HUMSI — Human Security Initiative

Human Impact Project

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

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⚐ Highlighted incident #11339 (not on this page in normal date order)Clear

Man detained by ICE after traffic stop leads to Bay County arrest

Aug 25, 2026Bay County, FL

Miguel Sanchez-Clemente, 40, was arrested by the Bay County Sheriff's Office on August 25 after a traffic stop for a suspended registration revealed he was in the country without legal status. During the stop, deputies also found two minors in the vehicle who were undocumented and worked for Sanchez-Clemente. Investigators say Sanchez-Clemente admitted to an ongoing sexual relationship with one of the minors and was charged with sexual battery. He was placed on an ICE detainer following his arrest.

ICE deports dozens of Haitian nationals on charter flight amid TPS termination

Sep 4, 2026Alexandria, LAHaiti

A Global X ICE Air charter flight carrying as many as 78 detained Haitian nationals departed from Alexandria, Louisiana and Opa-locka Executive Airport in Florida, bound for Cap-Haïtien. The flight was the third in three weeks following the Supreme Court's decision allowing the Trump administration to end Temporary Protected Status for more than 300,000 Haitians, even as litigation over the termination continues. DHS publicized the flight with images and video of shackled deportees boarding, drawing outrage from Haitians and immigrant rights activists, as the deportations proceed despite ongoing gang violence and massacres in Haiti.

Former Haitian ombudsman arrested in Alabama, returns to Haiti on deportation flight

Sep 4, 2026Montgomery, ALHaiti

Renan Hédouville, a lawyer, human-rights advocate and former head of Haiti's Office of Citizen Protection (ombudsman), was arrested by U.S. immigration authorities while visiting Montgomery, Alabama, after Haitian police issued a warrant for him on corruption allegations. Hédouville, who entered the U.S. lawfully in May 2025 but overstayed the terms of his admission, asked to voluntarily return to Haiti and was aboard a deportation flight that departed Opa-locka Executive Airport for Cap-Haïtien. Investigators in Haiti have accused him of obstruction of justice, unlawful contracting, and claiming over $127,000 in expenses tied to fictitious missions and payments to family members while he led the agency responsible for safeguarding human rights.

Sheriff-ICE sweep near Oberlin detains about 50 workers, two suspected traffickers arrested

Sep 4, 2026Oberlin, OH

A joint operation by the Lorain County Sheriff's Office, Homeland Security Investigations, and ICE swept through farmland and roadways near Oberlin, Ohio, arresting two men on criminal human trafficking charges and detaining roughly 50 other people on civil immigration violations. The yearlong investigation targeted a suspected smuggling network accused of recruiting workers under false pretenses and transporting them to agricultural businesses using shell transportation and contracting companies. Law enforcement conducted traffic stops of at least six vans and used a drone to track movement during the operation; three U.S. citizens were left behind in a Walmart parking lot after others nearby were detained. Oberlin city officials said they had no advance knowledge of the operation, which conflicts with the city's longstanding sanctuary policy limiting local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.

Angolan bank worker arrested by ICE in Lewiston parking lot, judge blocks removal

Sep 4, 2026Lewiston, MEAngola

Adnero Pinto Sebastiao, an Angolan national with a pending asylum application, was arrested by ICE agents in Lewiston as he returned from lunch to his job at a bank. He filed a petition for a writ of habeas corpus, arguing his detention was an unlawful warrantless arrest lacking individualized assessment. A federal judge issued an indefinite injunction barring ICE from removing him from the U.S. or transferring him out of the District of Maine, and ordered the government to justify the detention. A DHS spokesperson said Sebastiao entered the country legally in March 2024 but overstayed, adding that a pending application does not confer legal status.

