Human Impact Project

A Haitian man who had entered a national parole program in Manchester before relocating to White River Junction in 2025 was arrested by ICE agents at his door at 7 a.m. on Aug. 7, according to Yvonne Lodico of Grace Initiative Global. The man had employment authorization and an asylum application under review, and was moved between detention locations before arriving in New Hampshire. His wife, who requested anonymity for safety reasons, said that when she followed and asked ICE agents where they were taking her husband, an agent pulled out a gun and pointed it at her while she sat in her car.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested at least nine people across Vermont over a weekend in August 2026, including five construction workers arrested in Londonderry, one person in White River Junction, and two roof repairmen in a raid in Cornwall. A Haitian man with employment authorization and an asylum application under review was arrested at his home in White River Junction after ICE agents arrived at 7 a.m.; his wife reported that an ICE agent pointed a gun at her while she was in her car when she asked where they were taking him. The arrests, described by immigration advocates as rare workplace and commuting operations involving groups of workers, occurred amid months of heightened federal enforcement across the state and raised concerns about potential racial profiling and lack of oversight.

Pastor Luis Morales Pérez, a Venezuelan Seventh-day Adventist pastor who oversees four congregations in the Houston area and is a father of two daughters, was detained by ICE agents at George Bush Intercontinental Airport while traveling with his wife, Karina, for a vacation to New York. According to Karina, agents approached the couple shortly after they entered the airport, called Morales by name, and took him into custody. Morales held valid employment authorization to serve with the Texas Conference of Seventh-day Adventists and had a pending asylum claim. His Temporary Protected Status, granted in December 2023, was revoked after DHS ended TPS for Venezuelan nationals, a move the Supreme Court allowed to take effect; ICE said he remained in the country after the revocation took effect on November 20, 2025. He is being held at Livingston Detention Center. Church leaders described his "commitment to our mission and the families he serves" as "unwavering" and asked congregants to pray for his family.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement concluded Operation Safe Community-Atlanta on August 7, 2026, with 1,226 arrests across Georgia in one of the largest single-state immigration enforcement operations in recent memory. According to ICE, 720 of those arrested had been charged with or convicted of crimes in the United States, including sex crimes, crimes against children, assault, drug violations, burglary, weapons offenses, and impaired driving. All 1,226 people arrested violated U.S. immigration law. The operation was conducted across multiple Georgia jurisdictions with participation from federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, including five arrests at a local trucking company. The operation occurred during a period of increased ICE enforcement, as the agency set a new monthly record high for detentions in July with more than 46,000 arrests nationwide.

Five individuals working on a construction crew were arrested by ICE agents during a targeted enforcement operation at a traffic stop in Londonderry on the morning of August 7, 2026, while traveling to a job site. The detainees were allegedly of Ecuadorian descent. Video footage captured by a local resident showed unmarked vehicles and multiple individuals being held against a vehicle near Route 11. The arrests occurred amid months of heightened immigration enforcement activity in Vermont that has drawn protests, lawsuits, and official reviews, including scrutiny of a March 11 raid in South Burlington that detained three people who were later released. The incident sparked community concern, prompting state representatives and local leaders to convene to discuss support and protection measures.

Luis (Kike) Espinoza, an Executive Chef who has lived legally in the United States since 2022 with a valid work permit, was detained by ICE during what was supposed to be a routine monthly immigration court hearing in Texas. Espinoza, who formerly worked as head chef at El Secreto de Rosita restaurant, moved to Texas to build a life and support his two children in Peru. His sister, Cinthia Espinoza, who works as a chef at Nabiha restaurant, is organizing a GoFundMe campaign to help cover legal costs as the family works with an attorney to seek his release. The community has described Espinoza as a beloved member who has given much to the people around him.

