HUMSI — Human Security Initiative

Human Impact Project

A living database documenting reported immigration enforcement incidents and their human impact.

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3787 incidents with known locations
⚐ Highlighted incident #11004 (not on this page in normal date order)Clear

Venezuelan man wrongly detained by ICE targeting different suspect in Lakewood

Jul 17, 2026Lakewood, WAVenezuela

ICE agents in Lakewood, Washington detained 23-year-old Venezuelan citizen Moises Velasquez while searching for a Mexican national with a final deportation order who drove the same make and model car. Velasquez, who entered the U.S. legally through a CBP appointment in 2023, was paroled, obtained employment authorization, and was awaiting a December 2026 asylum hearing when agents broke his car window and arrested him outside the barber shop where he works. A federal magistrate judge called the arrest 'egregious,' finding officers failed to verify his identity or license plate before detaining him, and granted his habeas corpus petition; he was released from the Tacoma ICE detention facility. His attorney said Velasquez has no criminal convictions and had built a life in the community with his pregnant partner.

Twenty deportees sent to Liberia under new third-country removal deal

Aug 20, 2026

Twenty deportees from the United States arrived in Liberia as part of a new agreement that could see up to 1,200 people sent there under the Trump administration's immigration crackdown. Liberia's justice minister said most deportees had committed migration-related violations and could seek asylum in Liberia. The U.S. agreed to extend visitor visas for Liberians and pledged $124 million in assistance as part of the deal, one of the largest third-country deportation arrangements pursued by the administration.

Iraqi man with dementia arrested by ICE despite court ruling barring deportation to Iraq

Aug 20, 2026Iraq

An Iraqi man showing early signs of dementia was arrested by ICE agents in his front yard after living in the United States for more than 30 years. A judge had previously ruled he would likely face persecution or torture if deported to Iraq, granting him legal protection from removal to his home country. Despite that ruling, he was taken into custody and held in Arizona ICE detention facilities. He was among a group of immigrants who remained detained even after winning protection from deportation to their home countries, according to an analysis of habeas corpus petitions.

Colombian mother separated from children at ICE check-in despite torture protection ruling

Aug 20, 2026Baltimore, MDColombia

A Colombian mother was separated from her two young children during a routine ICE check-in in Baltimore, despite a judge having ruled she would likely face torture or persecution if deported to Colombia. She was transferred to the Eloy Detention Center in Arizona. An Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting analysis identified her as one of a group of immigrants ICE continued to detain in Arizona even after judges had barred their deportation to their home countries due to humanitarian protections.

Transgender asylum seeker sexually assaulted in Michigan detention, later deported

Aug 20, 2026MIVenezuela

Wilmar Quintero, a 50-year-old transgender woman from Venezuela, fled her home country after she said police officers tortured her, carved out her breast implants and left her for dead for speaking out against civil rights abuses. She sought asylum in the United States and was detained for about three months in Michigan, where she said she was sexually assaulted by another migrant and mistreated by staff. Immigration officials deported her to Venezuela in April 2025, where she went into hiding, saying she remains afraid of police there.

Transgender asylum seeker held in men's Louisiana facility, denied hormone therapy

Aug 20, 2026New York, NYVenezuela

Camila Toro de Paula, a 25-year-old transgender woman from Venezuela, has been held for nearly a year at a men's ICE detention facility in Jena, Louisiana, after being arrested during a routine immigration check-in at ICE's New York City office in August 2025. She fled Venezuela after suffering childhood abuse, including repeated rape by relatives and a homophobic stabbing attack by police, and sought asylum in the U.S. two years ago. Toro de Paula says she has been assaulted, threatened, placed in solitary confinement, denied water, and deprived of the hormone therapy she had received for years, after a policy protecting transgender detainees was eliminated in February 2025. She told The New York Times, "I'm afraid of dying here," and says she has resisted pressure to voluntarily return to Venezuela. Immigration officials cited felony assault and weapons charges as justification for her detention, though both charges were later dismissed and sealed.