Cuban deportee with severe hernia allegedly beaten, denied care after being flown to two African countries

Sep 4, 2026Miami, FLCuba

Leonardo Sánchez, a 49-year-old Cuban national and lawful permanent resident who arrived in the U.S. in 2010 under the Cuban Adjustment Act and worked as a welder, was deported to Liberia and then Equatorial Guinea after ICE detained him at a gas station. Sánchez suffers from a severe abdominal hernia caused by a stabbing that once left him in a coma for 40 days, and had reconstructive surgery scheduled at Jackson Memorial Hospital before his removal. He said agents refused to remove his shackles or let him use the bathroom during the 14-hour flight, and when he refused to disembark in Liberia out of fear of being abandoned, agents allegedly threw him down the aircraft steps and knelt on his exposed hernia. In Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, doctors refused to treat him without documents, leaving him only paracetamol for pain, and he is now held with five other deportees at a former hotel under armed guard, unable to contact family. His mother and sister in Florida say a lawyer they hired to help him was a scam, and Equatorial Guinea has no asylum framework, leaving him facing indefinite detention or return to Cuba. DHS said Sánchez was ordered removed following a cocaine possession conviction and denied mistreating him.

Workers detained, some deported despite judicial findings after masked ICE raid on NY factory

Sep 3, 2026Cato, NY

More than 60 federal agents raided Nutrition Bar Confectioners in Cato, New York, herding roughly 160 workers, including pregnant women and young mothers, into a breakroom and detaining 57 people who were later shipped to facilities in Texas and Louisiana. Argentina Juarez-Lopez, 50, clearly invoked her right to an attorney, but an agent falsely claimed in a charging affidavit that she confessed without requesting counsel; a federal judge called the agents' conduct 'grossly negligent,' suppressed the evidence, and Juarez-Lopez was deported shortly after her case was dismissed. Juana Castillo Avelar, a mother of three U.S. citizen children who had lived in the U.S. for over 20 years, was granted $9,000 bond release by a judge, but ICE refused to free her based on a false claim that she had appealed, and she was deported before release could occur. The raid followed months of traffic stops by Oswego County sheriff's deputies who alerted Border Patrol after finding workers' fake identification documents, and acting U.S. Attorney John Sarcone later acknowledged none of those detained had criminal histories other than five charged with illegal reentry; no charges have been filed against the company.

Venezuelan woman discovers pregnancy after ICE detention, fears for baby

Sep 3, 2026Venezuela

Nayleth Gabriela Martínez Jiménez, a Venezuelan woman, discovered she was pregnant after being detained by U.S. immigration authorities. She says she is experiencing pain and fears for her pregnancy, and is asking to be released from the immigration detention center or returned to Venezuela.

Venezuelan man released after nearly 7 months in ICE detention, lost home and job

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Sep 3, 2026San Antonio, TXVenezuela

Luis Miguel Chávez, a Venezuelan man, was held for nearly seven months at an ICE detention center before being released. He said he lost his house, car, and job during his detention and is now trying to rebuild his life in San Antonio.

Guatemalan mother stuck abroad after visa interview, separated from U.S. family

Sep 3, 2026Guatemala

Lorenza Temaj Jiguan, 34, traveled to her native Guatemala in May to complete an interview for a U.S. immigration visa, expecting only a brief trip before returning to her family. Instead, she has remained stranded there since, unable to reunite with her 10-year-old daughter Ariana and her husband, U.S. citizen Samuel Wilbanks. Temaj had lived in the U.S. since entering in 2009 and was seeking to resolve her immigration status through the visa process. Her husband has decided to sue the government over her prolonged separation from the family.

Guyanese man released early from state prison for ICE deportation

Sep 3, 2026NYGuyana

Sean Lopes, a Guyana native, was serving a 14- to 16-year state prison sentence and was not eligible for parole until next February. ICE allowed him to skip the final six months of his sentence so he could be deported. His case was highlighted by ICE's Buffalo office as part of a broader trend of the agency removing people from state custody before their sentences conclude.

Serbian man pulled from state prison early for ICE deportation to Russia

Sep 3, 2026Brocton, NYSerbia

Alexandr Dyatchin, a Serbian national, was arrested in 2024 and sentenced last August to five years at the state's Lakeview prison in Chautauqua County, with an earliest release date of July 2029. ICE took him into custody last week, ahead of his scheduled release, to deport him to Russia. His case was cited as an example of ICE removing people already serving state prison sentences before their terms were complete.