Debora Kapisha, a registered nurse from Zambia working at Maine Medical Center in Portland, was detained by ICE on July 30 at Boston Logan Airport after her visa expired in November 2024. According to ICE, she entered the U.S. on May 14, 2024, and remained in the country after her visa expiration. Kapisha maintained a valid registered nurse license since June 2025 with no disciplinary action and argued she had legal work authorization while her asylum case was being adjudicated. The Maine State Nurses Association organized a rally within 24 hours of learning of her detention and mobilized community support, with over 100 Maine Medical Center nurses and supporters protesting alongside Democratic officials including Senate nominee Troy Jackson and gubernatorial nominee Hannah Pingree, describing her as a trusted, compassionate caregiver whose absence affected patient care. She was released from ICE custody on August 7 following the protests. The union and MaineHealth are working to sponsor her for permanent resident status through an EB-3 visa, for which skilled nurses are eligible and exempt from standard labor certification requirements.

Two men were detained after officers in ICE garb arrived in six vehicles at a gas station in Marshall on Tuesday morning, boxed in their vehicle at a gas pump, and smashed the windows before taking them into custody. Bystanders witnessed the enforcement action.

Ángel Muñoz, known on social media as Ángel Muñeco, was detained by ICE on August 6. His wife Blondi, a content creator known for her height, confirmed the detention, saying she did not want to make a video about it but did so for his fans. The couple went viral roughly a year earlier after his marriage proposal, and their wedding was celebrated by thousands of followers online. Blondi says Ángel is legally in the United States and that their marriage is valid, but he now faces an administrative process that could result in deportation.

Eduardo Aguirre Esparza, a 53-year-old Mexican national and small business owner who has lived in the United States for over 20 years, was arrested by ICE on July 23, 2026, while working on a home remodeling project in West Seattle. Approximately 20 ICE agents in unmarked vehicles surrounded him, allegedly physically pushing him and threatening him when he refused to sign a voluntary departure form; he requested his lawyer instead. Without appearing before a judge or having contact with his attorney, Aguirre Esparza was transferred between multiple ICE facilities over three days and flown to El Paso, Texas, where he is detained at ERO El Paso Camp East Montana. His wife, Stacey Fitzpatrick, a U.S. citizen attorney, disputes ICE's claim that he has a 2005 DUI arrest from Kansas, noting he has never lived in Kansas and background checks show only a resolved 2015 traffic citation. Aguirre Esparza has a pending green card application and is married to a U.S. citizen with deep community ties. Community members organized rallies and fundraisers in West Seattle to raise awareness and support for his family, and Senator Patty Murray called the arrest "fundamentally wrong and un-American."

A Venezuelan woman who entered the United States without authorization in September 2023 was ordered removed by an immigration judge in March 2026; her appeal to the Board of Immigration Appeals remains pending. She was detained by ICE on August 6, 2026 following a routine traffic stop and has since been held at the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center in Basile, Louisiana. She filed a pro se habeas petition alleging that her prolonged detention without a bond hearing violates due process, that her warrantless arrest violated the Fourth Amendment, that a serious medical condition has been aggravated by her detention, and that her detention imposes a hardship on her minor children. She sought immediate release or, alternatively, an emergency individualized bond hearing, along with a temporary restraining order barring her removal or transfer while the petition is pending. The court denied the emergency motion, finding that the request for a bond hearing sought the ultimate relief of the habeas petition itself and that claims of imminent removal or transfer were speculative.

A 29-year-old Mexican national who had lived in the U.S. since December 2024 on a nonimmigrant visa was arrested by immigration authorities on August 6, 2026, after overstaying his visa's authorized period, which had expired in June 2025. He had been residing with his fiancée, a U.S. citizen and homeowner, and was pursuing English classes and pilot training, with no criminal convictions. Following his arrest, he was placed in removal proceedings and detained at the Adelanto Detention Facility, where he remained held without ever receiving a bond hearing. He filed a habeas petition arguing his detention without an individualized custody determination violated due process, the Immigration and Nationality Act, and the Administrative Procedure Act, seeking immediate release or a constitutionally adequate bond hearing with a heightened evidentiary burden on the government. The court found he was subject to standard detention under 8 U.S.C. § 1226(a) and was not entitled to release or a heightened bond standard, but ordered that he be released unless given a new bond hearing within seven days.

