Human Impact Project

Victor Diaz, a 36-year-old Nicaraguan restaurant worker, died by suicide in January 2025 while in ICE custody at Camp East Montana in El Paso, Texas. Diaz was initially detained by ICE in Minnesota and transferred to the crowded El Paso facility, where he lost contact with relatives. After reporting harassment from fellow detainees, he was placed in isolation, where he subsequently died by suicide.

Maria Trinidad Loya Medina was detained by ICE on January 10, 2026, after her arrest outside a store in Albany, Oregon, separating her from her family for four months. A federal judge ordered her release on May 7, finding that an immigration judge had abused discretion and violated her due process rights in denying bond. Loya Medina, who has lived in the U.S. for over 20 years and has no criminal record, was the primary caregiver for her husband who had suffered a stroke and her children, one of whom was diagnosed with depression following her detention.

Jeferson Escalona, 19, a former Venezuelan police officer, was arrested by local Texas police in January 2025 for evading arrest and later detained by ICE. He was transferred through Guantanamo Bay to the Bluebonnet detention center, with DHS alleging gang ties based on hand gesture photos without evidence; Escalona denied the claims and sought voluntary return to Venezuela, which was denied. In late March 2025, he was among 17 Venezuelan men deported to El Salvador's CECOT prison, a move that occurred two days after a federal judge issued an order barring deportations of migrants to third countries without notice or a chance to contest removal. His attorney, with the ACLU, raised concerns about the government's allegations and said he was denied due process to challenge them before deportation.

Leonela Marquez started a GoFundMe campaign in January 2025 after her husband, Mario Eduardo Fajardo Aviles, was detained by ICE. She described facing financial hardship including inability to pay rent, buy food, and afford diapers and formula, while also needing to pay thousands in legal fees. The case is one of hundreds of habeas corpus petitions moving through Pittsburgh's federal courthouse, driven by the presence of the Moshannon Valley Processing Center in Clearfield County.

Immigration agents raided a family home in rural Donna, Texas, in January, arresting Julio Orosco and Lucero Garza, who had been living in the country without authorization. Garza was deported to Mexico while Orosco remains in custody. Their six children, ages 11 to 22, have had to assume caretaking and financial responsibilities, with 22-year-old Andrea taking on the role of head of household. Older siblings have set aside plans for college and marriage to work and support the family, while younger siblings have taken on farm chores and have shown signs of withdrawal.