Boat captain in fatal NY Harbor capsize detained by ICE

Aug 20, 2026New York, NYEl Salvador

Manuel Ernesto Hernandez-Umana, 46, an El Salvador national, was detained by ICE after a Coast Guard investigation confirmed his unlawful presence in the United States. He had been arrested on August 9 and charged following the capsizing of a boat near the Statue of Liberty that killed 27-year-old Sara Sanchez and her 5-month-old daughter, Antonella Garcia, both of Queens. Hernandez faces federal counts of misconduct and neglect of a ship officer resulting in death, as well as state reckless endangerment charges, and told authorities he entered the U.S. through Texas in 2007 after falsely claiming to be a citizen. He remains in ICE custody awaiting trial and will face removal proceedings after his criminal case concludes.

Cuban Grammy-winning percussionist detained by ICE at Miami airport

Aug 19, 2026Miami, FLCuba

Cuban percussionist Degnis Nelson Bofill Miranda, a Latin Grammy winner and founder of the group Golpes Libres, was detained by ICE agents at Miami International Airport while returning from a music conference in New York. Bofill entered the U.S. in 2023 on a visa and has a pending asylum case that had not yet reached its initial interview stage. His wife, Mara Delgado, said he was not yet listed in ICE's detainee locator, complicating efforts to secure legal representation, and she launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for his legal defense. Friends and fellow musicians, including Yadasny José Portillo Herrera and composer Jesús Pupo, publicly voiced support for Bofill, describing him as an integrated member of Miami's music community.

Georgia national with pending asylum case detained by ICE after truck collision in Nebraska

Aug 19, 2026North Platte, NEGeorgia

A native and citizen of Georgia entered the United States after inspection under a B-1/B-2 nonimmigrant visa. He sought asylum in 2019 and later pursued employment-based permanent residence. Before his detention he worked as a commercial truck driver. In August 2026, he was involved in a serious tractor-trailer collision on Interstate 80 in North Platte, Nebraska, that resulted in the death of another driver. Law enforcement reviewed camera footage and initially told him they did not intend to charge him and planned to release him, but after learning he was not a U.S. citizen, they contacted ICE, which requested he be held for transfer to immigration custody. He was booked into the Lincoln County Detention Center the day after the collision, and he alleges no immigration warrant was presented before his detention. ICE has initiated removal proceedings against him, though he does not possess the Notice to Appear. He is challenging the lawfulness of his warrantless arrest and detention through a habeas petition, seeking immediate release or, alternatively, a bond hearing under 8 U.S.C. § 1226(a). The court ordered Respondents to show cause within three business days and barred his removal from the United States or Nebraska pending further proceedings.

Uzbek asylum seeker detained at ICE check-in after two years in US wins habeas release

Aug 19, 2026Philadelphia, PAUzbekistan

An Uzbek asylum seeker, a citizen of Uzbekistan, entered the United States without inspection in November 2023 and was apprehended shortly after by Customs and Border Patrol, issued a Notice to Appear, and released into the country pending removal proceedings. He resided in the US for over two years and filed an asylum application in April 2024. On August 19, 2026, he was arrested at a scheduled ICE check-in and transferred to the Federal Detention Center in Philadelphia. He filed a habeas corpus petition the same day, arguing his mandatory detention without a bond hearing under 8 U.S.C. § 1225(b)(2) was unlawful. The Government argued he remained an 'applicant for admission' subject to mandatory detention. The court held that § 1225 applies only to newly arriving noncitizens, not those like him who have resided in the country for years, and that his detention was instead governed by § 1226(a). The court granted his habeas petition and ordered his immediate release.

Peruvian father detained at routine ICE check-in despite no flight risk, challenges re-detention

Aug 19, 2026Oakland, CAPeru

A 40-year-old citizen of Peru has lived in the U.S. since December 2022, residing in Oakland, California. He is married with three children ages 4, 16, and 17, whom he supports financially by sending money to Peru, and he has work authorization and is employed in construction. He is in removal proceedings and filed an asylum application in November 2023, complying with all required ICE check-ins and immigration court hearings; his only criminal history is a single 2025 wet reckless conviction with a suspended sentence. On August 19, 2026, uniformed DHS agents arrested him immediately upon arrival for his regularly scheduled check-in at the San Francisco ICE office, without identifying themselves, explaining the reason for arrest, or serving a warrant beforehand. Petitioner filed a habeas petition and TRO application arguing he is a class member under the Garro Pinchi injunction and that his re-detention violated that order and due process because DHS made no individualized finding of changed circumstances regarding flight risk or danger. The court found serious questions on the merits and ordered his immediate release, enjoined future detention without a pre-deprivation bond hearing, and required return of his confiscated property.