81-year-old Iranian man freed after seven months in ICE detention

Sep 3, 2026Nashville, TNIran

Hasan Besharat, an 81-year-old Iranian immigrant who came to the U.S. legally on a student visa in 1974 and earned an engineering degree in Nashville, was detained by ICE during a routine check-in in late February despite decades of compliance with an order of supervision. He was held at the CoreCivic-run West Tennessee Detention Center in Mason, where his attorney said his health declined; he is 81, weighs barely 100 pounds, and has high blood pressure. His legal team filed multiple petitions, including two writs of habeas corpus, and Tennessee State Sen. Raumesh Akbari and community members advocated for his release. Besharat, who has a U.S. citizen brother and two U.S. citizen sons, is scheduled to be released and reunited with his family.

ICE operation at two Elgin restaurants leads to multiple arrests

Sep 3, 2026Elgin, OK

An Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation targeted two restaurants in Elgin, Oklahoma on Wednesday, resulting in multiple people being taken into custody. The operation affected both local businesses, though the article does not provide individual details about those detained.

Russian asylum seeker's health declines during stalled habeas case in Mississippi

Sep 3, 2026Natchez, MSRussia

Aidar Nafikov, a Russian asylum seeker, has been held at the Adams County Correctional Center in Mississippi for over a year and a half while hoping to be reunited with his family. He filed a habeas petition in April challenging his detention, and though his case was argued before Judge David C. Bramlette III in June, it remained unresolved months later. His wife, Liudmila Nafikov, said his health has deteriorated in detention, including repeated bouts of strep throat and new kidney problems, and that he has struggled to get timely medical care. A DHS spokesperson denied claims of medical neglect at ICE facilities, saying comprehensive medical care is provided to all detainees.

Brazilian father deported after ICE detained him and son during Martha's Vineyard fishing trip

Sep 2, 2026Menemsha, MABrazil

Rogério da Silva Lima, 42, a Brazilian carpenter and painter living on Martha's Vineyard, was taken into ICE custody with his teenage son Nycolas during their first fishing trip together near Menemsha after the U.S. Coast Guard boarded their boat and transferred them to ICE at Woods Hole. His employer, Rory Moreis, called him a 'hard worker' who was 'determined, dedicated, no limit to the hours or days to work,' while family friend Andrea James described him as 'a hard-working man' and his son as 'the kindest kid on the planet.' DHS said the pair entered the U.S. without authorization in 2021, that da Silva Lima's asylum claim was denied and his appeal dismissed in 2024, and both had been issued removal orders in 2023. His attorney, Amelia Ritenour, filed an emergency habeas corpus petition, and a community GoFundMe raised more than $17,000 for legal aid. Nycolas was released after four days into his adult brother's care, and a federal judge, Indira Talwani, later ordered da Silva Lima's release, ruling ICE had missed the 90-day statutory window to detain and remove him. He remained under the removal order and ultimately departed the U.S. unshackled on a civilian flight paid for by ICE, saying, 'It was the worst feeling in the world. I love my sons, and I did not want to leave them behind.' His sons Nycolas and Nayran remain on Martha's Vineyard to continue school and work.

ICE arrests about 10 people at China Buffet restaurant in Greeneville

Sep 2, 2026Greeneville, TN

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, with support from federal, state, and local partners, conducted an operation at China Buffet restaurant in Greeneville, arresting approximately 10 people. Photos taken by nearby witnesses showed the individuals sitting on a curb with law enforcement officers standing in front of them. The restaurant, located in the Fairgrounds Plaza, closed early and remained closed that evening, and ICE described the matter as an active ongoing investigation.

Indianapolis man detained by ICE at east-side job site

Sep 2, 2026Indianapolis, IN

Milo Morales, a 27-year-old Indianapolis man, was detained by ICE agents Tuesday morning while working at an east-side job site. His sister, Dulce Morales, an active-duty servicemember, tracked his phone to a parking lot off 38th Street and confronted an ICE agent who confirmed multiple people had been taken into custody at the site but would not say if Milo was among them. Because Milo has no criminal record, he was not assigned a federal identification number, leaving his family unable to track his location. Dulce described him as a hard-working man who is soon expecting a child, and said she feels disheartened as a servicemember watching her family targeted.

