Human Impact Project

Two hundred migrants, including 80 children from Afghanistan, Russia, Armenia, Iran, China and other Asian countries, were deported from the United States on two flights and detained at Costa Rica's CATEM immigration detention center in February 2025. Many were separated from family members still in the U.S., not informed of their deportation destination, and experienced abuse and rights violations in U.S. detention before being sent to Costa Rica.

Nhon Ngoc Nguyen, a 55-year-old Vietnamese man, died on April 16, 2025, after 52 days in ICE custody at El Paso Service Processing Center in Texas. Medical reviewers attributed his death to end-stage dementia and acute-on-chronic respiratory failure. He had a Do Not Resuscitate order in place. His death was one of seven reported in ICE custody during the first three months of Trump's presidency.

A Houstonian who fled Honduras due to threats related to his sexual orientation was detained by ICE. Political groups have spoken out against the detention.

Armando Reyes Rodriguez, a 42-year-old Honduran national seeking asylum, was detained by ICE on Monday, April 16, 2025, after being called to an ICE office in Blue Ash, Ohio for what he was told would be a routine appointment to have his ankle monitor removed. Rodriguez arrived at the office accompanied by his church's assistant pastor. Instead of the removal, he was detained by ICE officers and transferred to Butler County Jail, which holds ICE detainees. Rodriguez was in full compliance with ICE requirements and is married with two young children (ages 8 and 3) who remain in Ohio. His family's asylum application from Honduras is pending. West Charleston Church of the Brethren, where Rodriguez is a member, organized multiple protests against his detention and called for his release, urging elected officials and Butler County commissioners to intervene.

The Nevada Immigrant Coalition reported increased ICE enforcement activity across southern Nevada, leading to the closure of Broadacres Swap Meet, one of North Las Vegas's largest employers. Immigration advocates documented plainclothes ICE officers operating in unmarked vehicles across major Las Vegas areas, with over 30 people detained during earlier enforcement operations. The coalition urged community members to know their rights and develop family preparedness plans amid ongoing immigration enforcement activity.

Erasmo Zavala Almanza, a 50-year-old undocumented Mexican immigrant, was arrested by ICE agents at his home in April 2025 after cooperating with Berks County police in investigating the fatal shooting of his 20-year-old daughter and wounding of his granddaughter in February 2025. Despite applying for a U visa with support from the District Attorney's Office and receiving a favorable bona fide determination from USCIS along with deferred action and work authorization, ICE detained him at Moshannon Valley Processing Center and initiated deportation proceedings. His case reflects a shift under the Trump administration from prior guidance that discouraged arrests of crime victims and witnesses. A federal judge issued a temporary bar on removal while considering whether to grant a preliminary injunction to block deportation.

Dario Quevedo Marquez, a Venezuelan immigrant, was arrested by federal immigration agents on April 15 as he left a South Side Chicago courthouse after a hearing on a misdemeanor battery charge. His wife said agents told her to stay quiet or face arrest herself. The arrest occurred at a courthouse, violating state law and a Cook County judge's order banning civil immigration arrests without warrants at local courthouses.

Department of Homeland Security agents attempted to speak with students at two Los Angeles elementary schools (Russell Elementary and Lillian Street Elementary) stating they were conducting welfare checks on unaccompanied minors. School principals denied the agents access. House Democrats have requested a briefing regarding the agents' claim of having parental permission and regarding four of the targeted students who were not unaccompanied minors.

Juan Francisco Mendez, a 29-year-old Guatemalan immigrant, was released from the Strafford County Jail on May 15, 2025, after being detained for 30 days following his April 14 arrest in New Bedford. An immigration judge set his bail at $1,500, the lowest amount possible, and Mendez was released wearing an ankle monitor. ICE agents had smashed his car window with an ax during the initial traffic stop while Mendez and his wife waited for their lawyer. Mendez is now working toward reunification with his wife and 9-year-old son.

Eight undocumented immigrants were arrested by ICE agents at a Las Vegas worksite, according to Laura Martin, executive director of the Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada. Plainclothes federal agents targeted the business, prompting immigrant advocates to warn of increased federal immigration enforcement activity in the Las Vegas area. The Nevada Immigrant Coalition, which includes PLAN, the Culinary Union, and ACLU of Nevada, organized a news conference and press briefing to alert residents and advise them on their rights during ICE encounters. Advocates noted that enforcement operations have been targeting workplaces, particularly construction sites. Undocumented immigrants make up 9% of Nevada's workforce, the largest share of any state.

