Human Impact Project

Omar, a 22-year-old man, is raising funds after his father was detained by Customs and Border Patrol in Ontario, California on January 26th. Omar describes his father as his only source of financial support. The fundraiser aims to cover legal costs for the father's case as well as Omar's housing expenses.

Luis Roldan-Cerda, a DACA recipient, was detained and deported by ICE on February 17, 2026, after attending a biometric appointment for his U visa application at an immigration office in McAllen, Texas. He was deported to Reynosa, Mexico, and spent more than five weeks stranded there, witnessing cartel violence in the city. A federal judge ordered his return to the United States, and he was reunited with his wife Denisse Garcia and their children. Roldan-Cerda, who was brought to the U.S. at age three, said he was grateful to be back with his family and planned to return to his job as an electrician.

Four men were detained during an ICE operation at a construction site in Altoona, Wisconsin on February 17, 2026. One was arrested at the scene; three fled to a neighboring residence where ICE deployed tear gas against unarmed individuals before arresting them. The men are now in ICE custody facing deportation proceedings while their families have lost their primary income sources.

Erasmo Ibuado-Reyes, an undocumented immigrant and primary breadwinner for his family of four including two disabled children, was arrested by ICE agents while on his way to work. A federal magistrate judge praised his 20-year work history and family dedication at his hearing and ordered his release from criminal custody. However, he was transferred to immigration custody and deported to Mexico on March 7, leaving his wife and children behind.

Niury Guerra, a Cuban national and wife of a U.S. citizen, was detained by ICE during a scheduled green card interview appointment in Dallas. ICE cited a 2018 removal after an attempted unauthorized entry with a fraudulent passport and a 2022 unauthorized re-entry as the basis for her arrest. Guerra has no criminal record beyond immigration violations and remains held at a detention center approximately 200 miles from her family, including her 15-month-old daughter. Rafael Alambarrio, a Venezuelan asylum seeker and husband of a McKinney elementary school teacher, was detained by ICE on January 15, 2026 during a routine check-in appointment at the Dallas ICE office. He had a credible fear determination from 2023, was seeking asylum, and was waiting for his green card application to be processed as the spouse of a U.S. citizen. His detention occurred after the Trump administration paused processing of green card applications from 19 countries including Venezuela. He is now held at Prairieland Detention Facility awaiting a hearing scheduled for February 3, 2026.

Juan Martin Espindola Ramirez, a 27-year-old Nashville plumber with a legal work permit and no criminal record, was detained by ICE on February 17 while on his way to work. He has a newborn at home and was reportedly a crime victim granted a U visa; he was applying for a green card at the time of his arrest. The detention sparked community support and a GoFundMe fundraiser, while DHS issued a statement defending the arrest.

Ludovic Mbock, a 38-year-old competitive gamer from Cameroon, was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on February 17, 2026, during a routine work permit renewal check-in at the Baltimore ICE office. Mbock legally entered the U.S. as a teenager and has lived in Maryland for 18 years. He was transferred across multiple states during 25 days in detention. His lawyer and family fear deportation to Cameroon, where same-sex activity is criminalized and he faces danger as an openly gay man. A federal judge ruled he will be held for 10 days pending a bond hearing in Immigration Court.

An illustration depicts a firsthand account from an ICE detainee describing a traffic stop encounter in which an ICE officer allegedly destroyed their work permit and state driver's license.

Detainees at the CoreCivic-run Otay Mesa Detention Center threw handwritten notes attached to lotion bottles, deodorant bottles, and batteries over the facility fence to reach organizers and protesters holding weekly vigils outside. The notes alleged harsh conditions including going 280 days without fresh fruit, constant sickness, cold temperatures, inadequate medical care, confinement in small cages for discipline, and indefinite detention without court hearings. Detainees described living in one large room with no windows. Rep. Juan Vargas attempted to inspect the facility to investigate the allegations but was denied entry by officials citing ICE authority, and San Diego County supervisors were similarly denied access. The notes stopped after ICE restricted detainees' outdoor recreation time during the vigils.