Chinese national dies less than a day after ICE takes custody in Saipan

Sep 2, 2026Saipan, MPChina

Lianyong Wei, a 51-year-old Chinese national who had lived in Saipan since entering the U.S. in 2019 on a two-week parole authorization, died on August 23, 2026, roughly a day after being placed in ICE custody. Local police had arrested Wei on August 21 on criminal charges, including an alleged attack on a family and assault with a dangerous weapon, and he was transferred to ICE custody the following day to face removal proceedings. A corrections officer found him unresponsive during a routine morning check at the Northern Mariana Islands Department of Corrections facility; he was rushed to a local hospital, where resuscitation efforts failed and he was pronounced dead. Corrections Commissioner Anthony Torres extended condolences to Wei's family and said the department is reviewing its procedures. His cause of death remains under investigation, and the Chinese Consulate General in Los Angeles has pressed U.S. authorities for a thorough inquiry, noting he is at least the fifth Chinese national to die in ICE or Border Patrol custody since March 2025. His death is recorded as the 57th ICE detainee death since January 2025.

76-year-old cancer patient detained by ICE during citizenship interview, misses treatments

Sep 2, 2026Fife, WAPhilippines

Loreto Javar, a 76-year-old Filipino national and green card holder who has lived in Fife, Washington since 1995, was detained by ICE while attending his U.S. citizenship interview in Tukwila. A retired hotel worker who raised his family in the U.S. and had renewed his residency multiple times without issue, Javar has stage 4 prostate cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and requires multiple daily medications. ICE alleges he failed to disclose a decades-old conviction related to a fatal altercation in the Philippines when he applied for his visa in 1995, though his daughter, Daisy Javar, says he has no U.S. criminal record. He has been held at the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma for more than two months, missing oncology appointments due to delayed meals disrupting his medication schedule, and has developed a blood clot. Advocates with the Tanggol Migrante Movement have pressed the Philippine consulate in Seattle and pushed for his compassionate release, gathering more than 150 petition signatures. An immigration judge extended his case to September 20, which his daughter said will cause him to miss another cancer treatment appointment.

Teen asylum seeker deported to El Salvador despite court-ordered protections

Sep 1, 2026LAEl Salvador

A teenage asylum seeker identified in court records as E.L.A., who entered the U.S. as an unaccompanied minor, was deported to El Salvador on September 1 despite protections under the class-action settlement J.O.P. v. DHS. He had previously been removed in March 2026, then returned to the U.S. in August after class counsel intervened so his asylum application could be adjudicated. While being held in immigration detention in Louisiana awaiting an asylum interview, he was reportedly told he would be transferred to another facility but instead was placed on a flight to El Salvador. A federal judge ordered DHS to explain who authorized the removal and how it will be corrected.

Green card holder held eight days at San Francisco airport by CBP

Sep 1, 2026San Francisco, CAMexico

A 67-year-old lawful permanent resident who has lived legally in the U.S. for about 50 years was held for eight days by CBP at San Francisco International Airport after returning from a trip to Guadalajara, Mexico, and landing in Fresno. He told the San Francisco Chronicle that agents removed him from his flight and transported him in handcuffs to San Francisco, where he says he slept sitting in a chair under lights kept on and struggled to manage his blood sugar despite having diabetes, hypertension and vision problems. His detention was reportedly linked to an old criminal record; he was later transferred to an ICE detention facility for several months before his attorneys secured his release. The case is part of a broader investigation that found 25 people were held more than 72 hours at SFO through July, 19 of whom were green card holders, despite CBP policy generally limiting custody to 72 hours.

Venezuelan Walmart delivery driver with pending asylum hearing detained by ICE

Sep 1, 2026Bloomington, INVenezuela

César Cepeda Gomez, a Venezuelan delivery driver for Walmart who held a work permit and had an asylum hearing scheduled for October, was detained by ICE agents outside a Bloomington Walmart alongside a coworker. He lives in Bloomington with his partner and her child. ICE said he was being held at North Lake Correctional Facility in Michigan.

Venezuelan asylum seeker with work permit detained by ICE outside Walmart

Sep 1, 2026Bloomington, INVenezuela

Manuel Alejandro Nadal-Ortiz, a Venezuelan man who came to the U.S. under an asylum claim and held a work permit, was detained by ICE agents outside a Bloomington Walmart while working as a delivery driver for DoorDash, Uber and Walmart. His girlfriend, Joanna Hanner, said his mother called her crying within minutes of the arrest, and the family spent the day calling detention centers before Ortiz reached them by phone that afternoon from Chicago, saying he was being transferred to a jail in Michigan. Hanner said Ortiz had no criminal record beyond a paid speeding ticket, closely monitored local ICE activity to avoid it, and was saving money to support his father in Venezuela. As of publication, Ortiz did not appear in the ICE detainee locator and his exact location was unknown.