Jessica Flores Marin, 44, a mother of three who has lived in the United States for 22 years, was detained by ICE on April 13 near her family's home in Georgia. She was taken into custody while an ongoing T visa application was being processed. Her detention came after an immigration judge denied her motion to reopen a decades-old deportation order from 2004.

Hugo, a father of five and husband of a U.S. citizen veteran who had lived in the U.S. since age 16, was detained by ICE at a courthouse during what should have been a final hearing for permanent residency. Despite being in an active legal process and authorized to be in the U.S., officials ordered him to continue his case from Mexico and deported him. ICE later admitted the detention was a mistake, but Hugo has been separated from his family.

Aled Damien Carbonell-Betancourt, a 27-year-old Cuban man, died in ICE custody in Florida on April 12, 2025, in what appeared to be a suicide attempt. His family launched a fundraising campaign in May 2026 to raise $3,000 for cremation and to repatriate his ashes to his parents in Cuba, who cannot travel to the United States. He is the second person to die by suspected suicide in ICE custody in Florida in less than a month, with at least 49 people having died under ICE custody since Trump took office in January 2025.

A Florida woman, Latrance Battle, impersonated an ICE agent and kidnapped her ex-boyfriend's wife from her workplace on April 10. The victim, who was in the process of becoming a legal U.S. resident, believed Battle was an ICE agent when approached. Battle took the victim to an apartment complex instead of the sheriff's office, where the victim escaped and contacted law enforcement. Battle was arrested and charged with kidnapping, robbery, impersonating a law enforcement officer, and felony probation violation.

A disgraced former Milwaukee police officer with serious credibility issues, Charles Cross Jr., signed a report claiming a gay Venezuelan makeup artist was affiliated with the Tren de Aragua gang based on tattoos. The report played a key role in the man's deportation to El Salvador's Terrorism Confinement Center. Cross had been flagged by prosecutors as having credibility issues due to accusations of lying and breaking the law.

María Alejandra Rivas Martínez, a 19-year-old Venezuelan, was detained by ICE on April 10 after a state police officer notified the agency following a traffic accident in Miami where she was struck by another vehicle while transporting her partner to a medical appointment. She had entered the U.S. legally in 2019 with a tourist visa at age 13 and currently holds a valid work permit, Florida driver's license, and has a pending asylum case. She was transferred to Broward Transitional Center in Pompano Beach, where she awaits an immigration hearing. Her family has launched a fundraising campaign to cover legal costs for her defense.

Jose Hermosillo, a 19-year-old U.S. citizen, was wrongfully detained by Border Patrol in Arizona for 10 days at Florence Correctional Center after approaching an officer for help following a medical emergency. The Department of Homeland Security claimed Hermosillo stated he crossed the border without authorization and was a Mexican citizen, but Hermosillo disputes this account, saying he cannot read and did not understand the document he signed. His family provided his birth certificate to secure his release after a court hearing.

Jesús Eduardo Marín, a Venezuelan national who has lived in the United States for 12 years with his wife and three children, was detained by Border Patrol agents on April 8 during a traffic stop in Miami, Florida. Although Marín had an active asylum case pending and was residing legally under that framework, authorities detained him after determining he lacked citizenship or permanent residency status. He was subsequently transferred to a detention facility.

Jose Hermosillo, a 19-year-old U.S. citizen from Albuquerque, was arrested by Border Patrol agents on April 8 near Nogales, Arizona, and detained for 10 days at Florence Correctional Center on suspicion of illegally entering the country despite having U.S. citizenship. His family located him after extensive searching and provided his birth certificate and social security card to officials. A magistrate judge dismissed his case on April 17, and he was released that night.

Priya Saxena, an Indian graduate student at South Dakota Mines, received notification on April 7, 2025 that her visa was revoked as part of a Trump administration criminal records check of international students. The revocation was triggered by a misdemeanor traffic conviction from 2021 for failing to pull over for an emergency vehicle in Meade County; a related DUI charge from the same traffic stop was dismissed after her blood alcohol tested within the legal limit. Saxena had previously disclosed these legal matters when obtaining her most recent visa in 2022. She filed a temporary restraining order against the government seeking a court order to remain in the country after completing her master's and doctoral degrees at the institution.

A 52-year-old Chinese woman died by suicide while detained at the Yuma Border Patrol station in Arizona after overstaying her B-1/B-2 visitor visa. She was initially detained in California and transferred to Yuma. Surveillance footage documented the incident, showing she created a noose. CBP records indicate required welfare checks were not properly conducted or were falsely documented, and medical intervention did not occur for nearly two hours after she was found unresponsive. Representative Pramila Jayapal called for accountability regarding CBP's failure to follow detainee safety procedures.