Haitian driver detained on Sherman Avenue as neighbor is threatened by ICE agent

Aug 19, 2026Springfield, OHHaiti

A man believed to be Haitian, who neighbor Sara Vanhoose said regularly drove through her neighborhood obeying traffic laws, was pulled over and arrested outside her Sherman Avenue home by officers in three unmarked vehicles wearing ICE vests. When Vanhoose, a U.S. citizen, questioned the officers and told them the man was 'not doing anything wrong,' an ICE agent told her she would become their next target if she did not stop asking questions. Vanhoose said the man's vehicle was later towed and she was left upset that a neighbor she described as never having caused problems was taken away.

Grandmother detained by ICE while heading to infant's medical appointment in Santa Fe

Aug 19, 2026Santa Fe, NM

Adriana Ruiz, 43, was detained by ICE agents in Santa Fe while getting into a car with her daughter-in-law, Yajaira Gutierrez, on the way to a medical appointment for Gutierrez's 2-month-old baby, who was on an oxygen machine. Gutierrez said agents refused to show paperwork and gave false information about the vehicle they were seeking before Ruiz agreed to be arrested to protect her family. Gutierrez said Ruiz has health problems and that relatives have not been told where she was taken or whether she is receiving medical care.

ICE detains boat captain from El Salvador after fatal NY harbor capsizing

Aug 19, 2026New York, NYEl Salvador

ICE detained Manuel Ernesto Hernandez-Umana, the operator of a boat that capsized near the Statue of Liberty on August 8, killing a woman and her infant daughter. Hernandez-Umana, 46, faces state charges of misconduct and neglect resulting in death, and federal authorities say he is undocumented and previously lied about his citizenship status to border patrol in 2007. DHS said it plans to deport him once his criminal case concludes.

Man detained after Oklahoma trooper stop under immigration deputization program

Aug 19, 2026

Daniel Roque Olivares was driving to work on U.S. Highway 81 in Oklahoma when a state trooper pulled him over and detained him for violating federal immigration laws. The stop is part of a broader crackdown enabled by deputizing Oklahoma Highway Patrol officers as immigration agents, a program pushed by Lance Schroyer, Trump's nominee to lead ICE. Oklahoma's enforcement has been described as harsher on undocumented immigrants than almost any other state.

Two restaurant workers detained by ICE while walking to work in Montclair

Aug 19, 2026Montclair, NJMexico

Macedonia Merino Maldonado, 19, and Jero Jimenez Garcia, 29, both kitchen staff at Raymond's restaurant in Montclair, were detained by ICE agents on Bloomfield Avenue while on their way to work. A federal detainee locator confirmed both men, originally from Mexico, are being held at the Delaney Hall Detention Facility in Newark. Co-workers said the men lived in Montclair, and a local advocate said as many as five Montclair residents may have been arrested that day, though those additional details could not be confirmed. A server at the restaurant said colleagues were devastated by the arrests, and local officials, including the deputy mayor, called the detentions "extremely concerning."

Woman held six weeks after ICE arrest at Denver airport over unclear deportation order

August 18, 2026Denver, CO

Immigration lawyer Jodi Ziesemer said one of her clients, arrested by ICE at Denver International Airport, was detained without officers being able to initially explain the reason for the arrest. Agents later told Ziesemer they believed the woman might have had a 2002 deportation order but could not locate any paperwork because it was not a digital file. The client spent six weeks in a detention center before a federal judge ordered her release; Ziesemer represents four immigrants arrested by ICE at the Denver airport in separate cases.

Woman handcuffed by plainclothes ICE agents who concealed badges at airport gate

August 18, 2026

According to an airline gate manager, two men in plain clothes identified themselves only as federal officers and asked staff to summon a passenger to the gate. When the manager asked for identification, the men revealed previously hidden badges and said they were ICE agents; after the passenger approached, they took her into custody. The manager asked to see a warrant, and the officers presented an administrative warrant rather than a judicial warrant before handcuffing the woman and driving away in an unmarked vehicle.

