Human Impact Project

Omar Bautista Carvajal, a Colombian immigrant with a valid work permit and no criminal record who had been deemed a low safety risk, was detained by ICE agents in the Chicago area on his way to English class on October 4, 2025, as part of 'Operation Midway Blitz.' His wife, Jasbleidys Hernandez, said his health deteriorated in custody and that ICE did not prioritize his medical needs or meals; an immigration judge ordered his removal on May 5, 2026, and he was deported to Colombia on July 22, 2026. Unable to afford living in the U.S. without his income, Hernandez and their two younger children, including daughter Victoria, departed from O'Hare International Airport to reunite with him, while their 19-year-old son, Juan Jaimes, chose to stay in Chicago, saying he feels his future is there. Bautista Carvajal was among more than 600 people named in a federal class-action lawsuit arguing they should not have been detained, though a court overturned an order for his release before his removal.

Fatima Eminzada, a 24-year-old citizen of Azerbaijan, was detained by ICE on April 4, 2026, and transferred to the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center in Basile, Louisiana. She is pregnant in her first trimester with medical complications including hypothyroidism, possible UTI, and mild anemia. After bond was denied at a redetermination hearing on May 14, 2026, and an immigration judge denied her renewed motion for bond on June 12, 2026, she filed a federal habeas corpus petition on June 25, 2026, represented by attorneys Logan Joseph Duplessis and Giedre Stasiunaite. On July 1, 2026, the court issued a temporary restraining order and ordered ICE respondents to file a medical-status report addressing her current medical conditions, treatment, and access to medical care, with the deadline extended to July 13, 2026.

Approximately 300 immigrants detained at Delaney Hall, a privately operated ICE detention center in Newark, New Jersey, launched a hunger and labor strike beginning May 25, 2026, to protest conditions including spoiled and expired food, inadequate medical care, overcrowding, filthy bathrooms, lack of hot water, and denial of medical treatment. Detainee Elder Guerra, a Guatemalan immigrant, suffered a head injury after slipping in the shower and was placed in isolation rather than receiving proper treatment. Martin Soto, arrested by ICE four months earlier while buying diapers, remained detained despite a judge blocking his removal from the facility. Detainees reported retaliation by facility staff, including beatings, solitary confinement for strikers, and confiscation of personal items. The facility, operated by Community Education Centers, faced scrutiny for a pattern of medical neglect and rights violations, with sustained crowds of protesters gathering outside in solidarity.

Daniel Alejandro Núñez Ramírez, 28, had lived in the U.S. for four years after leaving Venezuela at age 20 and was residing in Jacksonville, Florida. He was detained by ICE during a traffic stop on May 10, 2026, and pressured to sign voluntary deportation papers. He was deported on Flight 164, which landed in Venezuela on June 24, 2026, and he was subsequently placed by Venezuelan authorities in a hotel used to house deportees. Hours after his arrival, an earthquake collapsed the hotel, killing him along with dozens of other deportees. His mother, Oswadeliz Núñez Ramírez, a lawyer, said she was not notified of his deportation until after he had already been handed over to Venezuelan intelligence services (Sebin). She recovered his body five days later at an improvised morgue, had him cremated, and later received only a box of his ashes after being unable to retrieve his belongings. The U.S. government said it bore no further responsibility once he left ICE custody.

Marta and 14 other migrants and asylum seekers from Colombia, Peru, and Ecuador were deported by the U.S. to the Democratic Republic of Congo under a third-country agreement. Marta has described solitary confinement and a lack of due process, alongside ongoing emotional strain, power cuts, lack of clean water, and frequent illness. Another deportee, Carlos Rodelo, had been granted protection under the UN Convention Against Torture but was still detained and deported. A human rights researcher in the DRC has said the arrangement lacks a legal basis under international refugee protections.

A 36-year-old man arrived with his wife for a routine asylum check-in appointment at the Miramar ICE office on June 28, where they had been reporting for five years. He was taken into custody and spent three days in an overcrowded room with approximately 70 other people, with barely any water or food and a single toilet, while his wife remained outside. His case was cited among a series of complaints from relatives, attorneys and activists that detainees are being held for days at the Miramar facility, which lacks beds and adequate food or water for overnight stays. Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz made an unannounced visit to the site and described conditions as "horrific," saying detainees were "packed in like sardines."

Carlos Iván Mendoza Hernández was shot seven times by ICE agents during a traffic stop in Patterson, Stanislaus County, California on April 8, 2026. According to dashcam video and eyewitness accounts, Hernández reversed away from officers who had drawn weapons, then drove forward as agents opened fire; ICE stated he attempted to run over agents with his vehicle. While hospitalized at Doctors Medical Center in Modesto, FBI agents accessed his HIPAA-protected medical records without clear authorization or warrant, prompting concerns from his federal public defenders. After discharge, Hernández was arrested by the FBI and placed in solitary confinement at California City Detention Center with his gunshot wound injuries remaining unaddressed. On June 27, 2026, he was removed from the facility for a scheduled medical appointment to evaluate bullet fragments, but his family received no updates for hours and the detention center refused to confirm his whereabouts or safety.