Rubén González, a Venezuelan with a pending asylum case, was detained by ICE on March 22 after a traffic accident in Clermont. Despite having valid work authorization, a temporary driver's license, and proper documentation, González was transferred to an immigration detention facility in Jacksonville. His sister confirmed he had been complying with legal procedures, and immigration rights organizations are questioning the legality of the detention given his protected status.

Two U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers, Farlis Almonte and Ricardo Rodriguez, were charged with accepting thousands of dollars in bribes to allow undocumented people to enter the country without showing documents at the San Ysidro Port of Entry. Evidence included phone communications with human traffickers in Mexico, unexplained cash deposits, and surveillance video showing vehicles waved through checkpoints. Investigators seized nearly $70,000 in cash believed to be connected to the scheme. Five corruption cases involving CBP officers in the San Diego area have occurred in two years.

Two U.S. border inspectors have been charged with taking thousands of dollars in bribes to wave people into the country without showing documents. The inspectors allegedly accepted payments to allow undocumented individuals to enter the United States without proper inspection procedures.

On April 4th, ICE agents detained a community member on Cranston Street in Providence's West End after chasing him down and crashing into his car. Providence Police responded to the crash and worked to disperse community members who witnessed the incident. Advocates argue this demonstrates police cooperation with ICE despite city claims of limits on such cooperation.

Solangel Manzanilla, a 68-year-old Venezuelan woman, was detained by Border Patrol on April 2 after leaving work at an LA Fitness gym in Fort Lauderdale where she worked in childcare. She had been in the U.S. for 12 years with a pending asylum claim, valid work authorization, and a current driver's license. An officer noted she had a good profile but stated she had to be detained due to her immigration status. Her family reports she has medical conditions requiring attention and has launched a fundraising campaign to cover legal expenses.

Adrian Gil Rojas, a Venezuelan national, holds Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and has been detained at El Valle Detention Center for more than two months. He has a two-year-old son in the United States whose mother witnessed ICE officers illegally arrest Mr. Gil Rojas approximately two months ago, leaving their young son alone and traumatized. Mr. Gil Rojas also served as a trial witness in a murder case in Clinton County, New York, where he testified despite fears of retaliation and helped secure a conviction. He is challenging his detention through a habeas corpus petition, arguing that 8 U.S.C. § 1254a(d)(4) explicitly prohibits detention of individuals with TPS status on the basis of immigration status. The government claims it can detain him based on speculative predictions that his TPS may expire on April 2, 2025, and that a pending motion to reopen his removal case may be denied, but the petition argues this violates the TPS statute's unambiguous prohibition and that his removal is automatically stayed while the motion remains pending.

Attorneys representing detainees at an Everglades facility alleged that guards beat and pepper-sprayed detainees following a protest over lost phone access on April 2. A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction on March 27 requiring improved legal access and expressed frustration with slow compliance efforts during an April 13 status conference. The state and federal governments are appealing the injunction while claiming efforts to comply.

In Louisiana, ICE detained two mothers during routine check-ins and deported them within days to Honduras with their children. Three of the children — ages 2, 4, and 7 — were U.S. citizens. One mother was pregnant, and one child had a rare form of cancer. ICE deported the child without medication or a chance for doctors to advise on care.

During a transfer in mid-April, dozens of men were gathered into a cell early in the morning with feet shackled and hands tied behind their backs. They waited hours while food sat visible through bars. When lunch was provided at 7 p.m. — only after another guard protested — the men could not reach plates with their hands. 'We had to bend over and eat off the chairs with our mouths, like dogs,' one man said. At FDC, upon arrival and after visits including from legal counsel, officers forced detainees to undergo invasive visual cavity searches. A 21-year-old Guatemalan man described being ordered to 'get completely naked, turn around, bend down, and get on all fours and cough.' An officer later admitted ICE detainees did not need such procedures.

On April 1, state and federal police raided a party at an Airbnb in an Austin suburb, arresting nearly 50 people including nine children. The FBI, ICE, Texas Department of Public Safety, and Hays County Sheriff's Office claimed they targeted individuals connected to a Venezuelan gang, but offered no substantiating evidence. ICE arrested 35 individuals on unauthorized entry charges; federal court records suggest these were not prosecuted as criminal charges but rather processed through civil immigration detention, with many subsequently deported.

