Human Impact Project

Fernando Alves Rocha, a 45-year-old Brazilian theater manager at Juanita High School in Kirkland, was arrested by ICE on July 18 after overstaying a tourist visa he entered in August 2018. He filed an asylum application in February 2019, one day before his visa expired, and has maintained a valid work permit since then. Director Rose Cano described him as well-loved at the high school and a good mentor to students. According to witness accounts, ICE agents pulled Rocha from his vehicle and threw him to the ground during the arrest. ICE alleged he is wanted by Brazilian law enforcement for theft, but his attorney stated they were not shown evidence of any crimes. The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees Local 15 raised $36,405 through GoFundMe to support his legal fight and help secure his $10,000 bond. On July 29, Immigration Court Judge Tammy Fitting granted the bond, citing his strong community ties, pending asylum claim, and lack of danger to the community or flight risk. Rocha was released from Northwest Detention Center on July 30.

A Hmong refugee who arrived in the United States in 1978 at age five was detained by ICE on July 30, 2025, during a routine annual check-in and later deported to Laos. She died in Laos, according to a June 26, 2026 statement from the Southeast Asian Freedom Network. Her green card had expired in 1995 and was revoked in 2007, and she is survived by her husband, Scott Bailey, and their four children.

A Korean-born researcher and longtime U.S. legal permanent resident was detained by immigration officials at San Francisco International Airport for a week without explanation. According to his lawyer, he was denied access to an attorney during his detention.

A Laotian refugee who entered the U.S. in 1981 was detained by ICE in July 2025 after 25 years of supervised release following a removal order. The court found the government failed to demonstrate changed circumstances or significant likelihood of removal, violating immigration law. Chief Judge Stephanie Rose ordered his immediate release and restoration to supervised release status.

Tae Heung "Will" Kim, a Korean American green card holder who has lived in the U.S. since age 5 and whose mother is a U.S. citizen, was detained by CBP at San Francisco International Airport on July 21, 2025, upon returning from his brother's wedding in South Korea. He is a Ph.D. candidate at Texas A&M University researching a vaccine for Lyme disease. Kim was held for more than a week without access to legal counsel, his asthma medication, sunlight, or a bed to sleep in, with lights kept on continuously in his holding room, before being transferred to detention facilities in Arizona and Texas. His attorney, Eric Lee, said a CBP supervisor told him the Constitution did not apply to Kim and that deportation proceedings were based on a 2011 misdemeanor marijuana charge for which Kim had completed community service.

Tae Heung "Will" Kim, a 40-year-old Korean American legal permanent resident and Ph.D. candidate at Texas A&M University studying infectious disease, was detained by CBP at San Francisco Airport upon returning from his brother's wedding in South Korea. He was held at the airport for more than a week without access to legal counsel, sleeping on a chair with lights on 24 hours, and denied contact with the outside world. Kim was subsequently transferred to ICE detention facilities in Arizona and Texas. His attorney states the cited reason for arrest was a 2011 marijuana possession conviction, though Kim had completed community service and had the record sealed; the government used it anyway. He faces a September 4 deportation hearing.

An 82-year-old man from Pennsylvania was deported to Guatemala after being apprehended during a visit to an ICE office to replace his lost green card. He had lived in the U.S. for nearly 40 years and was granted political asylum in 1987. His family initially could not locate him and later learned he was in a hospital in Guatemala. Guatemala has an agreement with the Trump administration to receive deported immigrants of other nationalities.

Lewelyn Dixon, a lab technician at UW Medicine who arrived from the Philippines at age 14 and held a green card for more than 50 years, was detained by Customs and Border Protection at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on Feb. 28, 2025, while returning from a family trip to the Philippines. Her attorney said the detention stemmed from a 2001 nonviolent embezzlement conviction for which she had already served her sentence and paid restitution, though it had never before affected her travel or green card renewals. She spent nearly three months at the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma, where she described conditions as 'horrific' and 'super crowded' and spent time helping other detainees and forming friendships, including with an Afghan woman who gave her a beaded bracelet. Immigration Judge Tammy Fitting ruled on May 29, 2025 that Dixon should not be deported, citing her decades as a lawful permanent resident, community ties, and arrival as a child. Family, coworkers, and union supporters from SEIU Local 925 rallied outside the detention center and celebrated her release. About a month later, Dixon applied for U.S. citizenship, passed her interview in October, and took the Oath of Allegiance on July 20. Her niece, Donna Cristobal, said, 'I'm relieved now that she's documented and doesn't have to go through this again... It was a really bad time for us, the whole family.'