Airline manager warns passenger that ICE agents are waiting at her gate

August 18, 2026

An airline gate manager known by the pseudonym Laurie learned that ICE agents had returned to her airport looking for a specific passenger and called the woman directly to warn her before she reached the gate. The passenger, who was traveling with a family member and said she did not understand why ICE was looking for her despite having "all my papers," decided not to board her flight after speaking privately with Laurie. She left the airport with her family member, and no arrest was made at the gate that day.

ICE detains nail salon worker in Newburyport 'with guns drawn'

Aug 19, 2026Newburyport, MAChina

Jun Qiu, a Chinese national who runs Fantasy Nails on Low Street in Newburyport, was detained by ICE agents who entered the salon "with guns drawn," according to Mayor Sean Reardon. Eyewitnesses reported the operation left customers shaken, and the mayor called it "incredibly frightening and traumatic." DHS said Qiu is in ICE custody pending removal proceedings; he had been arrested days earlier by local police on misdemeanor harassment and threat charges and had pleaded not guilty. The city said it did not participate in or receive advance notice of the ICE operation.

Venezuelan construction worker detained by ICE during routine check-in in Cedar Rapids

August 19, 2026Cedar Rapids, IAVenezuela

Luis Adolfo Nouel Gonzalez, a Venezuelan immigrant who worked in construction helping build the QTS data center in Fairfax, Iowa, was detained by ICE after appearing for a scheduled check-in appointment at the Cedar Rapids ICE office. Gonzalez had lived in Iowa for three years with his wife and daughter, was inspected and paroled into the U.S., applied for asylum and Temporary Protected Status, and has no criminal record in Iowa. Advocacy group Escucha Mi Voz said he complied with all conditions of his parole, with member Rogelio Lagunas stating, "Luis did everything the government required of him." His attorney, Raziel Argueta, said the detention followed the Trump administration's termination of TPS for Venezuela, which was upheld by a court in June. The Department of Homeland Security said Gonzalez entered the country near San Luis, Arizona in 2022 and does not hold lawful immigration status. He is being held in Hardin County.

Colombian bridal shop owner and mother detained by ICE in New Jersey

Aug 19, 2026Teaneck, NJColombia

Ari Ladino, owner of Luana Rose Modestly, a bridal and special occasion dress shop in Teaneck, New Jersey, was detained by ICE along with his mother, who worked alongside him at the store. Ladino and his mother are originally from Bogotá, Colombia, and had run the shop since it opened in 2024, becoming known for custom gowns popular among local Orthodox Jewish women. Their landlord, Elie Y. Katz, helped retrieve dresses for clients whose weddings and events were imminent after the pair went missing, and later learned Ladino's mother had been sent to a different detention center. Ladino asked a business partner to prepare the store for a sale of the gowns to help raise money for his legal defense.

Detained women describe vaginal infections in leaked ICE facility video

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Aug 19, 2026

A leaked video shared via TikTok account @Injusticias.de.ICE shows a woman detained at an ICE facility operated by CoreCivic describing conditions inside, stating 'almost all of us here have vaginal infections.' The video was shared by NowThis Impact as testimony about health and sanitation conditions faced by detained women at a CoreCivic-run facility.

Father self-deports after ICE detains wife, teen son dies of cancer

Aug 19, 2026San Bernardino, CAMexico

Rigo Mendoza's wife was detained by ICE agents, and the following day his 15-year-old son Kevin, who had been diagnosed with cancer in November, died. Mendoza recalled his son's final words expressing worry for his father's safety rather than his own illness. Following his wife's detention and his son's death, Mendoza decided to self-deport to Mexico with his family.

Ecuadorian woman detained by ICE at Phoenix airport despite marriage to US citizen

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Aug 19, 2026Phoenix, AZEcuador

Diana Vera, a 27-year-old Ecuadorian woman, was detained by ICE at the Phoenix airport while traveling with her husband, a U.S. citizen, to celebrate his birthday. According to her mother, Mercedes Espinoza, agents approached Vera, confirmed her name, and took her into custody, telling her husband they could not intervene despite him showing their marriage certificate. Vera had entered the U.S. legally on a visa and later married her husband, and the couple were in the process of regularizing her immigration status. The family launched a fundraising campaign to help cover legal defense costs while hoping she can be released on bail.