Wilbur Garcia, an 18-year-old honors high school graduate from South Los Angeles, was detained by ICE during an asylum appointment scheduled one day after his graduation. Garcia, whose family fled political persecution in Nicaragua and has been in the asylum process for years, was held at the Adelanto ICE detention center for over two weeks in poor conditions including sewage overflow in cells and showers, and insufficient food provisions. After public defenders challenged ICE's justification for detaining him—that he was no longer covered under his mother's asylum application upon turning 18—a judge ordered his release on June 26. Garcia said he was helped by older detainees who treated him like family. He plans to pursue pre-med classes in college.

A 44-year-old man from Ukraine suffered a stroke while in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody and did not receive suitable medical care despite showing clear signs of medical emergency, including seizure-like movements. The case was highlighted in a joint report by Human Rights Watch and Physicians for Human Rights documenting that the rate of people dying in ICE custody has reached its highest level in over a decade, with at least 52 deaths reported since Trump's second term began in January 2025.

Arturo, a Guatemalan man who fled extortion and violence, was detained by ICE while returning home from a work shift. He was scheduled for hernia surgery and has Type II diabetes, but is receiving no medical attention in out-of-state detention. His family—wife Maricel and three children—faces financial hardship due to loss of his income.

An ICE detainee held at California City Immigration Processing Center filed a habeas corpus petition challenging his detention. He received an initial bond hearing on March 17, 2026, where the immigration court determined he was a flight risk and danger to the community. At a second hearing on May 28, 2026, the immigration court denied his bond redetermination request by claiming lack of jurisdiction based on mandatory detention. The federal court ordered respondent to determine his eligibility for a bond hearing under 8 C.F.R. § 1003.19(e) within seven days and, if eligible, to conduct the hearing within fourteen days, or immediately release him.

A 39-year-old man from Mexico died from cardiac arrest likely caused by septic shock after his requests for medical help regarding an infected abscess were mishandled while in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody. The case was documented in a joint report by Human Rights Watch and Physicians for Human Rights examining deaths in ICE facilities, which found that at least 52 deaths have been reported in ICE custody since January 2025, with the mortality rate up 140 percent compared to the previous year.

Anderson Daniel Salcedo, 22, a construction worker who had lived in the U.S. for three years, was deported to Venezuela on June 24, 2026 via Flight 164. Upon arrival, he was taken to Hotel Santuario La Llanada in La Guaira for processing. Twin earthquakes struck hours later, collapsing the hotel. Salcedo was trapped in the rubble for 40 hours without access to his phone or documents—which had been withheld by authorities—leaving his family unable to locate or contact him during the crisis. He was rescued and admitted to Caracas's university hospital, where both of his legs were amputated due to his injuries.

A Belizean asylum seeker has been detained by ICE at the California City Detention Facility in Kern County for nearly two years. In a Los Angeles Times op-ed, he described inhumane conditions including forced labor, medical neglect, and retaliation for advocating for others' medical care, and he has filed habeas petitions resulting in the release of several other detainees. His first habeas petition was granted, leading a federal court to order the government to provide him a bond hearing; he has since filed a second petition challenging his continued detention and the constitutional adequacy of that hearing. A federal judge in the Eastern District of California denied, without prejudice, his request for appointed counsel while granting him more time to reply in the case.

A 43-year-old woman from China who came to the U.S. seeking refuge wrote in a court declaration that she was suffering inside Otay Mesa Detention Center and pleaded with a judge for help, stating she never expected to experience inhumane treatment in the country where she sought protection. Her case was documented in habeas corpus petitions filed to challenge detention and detention conditions.

A man from Azerbaijan was detained at Otay Mesa Detention Center and hospitalized for nine days due to acute gastrointestinal distress. He experienced nausea and severe pain and was severely intolerant of the facility's food, causing him to lose approximately 20 pounds while detained. His case was documented in habeas corpus petitions challenging detention conditions.

A 34-year-old Pakistani woman with asthma and anxiety was detained at Otay Mesa Detention Center where she experienced panic attacks that knocked her unconscious and suffered numerous head injuries. She was hospitalized for three days while detained. In a court declaration, she expressed fear that her condition would worsen and stated she feared dying from lack of breathing. Her case was documented in habeas corpus petitions challenging her detention.

A woman from Mexico who uses a cane to walk was injured at Otay Mesa Detention Center after staff mixed up her prescription medication with another detainee's laxative. She rushed to the bathroom and fell, further injuring her knee, back and hips. Her case was documented in habeas corpus petitions filed to challenge detention.

A 33-year-old Iranian man with serious neurological issues was detained at Otay Mesa Detention Center where his treatment was minimally managed by facility physicians. He reported being handcuffed and shackled for extended periods during numerous medical appointments. His case was documented in habeas corpus petitions challenging detention conditions.

A 47-year-old Somali man married to a U.S. citizen was detained at Otay Mesa Detention Center and missed a scheduled hip surgery because of his detention. The case was documented in habeas corpus petitions filed as part of court challenges to detention amid immigration enforcement operations.