Honduran refugee deported from Mexican job, now biking caravan route north again

Sep 1, 2026Monterrey, MexicoHonduras

José David Murcia Valdez, a 30-year-old Honduran refugee, fled Honduras six years ago after a machete attack cost him a finger and left scars across his arms and shoulders. He settled in Monterrey, Mexico, and worked for three years at a recycling plant until Mexican authorities arrived to check employees' papers and deported him back to Honduras. Unable to remain in Honduras because of the earlier attack, he returned to Mexico and joined a migrant caravan called Sueños sin Fronteras, attempting to bike more than 1,000 miles back to Monterrey in search of work.

Mexican deportee held for days in cramped U.S. facility before being flown to Guatemala

Sep 1, 2026San Antonio, TXMexico

Felipe Flores was deported alongside Daniel Ramirez as part of the same third-country deportation flight to Guatemala City. Before the flight, he spent days in cramped U.S. detention facilities without being able to shower or brush his teeth, followed by a 15-hour stint in handcuffs. After being released in Guatemala City, he was bused with other Mexican deportees across the border into Tapachula, Mexico.

Texas man detained by ICE near his Brownsville home, deported to Guatemala under third-country policy

Sep 1, 2026Brownsville, TXMexico

Daniel Ramirez, a 30-year-old Texas resident born in Mexico's Tamaulipas state and raised in Brownsville, was detained by U.S. immigration agents near his home. Rather than being returned to Mexico, he was shackled and flown to Guatemala City as part of the Trump administration's third-country deportation policy, then bused across the border into Tapachula, Mexico, more than 1,000 miles from the U.S. border. Ramirez, who lived in the U.S. for years without legal status, said the transfer felt like "a punishment for us so we don't go back again." He later took a multi-day bus trip to Matamoros, near Brownsville, where he found work painting cars.

Mother detained by ICE near Mount Vernon, leaving five children without parents after father had self-deported

Sep 1, 2026Mount Vernon, WA

Ana Garcia's mother was arrested by ICE near downtown Mount Vernon, Washington, according to her daughter. Ana said the family was not allowed to see her before she was taken away. The five siblings are now navigating daily life without either parent at home.

Brother of ICE shooting victim released after 54 days in detention

Aug 31, 2026Houston, TXMexico

Victor Salgado Araujo, 44, was riding as front-seat passenger in his brother Lorenzo Salgado Araujo's van when an ICE agent fatally shot Lorenzo during a traffic stop in Houston on July 7, 2026, allegedly firing the weapon directly in front of Victor's face. Victor was detained immediately and held for 54 days at the Montgomery ICE Processing Center in Conroe, where he learned of his brother's death and was unable to attend the funeral or grieve with his family. His attorney, Ruby Powers, said Victor is a material witness expected to testify before a Harris County grand jury investigating the shooting. He was released and reunited with his family in late August 2026, becoming the last of the three witnesses freed from ICE custody, and is pursuing a U visa as a crime victim while also facing separate removal proceedings.

Haitian student dies by suicide after ICE mandates GPS ankle monitor

Aug 31, 2026Springfield, OHHaiti

Pierre Damas Bel, a 20-year-old Haitian immigrant and recent high school graduate, died after being struck by a tractor-trailer on Interstate 70 near Springfield, Ohio, in what his family says was suicide. Bel had just begun his freshman year at Wright State University, where he was recruited to play soccer, and hoped to study neuroscience. He had a pending asylum claim with a hearing scheduled for October, and his father said his son felt he was 'treated like an animal' after ICE fitted him with a GPS ankle monitor. In a July Instagram post, Bel wrote that wearing the device gave him a feeling of 'shame and humiliation' he never imagined experiencing. The migrant-rights group Amica filed a lawsuit in June over the Trump administration's expanded use of GPS monitors, which at the time were being worn by about 50,000 people.