U.S. citizens tasered, hospitalized by ICE agents while filming near Chicago

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Aug 19, 2026Bensenville, IL

Two U.S. citizens were physically assaulted by ICE agents in the Bensenville suburb of Chicago, Illinois while observing and filming an immigration enforcement action. One woman said she repeatedly told agents she was a U.S. citizen, but they yanked her to the ground while trying to grab her phone and then shot her with a taser. A second U.S. citizen was taken by ambulance to the hospital in critical condition, with a witness saying he had been hit repeatedly.

Man forced to ground by ICE agents in Brownsville shopping plaza

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Aug 19, 2026Brownsville, TX

A resident in Brownsville, Texas recorded federal Homeland Security Investigations (HSI/ICE) agents restraining a man on the ground inside a commercial plaza. In the video, a bystander can be heard questioning the agents' presence on what he calls "private property," while an officer orders him to back away under threat of arrest. Brownsville Mayor John Cowen criticized the increased aggressiveness of federal immigration operations in the area, saying it "sends the wrong message" and that "it makes no sense to go after people who follow the rules."

Construction workers detained by ICE at Texas job site

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Aug 19, 2026Weslaco, TX

A group of construction workers was detained by ICE agents at a job site in the Texas Heights residential development in Weslaco, Texas. A video recorded by a bystander shows workers telling agents they were on private property while officers restrained and detained several of their coworkers. "We couldn't do anything for our coworkers," one worker said.

Deaf Venezuelan asylum seeker deported without interpreter, stranded in Mexico

Aug 19, 2026TXVenezuela

Emilio, a Deaf Venezuelan man who had lived in Texas for nearly four years and worked at Amazon, was detained by ICE in December 2025 during what he expected to be a routine check-in for his asylum case. After nine weeks in immigration detention without access to a sign language interpreter, he was put on a bus in southern Texas and only realized he was being deported to Mexico rather than Venezuela when he saw a Mexican flag. He did not know Mexican Sign Language, which differs from Venezuelan Sign Language, and relied on financial help from other Deaf people to travel from Villahermosa to Mexico City, where he remained stuck with no connections in the country. According to data from the nonprofit Mobile Pathways verified by Mother Jones, more than 100 Deaf people who use sign language as their primary language have received deportation or removal orders since the beginning of 2026.

Man held under mandatory ICE detention wins release and bond hearing after habeas petition

Aug 18, 2026Central Falls, RI

A noncitizen held at the Donald W. Wyatt Detention Facility filed a habeas corpus petition under 28 U.S.C. § 2241 challenging his arrest and continued detention by ICE, arguing he should be released and given a bond hearing before an immigration judge under 8 U.S.C. § 1226(a). The Government conceded that he is a noncitizen unlawfully present in the United States who had been detained under § 1226(a), and agreed the court should order a bond hearing under recent First Circuit precedent. The Government's only opposition was that he had not exhausted administrative remedies by requesting bond directly from an immigration judge, an argument the court rejected as futile since the Board of Immigration Appeals has held that immigration judges lack authority to grant bond to noncitizens present without admission. The court granted the habeas petition, ordering the Government to release him immediately, though it may transfer him to ICE's Boston Field Office solely to process his release and return property. The court denied the Government's request to place him under monitoring equipment pending a bond hearing. The Government was ordered to provide him a bond hearing within ten days, at which the immigration judge must consider alternatives to detention before ruling on flight risk or dangerousness, and to file a status report on the outcome within five days of that hearing.

Detained immigrant held in Texas files habeas petition challenging detention

Aug 18, 2026Pearsall, TX

A detained immigrant filed a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus under 28 U.S.C. § 2241, challenging his immigration detention. He is currently held at the South Texas ICE Processing Center in Pearsall, Texas. The document does not specify the date or circumstances of his apprehension. The court ordered Respondents to file a response within 7 days addressing the date Petitioner entered the United States, whether he was previously apprehended and released by immigration authorities, and the status of his immigration and/or removal proceedings. The court also permitted electronic notice of filing to constitute proper service on the government respondents. Petitioner was granted 7 days to file a reply after the response is filed.