Two men were arrested by ICE agents outside a church in Union City, New Jersey over the weekend. According to the church pastor, both men had been in the United States for over 10 years and were active church members. Local leaders and the congressional representative expressed concern about the tactics used, with officials saying the men were targeted for being undocumented.

Dmytro Kulyk, a 39-year-old Ukrainian father who fled the war and legally entered the U.S. in late 2023 under the Uniting for Ukraine program, was detained by ICE agents in a Walmart parking lot in the Minneapolis area on January 1, 2026, while loading groceries. He had been supporting his family by working as a delivery driver and doing roofing work. While his wife and daughter's applications for conditional release/re-parole were approved, Kulyk's application remained pending at the time of his arrest. His immigration attorney suggested the delay may have been intentional to create grounds for his deportation, noting he has no criminal record and followed all required legal procedures. He is being held at Kandiyohi County Jail in Willmar, Minnesota, and fears being deported back to Ukraine, where he could be forced to fight in the war, while his family worries they could also face detention.

A Cameroonian asylum seeker who fled persecution by the military presented himself at the U.S.-Mexico border on February 16, 2026, and was placed in immigration detention. He received a positive credible fear determination and was granted withholding of removal under the Convention Against Torture, but an Immigration Judge found him inadmissible and denied asylum. After 17 months in detention and two failed removal attempts (to Canada and Equatorial Guinea), the court ordered his immediate release under supervision, finding removal no longer reasonably foreseeable.

Alex Umanzor, a 45-year-old construction worker from Honduras, was detained by ICE on February 16, 2026, at a Walmart in Suffolk County while on a routine shopping trip. He is currently held at Delaney Hall Detention Facility in New Jersey. His detention has forced his family to make major adjustments, including plans to relocate to Maryland, and his eldest son has assumed responsibility for caring for his two younger sisters, ages 10 and 2. The family has raised nearly $7,000 through a GoFundMe campaign to help cover legal fees and expenses.

Juan, a 21-year-old from Guatemala seeking asylum, was pulled over by Olathe Police Officer Todd Boyer on February 16, 2026 for speeding and driving without a license. Boyer violated department policy by calling an ICE hotline and providing the exact stop location, leading to Juan's detention and subsequent deportation to Guatemala. Police Chief Mike Butaud confirmed the policy violation. As of June 2026, Boyer remained employed at the Olathe Police Department.

Eight migrants from Kenya, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Ethiopia, Angola, and Zimbabwe were deported to Cameroon on February 16, 2026, as part of a secret third-country removal program. They were held in detention in Yaoundé without documentation, due process, or contact with attorneys, and faced conditions including inadequate food and coercion to 'voluntarily' return to their home countries.

Efrem Yemane Berhe, a Cincinnati business owner and father of two from Eritrea, was detained by ICE agents outside his home on February 16, 2026, after living legally in the U.S. for 15 years. His detention stems from a civil immigration matter related to a prior marriage. A judge denied his bond request on March 5 citing flight risk concerns, and his family is appealing the decision while he awaits a green card hearing scheduled for April 30.

More than 80 Minnesotans filed a lawsuit detailing use-of-force and intimidation by ICE agents. The lawsuit documents incidents involving excessive force and intimidation tactics used during enforcement operations in Minnesota.

Jairo Garcia-Hernandez, a 27-year-old from Guatemala, died on February 16 at Larkin Community Hospital in Miami while in ICE custody. He collapsed unexpectedly and became unresponsive despite life-saving efforts. According to ICE officials, Garcia-Hernandez had a long history of severe medical complications and was in poor health when taken into custody in January 2025 following a 2024 weapons conviction. The exact cause of death remains under investigation.

A grand jury indicted Braulio Jara-Alvarez on federal gun and drug charges after his arrest by Topeka police on an ICE detainer in February 2026. Jara-Alvarez faces charges including unlawful reentry after deportation, methamphetamine possession with intent to distribute, and illegal firearm possession. ICE took custody of Jara-Alvarez on February 20 following his arrest at the Shawnee County Jail.

ICE stopped a vehicle on Interstate 35 at the 19th Street exit in Moore. During the stop, a father was taken into custody by ICE while his 17-year-old son was left alone on the side of the highway.