ICE arrests two men in Arizona over criminal histories and immigration violations

Aug 31, 2026Phoenix, AZMexico, Nepal

ICE Phoenix arrested two men during targeted enforcement actions in northern Arizona the week of August 2. Norberto Osornio-Gutierrez, a 50-year-old Mexican national with a history of immigration violations and past deportation orders, was arrested near Prescott. Dinesh Sapkota, a 28-year-old Nepali national who overstayed his visa, was arrested near Flagstaff following 2023 convictions tied to a 2022 arrest.

Mexican family denied asylum, ordered deported to third country after brother's disappearance

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Aug 31, 2026Mexico

Julio Alfredo De Ávila Hernández disappeared in Jalisco, Mexico, ten years ago after being tortured by a cartel. His parents and siblings later fled to the United States and applied for asylum, but an immigration judge ruled in April that they must continue their asylum process in Ecuador, Honduras, or Guatemala instead of remaining in the U.S. The family has filed an appeal to try to stay. Julio's sister, Alondra De Ávila, 26, crossed the border with her four-year-old son in 2024 to turn themselves in to immigration authorities and tell their story. "We want to stay here. I don't want my son to live what I lived," she said.

Purple Heart veteran pardoned by NY governor after self-deporting to South Korea

Aug 31, 2026New York, NYSouth Korea

Sae Joon Park, 57, a Korean-born US Army veteran awarded a Purple Heart for injuries sustained during the 1989 US invasion of Panama, self-deported to South Korea last year after ICE threatened to detain him at a routine immigration check-in over old criminal convictions. Park had lived in the US since age 7, moving from South Korea to join his mother in Miami, and struggled with PTSD and drug use following his military service, leading to a 2007 drug possession conviction and a 2009 bail-jumping conviction. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul pardoned Park for both convictions, opening a pathway for him to seek to have his removal order vacated and legally return to the US. His attorney said the pardon does not guarantee his return. Park now lives in Busan, South Korea, separated from his two adult children.

Venezuelan journalist detained by ICE during Utah traffic stop

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Aug 30, 2026UTVenezuela

Gustavo Parraga Durán, a Venezuelan journalist who has been seeking asylum in the U.S. for nearly a decade, was detained by ICE agents during a traffic stop in Utah. He is currently being held at a detention facility in Washington state. His wife said he has no criminal charges, not even traffic tickets, and has lost his job while the family risks losing their home. Parraga Durán is married and the father of two young daughters.

Afghan man granted legal protection deported to Central African Republic

Aug 30, 2026Afghanistan

Khalil, a 24-year-old Afghan man whose brother served alongside U.S. forces in the Afghan Army and another brother died fighting the Taliban as a pilot, was deported to the Central African Republic despite having been granted 'withholding of removal' by a U.S. immigration judge in August 2025, who found he could face persecution in Afghanistan. He crossed the U.S.-Mexico border in 2024 and was held in ICE custody throughout his time in the U.S.; he did not qualify for asylum due to a Biden-era policy requiring migrants to seek protection in other countries first. His immigration lawyer, Alma David, said his case shows the administration's effort to 'obliterate the global refugee protection system,' while a retired Marine colonel who supervised his brother said he fears Khalil could be killed if eventually returned to Afghanistan.

Far-right commentator Milo Yiannopoulos detained by ICE, deported to UK within a day

Aug 30, 2026LAUnited Kingdom

Milo Yiannopoulos, a 41-year-old British national and former Breitbart News editor known for far-right commentary, was detained by ICE agents at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport on August 27, 2026. DHS said he had legally entered the U.S. in New York City in May 2019 but overstayed his authorized stay, despite previously claiming to hold an O-1 visa for individuals with extraordinary ability. After he failed to appear at an immigration hearing, an immigration judge issued a final order of removal on July 22. He was held at an ICE facility in Alexandria, Louisiana, before being deported to the United Kingdom on August 28, just one day after his arrest. Far-right activist Laura Loomer claimed on social media that she had reported him to ICE. The swift deportation prompted questions about preferential treatment compared to others who face lengthy detention, which border czar Tom Homan denied, saying ICE is working to speed up removals for all deportees. Yiannopoulos had previously been a vocal supporter of stricter immigration enforcement and mass deportation policies, with past ties to Donald Trump's political movement.