Man detained at South Texas ICE facility challenges detention via habeas corpus petition

Aug 18, 2026Pearsall, TX

A man detained at the South Texas ICE Processing Center in Pearsall, Texas filed a habeas corpus petition under 28 U.S.C. § 2241. The court ordered the respondents, including named official Miguel Vergara, to respond within 7 days, addressing the date he entered the United States, whether he was previously apprehended and released by immigration authorities, and the status of his immigration or removal proceedings. The document does not specify his nationality, family ties, employment, or the circumstances of his apprehension. He is seeking relief through this habeas petition, though the specific relief requested is not detailed in this order. The court has permitted electronic notice of filing to constitute service on the Federal Respondents. He will have the opportunity to file a reply within 7 days after the response is filed.

Man detained at McCook ICE facility in Nebraska files habeas petition for release

Aug 18, 2026McCook, NE

A man is currently held in ICE custody at the McCook Detention Center in McCook, Nebraska. He filed a habeas corpus petition seeking immediate release from custody. The court issued an order to show cause requiring respondents, including DHS and ICE officials, to justify the legality of his detention. Respondents must submit a return by August 24, 2026, with affidavits, a legal memorandum, information on whether an arrest warrant was used, and any supporting documents. The petitioner may file a reply by August 27, 2026. The court also enjoined respondents from removing the petitioner from the United States or from Nebraska, and ordered his return to Nebraska if he has already been removed.

Cambodian man detained by ICE while working at Portland, Maine market

Aug 18, 2026Portland, MECambodia

ICE agents detained a Cambodian man Tuesday morning while he was working at Veranda Asian Market in Woodfords Corner, Portland, Maine. His name has not been publicly released, but Khmer Maine, a nonprofit in contact with him, described him as "quiet, kind and a hard worker." Marpheen Chann, executive director of Khmer Maine, said the arrest has sparked fear in local Asian immigrant communities and is "hurting Maine's local economy and making our communities feel less safe." Khmer Maine says it is working with his family and immigration advocates to ensure transparency. ICE has not released statistics on its recent operations in Maine, though national ICE detention numbers reached a record high of more than 65,000 last month.

Queens woman's brother detained for months after ICE stop on way to work

August 18, 2026East Elmhurst, NYMexico

Volunteers and immigration advocates launched a 'Know Your Rights Week' campaign in Queens, going door to door to educate residents about responding to ICE encounters. The effort was inspired by volunteer Odilia Gonzalez, whose undocumented brother from Mexico was detained for months after being stopped on his way to work. Local officials said their offices have received numerous calls about ICE detentions in the community, and some also called for restoring Temporary Protected Status for Haitians after its termination.

Mother and two children ordered deported after months in Texas detention camp

Aug 18, 2026Dilley, TXGeorgia

Ana Kikabidze and her children, ages 11 and 14, were detained for months at the Dilley immigration detention facility in South Texas before an immigration judge ordered their deportation to Georgia. A federal judge found the Trump administration had repeatedly violated the Flores Settlement by detaining children far beyond legal limits, in some cases over 300 days. U.S. District Judge Dolly Gee appointed an independent monitor to oversee detention conditions for children at Dilley and other facilities.

Man detained over a year in Arizona ICE facility says he can no longer walk

Aug 18, 2026Florence, AZ

Guillermo Gallardo Barrera, who lived in Arizona for more than 20 years with no criminal record, entered ICE detention able to walk but after more than a year at the Central Arizona ICE Detention Center can no longer stand without a cane. He reports severe pain, numbness in his hands, debilitating insomnia and an undiagnosed disability, saying ICE has only given him ibuprofen for treatment. He filed a petition for a writ of habeas corpus and an emergency motion for a temporary restraining order in federal court, both of which were denied; an amended habeas petition was also denied in June 2026, allowing his detention to continue while broader legal challenges proceed. A new case against DHS Secretary Noem has since been filed on his behalf. "I'm terrified I won't make it out of here alive," he said. Advocates have launched a fundraiser to secure him an independent medical evaluation and legal support.

Ecuadorian father detained by ICE in Massachusetts neighborhood, family disputes arrest

Aug 18, 2026Lawrence, MAEcuador

Kléber (also spelled Cleber) Guachilema, a 25-year-old Ecuadorian immigrant, was arrested by ICE agents during an operation in a Lawrence, Massachusetts neighborhood, with the arrest captured on video. His family describes him as the sole financial provider for the household and the father of a young child. Relatives say the arrest resulted from mistaken identification, and that his wife has recently had health problems. They say his son has been traumatized by the detention, repeatedly asking whether his father is dead.