Jeankey Jhonayker Castro Bravo, a 24-year-old barber from Caracas, Venezuela, was stopped while driving for DoorDash in the Austin area on April 1. After showing his Venezuelan passport, a DPS trooper called in ICE. DPS accused him of gang affiliation based on his tattoos and arrested him for drug possession. He was held in jail for six months before the felony ketamine charge was dropped in October. He was subsequently deported to Venezuela.

Omar Abdulsattar Ameen, an Iraqi citizen, was deported to Rwanda in April 2025 as the first of multiple deportations to the country. Rwandan authorities have acknowledged that seven additional deportees arrived in August 2025. The identities, origins, legal status of the seven August arrivals, and Ameen's current fate are unknown. Rwanda agreed to receive up to 250 deported migrants under an agreement with the Trump administration.

Tim, a Nigerian man, was transferred to the Batavia ICE detention facility in April 2025 after suffering a major concussion from a fall while finishing a federal prison sentence. He was discharged from a Massachusetts hospital with nine prescribed medications and orders for inpatient physical therapy. At Batavia, he went at least a month without medication and received only one physical therapy session before being deported in summer 2025. He now requires a walker and reports severe mental health issues and insomnia.

Antonio Vizcaino González, a dual Venezuelan-Spanish citizen, was stopped by Texas Department of Public Safety for ignoring a stop sign while driving near an Airbnb in an Austin suburb on April 1. ICE agents arrived and found narcotics in his inner waistband, leading to a ketamine possession charge. He bonded out into ICE custody but was deported to Spain in May. The drug charge was later dropped by prosecutors due to lack of cooperation from federal law enforcement.

One person was killed and another injured after falling from a 30-foot wall along the U.S.-Mexico border near San Diego. U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents discovered the two people around 11 p.m. Monday. One person was found unresponsive and died shortly after agents arrived, while the other was hospitalized with unspecified injuries.

Cliona Ward, a 54-year-old Irish national who has legally resided in the United States for approximately 40 years, was detained by ICE after returning from a trip to Ireland where she visited her ill father. Ward, a green card holder, was questioned about criminal convictions from 2003-2008 related to drug possession charges. She claims these convictions were expunged. Ward is being held in an ICE facility in Tacoma, Washington, and is scheduled to appear before an immigration judge in Seattle to argue her case.

A Nicaraguan asylum seeker is a citizen and national of Nicaragua who has lived in the United States since September 2021. He is married and living with his wife in California. He fled Nicaragua after police beat him for participating in anti-government protests, fracturing his arm. He was detained by DHS upon arrival in the US but released in October 2021 on reporting requirements to ICE, which he never missed. On September 14, 2023, he applied for asylum and received work authorization. In April 2025, he reported for a routine ICE appointment and was detained without notice or hearing despite full compliance with check-in requirements. He was transferred between multiple detention facilities where he suffered inhumane conditions, including excessive heat in transport vehicles, contaminated food and water, and injury from handcuffs. An immigration judge released him on a $5,000 bond in June 2025, and he was placed in ICE's Intensive Supervision Appearance Program. On July 13, 2026, the immigration judge denied his asylum application and ordered removal to Nicaragua. He timely appealed. The federal court granted his preliminary injunction, prohibiting ICE from re-detaining him without a pre-detention hearing where the government must prove by clear and convincing evidence that he is a flight risk or danger.

An Argentine woman, the wife of an active-duty Coast Guardsman, was arrested by ICE in April after her immigration status was flagged during a routine security screening as the couple moved into Navy base housing in South Florida. The incident illustrates the vulnerability of military family members despite their spouses' active service.

Alicia arrived for a routine ICE check-in in Louisiana in April 2025 and was detained without warning at Basile detention center. She soon discovered she was pregnant. In detention, she received inadequate food and in May began experiencing severe abdominal pain, cramping, and bleeding. At an emergency room, medical staff performed an invasive uterine test without her consent and informed her she had miscarried. ICE returned her to Basile that same night, where she remained detained for two more months despite continued heavy bleeding, swelling, fever, and severe uterine pain. Repeated sick call requests went unanswered. ICE deported her in July 2025, separating her from her children, and she later required hospital care for a severe infection acquired in custody.

Immigration Judge Jem Sponzo issued 25 deportation orders for minors in a single morning in April 2025 in a downtown New York immigration courtroom, with some hearings lasting only minutes. Among those ordered deported were an 8-year-old girl from Ecuador seeking asylum and SIJS whose mother had already won asylum; a Guatemalan child whose attorney requested more time to prepare evidence for an asylum petition citing an abusive father in the home country; and a high school senior from Guatemala seeking SIJS and asylum. Attorneys reported feeling blindsided by the judge's rapid-fire denials. Sponzo was subsequently fired, becoming one of over 100 immigration judges terminated since Trump returned to office.