Zia S., 35, an Afghan immigrant and father of five who served as a translator for U.S. troops for five years, was detained by ICE agents in July outside a USCIS office in East Hartford while submitting biometric information for his green card application. He was released from ICE custody on Oct. 14 and reunited with his family in Connecticut, according to U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal's office. Zia, his wife, and children fled Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover in 2021, fearing retribution for his work with U.S. forces, and arrived legally in the U.S. in October 2024 on humanitarian parole with approved Special Immigrant Visa applications. Blumenthal said he will continue pushing for Zia to secure a clear pathway to permanent legal status for himself and his family.

Juana McIntosh, a Guatemalan national and spouse of a U.S. Air Force member, was detained by ICE during a green card interview appointment at a USCIS office in Atlanta while her husband was deployed overseas. She had been granted Parole in Place as a military spouse and was in the process of adjusting her status when she was taken into custody based on a previous removal order from 2012.

Mahdi Khanbabazadeh, a 38-year-old Iranian chiropractor, was detained by ICE on July 15, 2025, while dropping his child off at Guidepost Montessori School in Beaverton, Oregon. Video footage shows Khanbabazadeh pleading with ICE agents to allow his child to exit the car before his arrest. After he stopped cooperating, ICE officers broke his car window to take him into custody. Khanbabazadeh entered the U.S. on a student visa; ICE claims he overstayed it, while his family states he is married to a U.S. citizen and has already applied and interviewed for a green card. He is currently held at the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma, Washington. His detention occurred as part of a broader surge in ICE arrests of Iranian immigrants under the Trump administration.

Rami Othmane, a 36-year-old Tunisian man married to Dr. Wafaa Alrashid, chief medical officer at Pasadena's Huntington Hospital, was arrested by ICE agents on July 13 while driving to a grocery store in Pasadena. Alrashid witnessed the arrest over FaceTime and followed his location by car. He was held for 13 days at the downtown L.A. ICE facility despite a settlement requiring detainees be held no more than 12 hours, describing conditions including an open toilet, concrete floor sleeping, no toothbrush, minimal food, and extreme cold while suffering from a brain tumor. Othmane has lived in the U.S. since 2015; his prior deportation order was dismissed in 2020, and he and Alrashid married in March 2025 and filed for a green card. After his transfer to an Arizona detention center and 13 additional days there, he was released on bail with an ankle monitor.

Lee Stinton, a 45-year-old Irish hairstylist from Northern Ireland who had lived in Key West since 2018, was detained by ICE on June 12 after being stopped for a traffic violation on his e-bike. During the stop, an ICE officer told him "You look Mexican" before taking him into custody. Stinton had valid work authorization and a pending green card application through VAWA (Violence Against Women Act) protection after his previous marriage ended in domestic violence charges. An ICE officer also threatened to detain Stinton's partner, DeVaun Davis, a U.S. Postal Service mail carrier and U.S. citizen, after seeing his photo on Stinton's phone. At Krome Detention Center near Miami, Stinton was held in severely overcrowded conditions—a cell designed for 10 people held approximately 100 men on a concrete floor with one toilet—denied vegan food despite being vegan, given limited access to showers and medications, and experienced obstacles contacting a lawyer. During his detention, Stinton was taken to a hospital where subdermal piercings were surgically removed without his consent while he was shackled to a bed. He also witnessed a detainee die after not receiving heart medication. Stinton is a valued community member with no criminal record who had been paying taxes since 2019; a local petition for his release drew over 1,500 signatures. After approximately one month in detention, Stinton was deported to London on July 12 and returned to Northern Ireland, where he has since engaged in therapy and part-time work. His case drew international attention with coverage in the BBC, Belfast Telegraph, and other outlets.

Eduardo Guzman Garcia was pulled over in Henry County on July 9, 2025, for a broken brake light while driving his toddler to school, then taken to jail for driving without a license. The Henry County Sheriff's Office said it was required to notify Homeland Security after finding a DHS detainer on him, and ICE agents arrested him at the jail with a warrant; the Henry County Police Department said it never contacted ICE. His wife, Amanda Guzman, said he came to the U.S. from Mexico more than 20 years ago and has spent six years working through the immigration process toward a green card, with a final interview pending. He has remained at an ICE facility in Atlanta since July 11, 2025, leaving behind their three children and a fourth on the way, as Amanda manages a high-risk pregnancy.