U.S. citizen wrongfully deported to Mexico after Texas traffic stop, now allowed to return

Aug 30, 2026Fredericksburg, TXMexico

Brian José Morales García, a 25-year-old U.S. citizen born in Colorado, was deported to Mexico after a construction crew he was riding with was pulled over near Fredericksburg, Texas by Texas Department of Public Safety officers and Gillespie County sheriff's deputies. He said he repeatedly offered to show his Social Security card and birth certificate, which were at his Austin home, but officers refused and accused him of fraud. After being held for about five days, he signed voluntary removal paperwork out of fear he would otherwise face months of detention, separating him from his wife and newborn daughter. He spent roughly four months in Mexico before his attorneys, including Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch, submitted his certified birth certificate, hospital records, baptismal certificates, and witness affidavits, leading the federal government to allow his return to Austin. He has since filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against DHS and individual officers seeking damages and a judicial declaration of citizenship, works installing air conditioners, and says he remains rattled and now carries multiple forms of identification at all times.

Filipina nurse with valid work permit detained by ICE at Phoenix airport

Aug 29, 2026Phoenix, AZPhilippines

A Filipina nurse working at a Phoenix hospital's acute-care telemetry unit was taken into ICE custody at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. Her family says she held a valid work permit and has no criminal history, and they remain unaware of the reason for her detention. Her boyfriend, who set up a GoFundMe for her, said her immigration case has a court hearing scheduled for September 4.

Cuban couple released after four months in ICE detention, still face deportation to Ecuador

Aug 29, 2026Syracuse, NYCuba

Alex Ramirez Gonzalez and Yan Vasquez Hidalgo, a married Cuban couple working in environmental services at SUNY Upstate Medical University, were detained by ICE after appearing for a scheduled immigration hearing in Mattydale, New York. The couple had fled Cuba, entered the U.S. in 2021, turned themselves in to seek asylum, and held valid work authorization. They said they were handcuffed and chained before being transported to a federal detention facility, where they were held for nearly four months, mostly separated from each other. In January, two immigration judges ruled they could not seek asylum in the U.S. but could pursue it in Ecuador, a country to which they have no connection; their lawyer appealed, and the case remains pending. They were released on bond, with one required to wear an ankle monitor, and have returned to their jobs and families in Syracuse. A third coworker, Mohamed Fofana, remains in ICE custody in Texas.

Belarusian man detained by ICE at Pennsylvania airport after funeral trip

Aug 28, 2026Palm Coast, FLBelarus

Hleb Matskevich, who came to the U.S. from Belarus at age 14 under asylum protections and later built a life in Palm Coast, Florida, where he owns two businesses, was detained by ICE agents at a Pennsylvania airport after flying in for his fiancée's grandfather's funeral. His fiancée, Alessandra Robinson, said agents cited an expired visa despite his pending case with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Matskevich is being held at Pike County Correctional Facility in Pennsylvania while the couple pursues a bond request and plans to marry while he remains in custody.

Berkeley restaurant supervisor detained by ICE at airport before flight

Aug 28, 2026Berkeley, CA

Ivan "Sergio" Chapparo, a shift supervisor at the Oceanview Diner in Berkeley who had worked there for more than six years, was detained by federal immigration agents as he was boarding a flight to Las Vegas at either Oakland or San Francisco International Airport. Friends say Chapparo, a father of three, does not have immigration documents and is currently being held in a detention facility. Restaurant co-owner Will Bishop described him as friendly and well-liked by customers and coworkers, and a friend set up a GoFundMe to help cover his legal costs.

Person detained by ICE outside Yakima Police Station after jail release

Aug 28, 2026Yakima, WA

A video circulated by Yakima Community Aid showed a person detained by immigration enforcement agents immediately after being released from Yakima police custody on a Monday. Yakima Police Chief Shawn Boyle said officers did not coordinate with ICE, explaining that ICE and other agencies simply monitor publicly available county jail rosters to learn release times. Boyle defended an officer seen in the video handing the detained person's bag of belongings to an ICE officer, calling the action reasonable given the situation. The incident prompted discussion at a town hall about the Keep Washington Working Act, which restricts local law enforcement from assisting federal immigration enforcement.