Tuan Van Bui, a 55-year-old Vietnamese man who had suffered a stroke, collapsed on April 1 at Miami Correctional Facility (the "Speedway Slammer") in Indiana where he was being detained. Fellow detainees screamed for help, and it took approximately 15 minutes for a guard to respond and 10 more minutes for medical staff to arrive. An Iraqi detainee performed CPR while waiting for medical help. The local coroner attributed his death to natural causes related to cardiovascular disease. This case is among 50 deaths in ICE detention since Trump took office in January 2025, a rate that has more than doubled compared to the 2009-2024 average.

Erasmo Zavala, a Berks County man who had applied for a U visa after helping law enforcement investigate his daughter's murder, was arrested by ICE in April 2025 despite his pending humanitarian visa application. After nearly two months in ICE detention, including at Moshannon Valley Processing Center, he was released following a court order from Judge Stephanie Haines. His case highlights a dispute over a Trump administration policy rescinding protections for crime victims and witnesses cooperating with law enforcement.

Marco Antonio Herrera, a Guatemalan citizen, was arrested by ICE officers in Williamsport on April 1, 2025, and subsequently indicted on charges of assaulting a federal officer and unlawful entry. According to prosecutors, Herrera resisted officers and struck one with his elbow during the enforcement operation. If convicted, he could face up to eight years in federal prison, along with supervised release and possible fines.

Gary Patrick McGuiness, a 39-year-old Irish citizen, was arrested by ICE in Los Angeles on April 1. McGuiness is registered as a sex offender and had previously been convicted of assault with intent to commit sexual abuse, serving a two-year prison sentence. He remains in ICE custody while his deportation proceeding is underway.

José de Jesús Jiménez Delgado, a 51-year-old Venezuelan, was detained by ICE on May 4 while driving to work in Tampa. He arrived in the U.S. in 2018 with a clean record and had a pending asylum case, TPS status, a valid work permit, and a valid driver's license. His family reported he has serious health conditions including a herniated disc, anxiety, and chronic headaches. Ángel Rafael Alvarado, a Venezuelan citizen, was detained by ICE on March 31 at 7:30 a.m. in Florida. According to his family, Alvarado was legally residing in the U.S. under a humanitarian parole program, had entered through proper channels, was in the process of applying for asylum, held a valid work permit, and had no criminal record or traffic violations. His family initiated a fundraising campaign to cover legal expenses.

Martin Majin-Leon, a 58-year-old barber shop owner in Pomona, was detained by ICE agents on March 31, 2025, while arriving at his business. He was held in federal custody for over 30 hours before being released on April 2, 2025. The detention was related to an immigration issue from more than 20 years prior. His family discovered his detention through surveillance footage showing him being taken at gunpoint.

Armando Gonzalez, a father and sole household provider, was detained by ICE in Big Bear, California on March 31st. His wife is terminally ill with only days or weeks to live. A community organization is raising funds to help him secure legal representation.

Rudy Villeda Mejía, a Honduran immigrant who was kidnapped and held for ransom by Los Zetas cartel members for six months in 2010, was arrested by ICE at Denver International Airport on March 30, 2025, while in transit. Villeda Mejía entered the U.S. without authorization following his kidnapping and has since built a roofing business in Washington state with his U.S. citizen wife Mabel Shaffer, caring for her three children. He attended routine immigration check-ins consistently from August 2018 until his arrest and has no criminal history. His attorney filed a T visa application—the legal pathway available to human trafficking victims—which represents his only lawful way to remain with his family. Since his detention at an ICE facility in Aurora, Colorado, his wife has struggled to manage their roofing business while dealing with a hip displacement that requires his full-time care, the business has lost contracts, and Villeda Mejía has experienced health concerns including weight loss due to limited food options and outdoor access. A federal judge denied his habeas corpus petition and request to pause deportation pending appeal, and ICE has indicated he will remain in custody pending deportation despite the pending T visa application.

Vicente Garcia Jr., 18, of Roma, Texas, was arrested after allegedly driving a vehicle involved in human smuggling operations in McAllen on March 28. According to federal prosecutors, Garcia was transporting a smuggled person to another smuggler, Jose Alexis Baeza-Combaluzier, who was driving a vehicle with four additional smuggled passengers. When law enforcement observed the suspected smuggling operation and attempted to approach, Baeza-Combaluzier drove through a flooded road and crashed his vehicle into a canal, resulting in the deaths of a woman and a 14-year-old child. Garcia faces up to life in prison or the death penalty if convicted.