Ward Sakeik, a 22-year-old stateless Palestinian woman married to a U.S. citizen, was released from ICE detention on July 2, 2025, after being detained for nearly five months starting in February when she returned from her honeymoon. Sakeik, who has lived in the U.S. since age 8, was arrested at St. Thomas Airport in the U.S. Virgin Islands while under an order of supervision and with a green card application pending. The government attempted to deport her twice, including once while a federal court order was in place, before releasing her.

A client of attorney George Rios was detained in July 2025 during a scheduled green card interview at the Fresno USCIS office. The client arrived with his wife, a U.S. citizen, but she was asked to step into the waiting area before ICE agents detained him. He was driven across the border at age four and presented himself to immigration officials, which counted as legal entry. Rios believes the real reason for detention was the client's criminal history, though the client has no criminal convictions and has been in the U.S. for at least 10 years, maintained good moral character, and is eligible for his green card. He is currently detained at a McFarland detention facility. His wife is a U.S. citizen, and his youngest child is less than a year old. Rios must prove several requirements at a hearing to give his client a chance to stay in the country, arguing that deportation would cause extreme hardship on his wife and children.

Arpineh Kamal Masihi, an Iranian-born refugee with a prior theft conviction, was detained by ICE for 187 days at the Adelanto ICE Processing Center after her green card was revoked. Her husband Arthu Sahakyan has stated he would continue to support Trump and his immigration enforcement policies.

Johnny Noviello, a 49-year-old Canadian permanent resident and U.S. citizen since 1991, died on June 23, 2025, in ICE custody at Federal Detention Center Miami after being detained for approximately 40 days. He was arrested by ICE on May 15 in Daytona Beach and transferred to the Miami facility on May 19 following a 2023 drug trafficking conviction and faced removal proceedings. An autopsy determined he died from acute kidney failure caused by calcium oxalate crystal deposits. Six kidney specialists concluded the death was preventable, noting symptoms would have been detectable for days and treatable through dialysis. ICE records documented he had health issues including hypertension, convulsions, and abnormal vital signs during detention. A complaint alleges Bureau of Prisons medical staff failed to document an evaluation or create a treatment plan after he appeared dizzy and unstable. The FBI is investigating his death.

Johnny Noviello, a 49-year-old Canadian lawful permanent resident who had lived in Florida for nearly four decades, died on June 23, 2025, while in ICE custody at the Federal Detention Center Miami. Noviello was arrested by ICE on May 15, 2025, following drug trafficking and related criminal convictions, and was awaiting removal proceedings. During his approximately five-week detention, Noviello—who had epilepsy, hypertension, and mental health concerns—reported health issues and symptoms of illness but did not receive adequate medical monitoring or treatment. He was found unresponsive in the afternoon and pronounced dead after CPR and emergency response efforts failed. An autopsy determined the cause of death was acute kidney failure caused by calcium oxalate crystal deposits, which experts concluded was preventable with appropriate medical care. A complaint alleges that Bureau of Prisons health staff failed to properly evaluate, document, or create a treatment plan for Noviello despite observable symptoms. The FBI is investigating his death.

Daniel Ogama Adongo, 37, a Kenyan former linebacker who played for the Indianapolis Colts from 2013 to 2015 and was the first Kenyan-born player to join the NFL, was deported by ICE on June 20, 2025, after overstaying his visa since 2016. Over the past decade, Adongo was arrested multiple times for felony intimidation, battery, disorderly conduct, and criminal mischief. In 2017, a judge ordered a psychiatric examination after he was charged with intimidation and criminal mischief; he was found incompetent to stand trial and was sent to a psychiatric hospital. In 2020, he was convicted of criminal mischief with damage and sentenced to 364 days in jail, ultimately serving six months with credit for time served. An immigration judge ordered his deportation in March 2025. His mother, Betty Adongo, and his attorneys have attributed his legal troubles to mental illness and possible traumatic brain injury from his playing career; medical evaluations indicated acute psychosis and the possibility of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) from repeated head trauma.