Work-permit holder detained by ICE in Port Isabel, released with ankle monitor

Aug 28, 2026Port Isabel, TX

A relative of Brenda Dumas who holds a valid work permit was detained by ICE in Port Isabel and, after being held, was released with an ankle monitor, becoming one of more than 50,000 people the agency is tracking with the devices. The family member requested anonymity out of fear of retaliation from the federal government. Dumas said she now uses a phone app to track family members' locations and stays in constant communication with them out of safety concerns.

ICE vehicles speed past stopped school bus, scattering children in New Jersey

Aug 28, 2026NJ

A court filing revealed that earlier this year four ICE vehicles sped past a stopped school bus with its lights flashing in New Jersey before heading toward an apartment complex where elementary school children were waiting for another bus. The children scattered and ran away in fear. Vanessa Cárdenas, executive director of America's Voice, said the incident showed immigration agents treating young children on their way to school as targets.

Corrections officer with valid work permit detained by ICE in South Portland

Aug 28, 2026South Portland, ME

Bill Bassikissa Bounguiena, a Cumberland County corrections officer, was detained by ICE in South Portland in June 2026. The Sheriff's Office said he had been hired in August 2024, had no discipline issues, and 'demonstrated dedication to his duties' by often working overtime. He held an employment authorization document confirming he could legally work in the U.S. until 2030, and the Sheriff's Office said it had no further information on why ICE detained him.

Man detained during traffic stop after 33 years in U.S.

Aug 28, 2026TexasMexico

A 51-year-old native of Mexico who entered the U.S. lawfully in 1993 and remained for 33 years while raising a family was detained on May 29, 2026, during a routine traffic stop after local law enforcement learned of his immigration status. He had been cooperating with immigration authorities, submitting applications for lawful permanent residency that were approved by USCIS and appearing for required biometrics appointments. The court granted his preliminary injunction petition, finding he possessed a constitutionally protected liberty interest and was entitled to pre-deprivation process before detention, ordering his immediate release.

Ecuadoran construction worker Johnny Queda detained by ICE during commute

Aug 27, 2026Danbury, CTEcuador

ICE agents pulled 28-year-old Johnny Queda from his truck in Danbury, Connecticut, on August 27, 2026, as he drove home from a construction job. His fiancée, Kimberly Rivas, said Queda, who is from Ecuador and has lived in the U.S. for five years while pursuing citizenship, pays taxes, has legal representation and had no criminal history. "It's just so sad ... he does everything right," Rivas said. The arrest, captured on video by a local shop owner, occurred amid a broader week of intensified ICE enforcement in the city.

Texas mother and two children detained by ICE at school bus stop

Aug 27, 2026Alamo Heights, TX

In April, immigration officers arrested a mother and her two children in Alamo Heights, Texas, while they were waiting for a school bus, according to the San Antonio Report. The case is cited as part of a broader pattern of ICE enforcement operations occurring near school bus stops across the country.

Longtime Florida resident detained by ICE after 60 years in U.S.

Aug 27, 2026Key Largo, FL

Aracelio "Mike" Hernandez, who came to the United States at age 4 and has lived there for 60 years, was picked up by ICE and is being held for deportation. His family describes him as a dependable, hardworking community member, a devoted husband to his wife Katie, and a loving father and grandfather. His family is raising funds for legal fees to fight his deportation and to support his wife and family during the ordeal.

Man detained by ICE on Danbury street days before citizenship hearing

Aug 27, 2026Danbury, CT

Johnny Ojeda was detained by ICE agents on West Street in Danbury last week, according to video of the incident. His fiancée said he has never committed a crime and was in the process of applying to become a U.S. citizen. She said he was transferred to a detention center in Rhode Island and is scheduled to make his first appearance in federal court.

Boxer deported to Haiti after 20+ years in U.S., says he has no ties there

Aug 27, 2026Bahamas

Jay Dabelus, a professional boxer born in the Bahamas who left as a child and spent more than two decades living in the United States, was deported to Cap-Haïtien, Haiti, saying he has never lived there and has no family or resources to rely on. He was among more than 50 people deported on the flight, including two minors, according to Haiti's National Office of Migration. The flight landed in Cap-Haïtien rather than Port-au-Prince because the capital's main airport is considered too dangerous amid gang violence. It was the second U.S. deportation flight to Haiti since Temporary Protected Status was ended for roughly 350,000 Haitians living in the U.S.

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