Political consultant faces self-deportation as TPS status nears expiration

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Aug 18, 2026

Daysi, described as one of the top political consultants in the country, is facing an approaching deadline as her Temporary Protected Status (TPS) is set to expire. She must decide whether to self-deport or remain in the U.S. and risk the career and life she has built. A family portrait accompanying her story shows her with several relatives.

Former Cuban judge detained by ICE outside Florida home, denies Communist Party ties

Aug 18, 2026Cooper City, FLCuba

Katrina Castro-Menéndez, 41, a former municipal judge from Matanzas, Cuba, was detained by ICE agents outside her home in Cooper City, Florida, after her husband left for work and while her 15-year-old daughter slept inside. She was taken to ICE offices in Miramar and then to the Broward Transition Center, where she remains held pending removal proceedings. The Department of Homeland Security alleges she committed immigration fraud by concealing Communist Party membership on her asylum and residency applications, reasoning that her past judicial role implies such affiliation, but Katrina says a lawyer who charged her $3,000 never properly interviewed her and that mandatory Cuban civic groups she belonged to are distinct from party membership. She appeared before an immigration judge in Miami on August 5 without legal representation and testified she had never joined the Communist Party. Her husband, Deyni Rojas González, whose humanitarian parole documentation has expired, cannot visit her in person or maintain video calls, and she says she has rehearsed how to tell her daughter they may be deported to Cuba.

Man detained by ICE agents after visiting Newark church food pantry

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Aug 18, 2026Newark, NJ

A man was detained by ICE agents in Newark, New Jersey, after visiting the food pantry at United Deliverance Tabernacle church. According to Iszzy Owens, who filmed the encounter, the man had signed up for food assistance and crossed the street to wait for a bus when two ICE agents surrounded him; a third agent then arrived and the man was handcuffed and taken away. Owens said the man visits the church pantry every Friday and does not bother anyone, describing him as "a good person."

Mexican migrant alleges ICE beating in Texas, denied medical care

Aug 18, 2026Arlington, TXMexico

José Mejía, a 45-year-old Mexican migrant, said he was detained by ICE agents on August 11 while on his way to work in Arlington, Texas. He said agents shocked him with a stun gun when he tried to flee and then physically assaulted him, leaving him with visible facial injuries. Mejía said he later woke up in a hospital in Washington, where he was admitted for three days due to the severity of his injuries. Days later, he said he still needed medical attention for his injuries but was denied permission to remove his ankle monitor so he could see a doctor.

Husband detained 250 days as wife awaits word on his release

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Aug 18, 2026

Frander has been held in immigration detention for 250 days while his wife Maria awaits his return home to their daughters. In July, Frander won his case, giving the Department of Homeland Security 30 days to appeal the ruling. That deadline passed without any update on his status, though his family later reported possible progress toward his release.

Pregnant Venezuelan woman detained by Border Patrol in Tucson traffic stop

Aug 18, 2026Tucson, AZVenezuela

Ambar Aguilar Gómez, a 27-year-old Venezuelan woman who is six months pregnant, was detained by Border Patrol on August 11 while riding as a passenger in her cousin's car near the Tohono O'odham reservation south of Tucson, Arizona, after agents found the vehicle lacked insurance. She remains in Border Patrol custody in Tucson, and it is unclear whether she will be transferred to an ICE detention facility. Her husband, Mevin Josué Guerra, said the couple, parents of two children with a third on the way, entered the U.S. from Venezuela in 2019 and applied for asylum. Guerra is recovering from a June car accident that left him in a 10-day coma with a tracheotomy and brain injuries, and told N+ Univisión, "She is my lifeline. We have no other family here." An immigration lawyer said her pregnancy and her husband's medical condition could be considered as evidence in the case, though the decision rests with a judge.

