spent over 40 years in prison after a 1983 first-degree murder conviction that was vacated in August 2025 when prosecutors were found to have withheld ballistics evidence. Upon his conviction being overturned, ICE detained him based on a longstanding deportation order tied to a prior drug-related conviction. On April 1, 2026, an immigration judge ruled that Vedam could remain in the United States, citing his personal transformation and strong family ties. DHS has until May 4 to appeal the decision, and Vedam must still file a bond request for release from custody.

Hemerson David Sanchez Lemus, a Honduran citizen who entered the U.S. as a minor in 2016 and lived freely for nearly 10 years, was re-detained by ICE on April 1, 2026 while fishing. The government detained him under a new interpretation of immigration law without finding he was a flight risk or danger to the community. The federal court ordered his immediate release, ruling his detention unlawful.

A 53-year-old professional mariner identified as F was deported from San Diego port after CBP agents accused him of accessing a website containing child sexual exploitation material during 2017-2018. F denied the allegations and was never charged with any crime. His visa was revoked within 24 hours and he was deported to the Philippines.

Davit Igityan, an Armenian citizen with a pending asylum application, was detained by ICE officers on April 1, 2026, when he appeared at a courthouse in Burbank, California for a criminal hearing. He had been in the U.S. since July 2021 and had complied with all immigration proceedings while operating a lawful business and maintaining community ties. The court granted a temporary restraining order requiring ICE to provide him with an individualized bond hearing within 3 days or release him within 4 days.

In December 2025, Axel Sanchez Toledo called 911 in Palm Beach County, Florida requesting a welfare check on his daughter. A sheriff's deputy who was part of the county's 287(g) Task Force with ICE accused Toledo of being undocumented, detained him, and used physical force when he attempted to flee. Toledo, who had a pending asylum case, was arrested and held in jail for four months on resisting arrest charges before being transferred to ICE custody facing deportation.

ICE agent Gregory Donnell Morgan Jr. was charged by Hennepin County prosecutors with felony first- and second-degree assault after allegedly pointing a gun at people in another vehicle on Highway 62 in Minneapolis in February 2026 during Operation Metro Surge. Morgan turned himself in, posted bond, and made his first court appearance on May 24, 2026. His attorney argued Morgan feared for his safety when the other vehicle swerved near him.

Jose A.M.L., who entered the U.S. in May 2021 and was granted humanitarian parole, was arrested and detained by ICE during a routine check-in in April 2026 despite complying with all immigration conditions. The petitioner challenged his detention arguing it violated due process rights without a pre-deprivation hearing. The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California granted his habeas corpus petition and ordered his immediate release with permanent injunction against re-detention without constitutional protections.

Marie-Thérèse Ross, an 85-year-old French citizen and widow of a U.S. military veteran, was arrested on April 1, 2026, in Anniston, Alabama by ICE officers for allegedly overstaying her 90-day visa. She was handcuffed at her home and transferred to an immigration detention facility in Basile, Louisiana, where she was held for 16 days in dormitory conditions with 58 other women. An Alabama judge noted that her stepson, a former state trooper and federal employee, may have used his position to prompt her detention following a dispute over her late husband's estate. Following intervention by the French foreign minister, she was released and returned to France, where she reported experiencing post-traumatic stress symptoms and described detention conditions including strict rules and condescending treatment from guards.

K, a 23-year-old man, fled Belarus after being stalked and threatened for participating in political rallies opposing the government. After the CBP One system was shut down and being extorted in Mexico, he crossed onto U.S. soil and walked toward a port of entry in South Texas, where Border Patrol arrested him and ignored his asylum request. His phone containing persecution evidence was confiscated and never returned. He was shackled and secretly flown to Costa Rica without being told the destination.

Marcus, a 52-year-old former archivist from Cameroon, and his 14-year-old daughter Élodie were detained during an ICE enforcement action at their apartment in Minneapolis on April 1, 2026. ICE cited a typographical error in Marcus's A-number in his temporary work authorization as justification for the detention. During the enforcement action, ICE mistakenly seized Élodie's architectural drawings, classifying them as "surveillance imagery." Both remain in detention and have been unable to contact a journalist documenting crimes related to art trafficking, which is central to their asylum case. A GoFundMe campaign was initiated to support their case.

Genaro Gonzalez-Uribe, a 72-year-old undocumented man, was detained by ICE on March 30, 2026, while driving to work in Lodi, California. He was pulled over by unmarked vehicles and transferred to a detention facility in Kern County. His family reports he has no criminal history, prior deportations, or removal orders. They also expressed concerns about his health and access to medication while in custody and are seeking legal assistance as he faces removal proceedings.

Ali and Adel, an Iranian gay couple in their late 30s and early 40s, fled Iran in 2021 after being arrested by Iran's morality police for their relationship. They entered the United States at the El Paso, Texas border in early 2025 seeking asylum, but their claims were denied. The men are now separated in ICE detention facilities—Ali in Arizona and Adel near El Paso—facing deportation under a Trump administration policy reversing decades of allowing Iranians fleeing persecution to remain in the country. Adel has suffered severe organ damage and medical deterioration in detention, including significant weight loss and fainting episodes. Court orders have so far prevented their deportation, though both men have been moved to deportation staging facilities multiple times, and the Trump administration has not clarified whether deportation flights to Iran will resume.

Nurul Amin Shah Alam, a 56-year-old nearly blind Rohingya refugee from Myanmar, was released from Erie County jail on February 19, 2026, after U.S. Border Patrol agents determined he was ineligible for deportation. Border Patrol agents dropped him at a Tim Hortons coffee shop north of Buffalo without notifying his family or attorney. Surveillance footage contradicted DHS claims that the location was safe and open; the store was closed except for the drive-thru. Alam, who spoke little English and required a cane to walk, went missing for several days. His body was found on February 24 near KeyBank Center, approximately four miles from the coffee shop. Local officials later ruled his death a homicide, caused by complications of a perforated duodenal ulcer precipitated by hypothermia and dehydration.