ICE arrested Heriton Da Silva Aredes, a Brazilian national who had previously been deported in 2008 and later reentered the U.S., during a targeted operation in Taunton, Massachusetts. ICE stated he had prior convictions and was facing a pending charge of negligent vehicular homicide. ICE said local and state authorities released Aredes from custody on three occasions without honoring ICE detainers before he was ultimately arrested at large.

Luis Morales, a Venezuelan pastor who leads four Adventist churches in the Houston area, was detained by ICE agents at George Bush Intercontinental Airport on Aug. 6 while preparing to fly to New York with his wife to visit their daughters. Morales came to the U.S. with his wife, Karina, and their two daughters in 2020 and the family has lived in Houston since 2023. His wife says his Temporary Protected Status was revoked in November 2025, but the family's asylum case remains pending, and they had not received any deportation orders. Morales remains held at an ICE detention center in Livingston, Texas, while his family awaits answers.

Ana Caridad Linares, a 45-year-old woman from Coral Gables, admitted in federal court to falsely impersonating a federal officer by inventing a non-existent "Legal Administrative Specialist" position within ICE and using that fake title to file fraudulent motions with immigration courts requesting dismissal of deportation cases. She collected fees from clients before submitting documents formatted to appear as authentic government filings. The scheme was discovered in February 2024 when an immigration judge flagged one of her motions as fraudulent, leading investigators to trace at least three more similar motions filed during the same period. Linares faces up to three years in prison, with sentencing scheduled for August 20, 2026.

Valeria Saya, a Venezuelan resident of Eagle Pass, Texas, is seeking help to free her father Ronaldo, mother Odalys, and younger brother Ronaldo Jr., who were all detained by ICE within days of each other. Her father was detained at a checkpoint while driving a truck and presented his documents; the family has work permits and Social Security numbers. Her mother and brother were later detained while returning from Laredo to Eagle Pass. Her brother, who is about to graduate high school and wants to be an engineer, has struggled emotionally in detention at Dilley, losing interest in eating and sleeping most of the day. According to Valeria's attorney, the family has strong prospects for release as both parents have no criminal history.

A Maryland federal judge held ICE in civil contempt for wrongfully deporting more than 50 unaccompanied minors in violation of a blanket court order barring their removal. The judge found that subsequent efforts to bring some of the minors back did not remedy the initial violation.

An 11-year-old unaccompanied migrant named Diego appeared alone before an immigration judge in New York City without legal representation, struggling to complete an asylum application in English. The hearing occurred after a federal contract funding legal services for detained immigrant children expired on July 31, leaving thousands of minors to represent themselves. Judge Lisa Ling, a former ICE prosecutor, gave Diego two and a half weeks to file his asylum application or face deportation, despite his expressed fear of returning to Guatemala. Multiple other unaccompanied children, some as young as 11, appeared in court that day without lawyers or adult advocates.

Ibrahim Mohammed, a 43-year-old Ethiopian national who legally entered the U.S. in 2014 and was granted asylum, was ordered deported following a child sexual abuse conviction. Federal officials attempted to deport him to third countries (Eswatini, Equatorial Guinea, and Central African Republic) rather than his country of origin. U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles ordered Mohammed released from Angola's Camp 57 immigration detention facility in February after finding ICE had no viable deportation plan and violated his due process rights. Despite the judge's explicit warnings and orders, ICE agents rearrested Mohammed twice more in subsequent months—in April after two African nations agreed to accept him, and again last week in Maryland—each time failing to serve required deportation papers or conduct credible fear interviews. Judge deGravelles held a hearing on whether to hold DHS officials in civil contempt for repeatedly defying his court orders.

Mohamed Guezoui, born in Algeria, moved to the U.S. after marrying an American citizen. After his marriage ended, he found community through his friend Staci Tighe, whom he met at karaoke. Tighe was struggling through an illness at the time, and Guezoui visited her daily to offer support before his arrest. While working his shift at King Kabab restaurant in West Virginia, three masked ICE officers arrested him at his workplace. He was eventually deported. His detention marked the beginning of Operation Country Roads, a DHS enforcement sweep that resulted in approximately 600 arrests across West Virginia, primarily relying on local law enforcement cooperation.