DOJ moves to revive smuggling charges against wrongly deported Salvadoran man

Aug 18, 2026Sacramento, CAMexico

Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran national living in Maryland with his U.S. citizen family, was unlawfully deported to El Salvador's CECOT prison in March 2025 despite a 2019 court order protecting him from removal due to gang violence risks. The Supreme Court unanimously ordered his return, and he was brought back to the U.S. in June 2025, after which federal prosecutors indicted him on human smuggling charges in Tennessee. Costa Rica offered him refugee status in August 2025, but the administration instead pursued deporting him to African nations, including Liberia, which have resisted. A judge ordered his release from ICE custody in December 2025 after finding government lawyers misled the court, and later blocked his re-detention and deportation to Liberia. A federal judge dismissed the smuggling charges in May 2026 as vindictive retaliation for his legal challenge, but in August 2026 the Justice Department asked the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals to reinstate the charges, a move his attorneys are contesting.

Worker taken from Weslaco construction site by ICE agents without warrant

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Aug 17, 2026Weslaco, TX

A construction worker was detained by ICE agents while on the job at a construction site near Esperanza Homes in the Texas Heights area of Weslaco, Texas. A coworker told the agents he was from the area, but agents ignored him, entered the property without a warrant, and took the worker away. As the coworker filmed the encounter, agents reportedly threatened to accuse him of 'impeding' for documenting the incident.

ICE lodges detainer against Cuban woman held in Miami-Dade jail

Aug 17, 2026Miami, FLCuba

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement lodged a detainer against Meliza Campos-Sanchez, a Cuban national, after she was arrested and booked into the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center in Miami. Authorities allege she was involved in an incident at her Miami home on Aug. 16 that led to child neglect, child abuse, and arson charges, and she was taken to a hospital for a mental health evaluation before being booked. DHS said ICE asked local officials to notify federal authorities before her release so she could potentially be taken into ICE custody, and the agency said it intends to seek her removal after her criminal case is resolved. She entered the United States through Florida without legal authorization in May 2022, according to DHS, and her criminal charges remain pending.

Man chased down and arrested near Springfield car wash, held at Butler County Jail

Aug 17, 2026Springfield, OHHaiti

Wilbert Jean Baptiste was chased down and apprehended by law enforcement near a car wash at the Southern Village Shopping Center in Springfield, according to bystander videos posted to social media in which an officer identified himself as being with ICE. He is currently incarcerated at the Butler County Jail on an ICE hold, under the jail's agreement with ICE to house suspected noncitizens.

Man handcuffed by ICE agent during traffic stop near Yakima, then released

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Aug 17, 2026Yakima, WA

A woman posted on Instagram that her brother was pulled over near the Yakima Sundome on Fair Avenue while driving to work by a masked ICE agent who did not identify himself. She said he was handcuffed and placed in the back of a squad car without probable cause, and was released only after officials verified his identity. She shared photos of the vehicles involved and urged others to "move with caution."

Three people detained by ICE in West Lebanon

Aug 17, 2026West Lebanon, NH

Three people were allegedly detained by ICE in West Lebanon, according to the local volunteer group Upper Valley Immigration Solidarity. The detentions occurred amid a broader wave of ICE arrests across Vermont and the Upper Valley over the same weekend, which advocates said lacked centralized tracking or public disclosure.

US citizen van driver stopped, five Haitian passengers detained by ICE in Springfield

Aug 17, 2026Springfield, OHHaiti

Beaubrun Charles Ardouin, a naturalized U.S. citizen who drives for a transportation company shuttling workers, was pulled over near Topre America in Springfield, Ohio, in what DHS called a 'targeted enforcement' stop. Ardouin said he showed officers his ID and told them he was a citizen, but they demanded identification from his five Haitian passengers and threatened to break his van's windows if he didn't unlock them. All five men, who said they had pending asylum applications, were detained and booked into Butler County Jail under ICE holds; jail records identified them as Canot Monnimat, Albert Francois, Nero Adrien Toussaint, Cadet Vixama and Wislain Fenelon. The stop occurred amid broader ICE activity across Springfield, including arrests near a car wash in an area with several Haitian-owned businesses, with some detainees' mugshots showing them still in work uniforms. Butler County Jail held 17 people listing Haiti as their birth country under ICE detention as of one recent Monday, as many of Springfield's estimated 10,000 to 15,000 Haitian residents became vulnerable to detention after a federal judge lifted a stay on the revocation of Temporary Protected Status for Haiti. Legal experts questioned whether officers had reasonable suspicion for the traffic stop, and DHS said several of the detained men have since been released or transferred.

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