HUMSI — Human Security Initiative

Human Impact Project

A living database documenting reported immigration enforcement incidents and their human impact.

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1074 incidents with known locations

34-year US resident detained with no country to deport him to

Jun 9, 2025Estancia, NMKazakhstan

Sergei Izbitski, a 46-year-old who has lived in the U.S. for 34 years after leaving Kazakhstan as a boy, was arrested by ICE on June 9 and transported to the Torrance County Detention Facility in Estancia, New Mexico. Izbitski is not a Kazakhstani citizen, making deportation impossible. He has no criminal history and operated a successful painting and remodeling business in New Jersey. After a prior deportation attempt failed, he was placed on immigration supervision. A U.S. Magistrate Judge recommended his release on conditions, though his case remained pending. Izbitski is among more than 100 individuals detained in New Mexico challenging the Trump administration's interpretation of immigration law that subjects long-term residents to mandatory detention without bond hearings.

34-year US resident detained indefinitely with no country willing to accept him

Jun 9, 2025Estancia, NMKazakhstan

Sergei Izbitski, a 46-year-old who has lived in the U.S. for 34 years after fleeing Kazakhstan as a boy, was arrested by ICE on June 9 and transported to the Torrance County Detention Facility in Estancia, New Mexico. Izbitski cannot be deported because he is not a Kazakh citizen and no country will accept him. He ran a successful painting and remodeling business in New Jersey, has no criminal history, and had been complying with immigration supervision. Despite a federal magistrate judge recommending his release on conditions, he remained detained indefinitely as of the article's publication. His case is among more than 100 similar cases in New Mexico where long-term residents are being held without bond hearings.

U.S. citizen Angel Piña arrested by ICE in Southern California operation

Jun 8, 2025

Angel Piña, a U.S. citizen, was arrested by ICE and Border Patrol agents in June or July and filed a federal tort claim on August 20 alleging racial profiling and wrongful arrest. Charges against him have been dismissed. He is one of six claimants represented by the Carrillo Law Firm alleging racial profiling by ICE and Border Patrol in Southern California.

Russian Man Re-Detained by ICE After Being Released on Parole

Jun 8, 2025Russia

Dzhakhar Aslambekov, a 27-year-old Russian citizen, entered the US in February 2024 and was initially released on parole in March 2024. In June 2025, ICE re-arrested him through a targeted enforcement operation after he had been working as a delivery driver and complying with immigration proceedings. The court ordered his immediate release, finding his re-detention without a hearing violated his Fifth Amendment due process rights.

El Salvador Man Detained During ICE Traffic Stop in North Hills

Jun 3, 2025North Hills, CAEl Salvador

A 50-year-old El Salvador citizen who has lived in the U.S. for approximately 20 years was detained by ICE agents during a traffic stop in North Hills, California on June 3, 2025. ICE agents pulled over his vehicle, asked for documentation, and took him into custody after he could not establish lawful immigration status. The court granted a temporary restraining order requiring his immediate release from the Adelanto ICE Processing Center where he had been held for over 10 months.

ICE arrests Milford High School student on immigration violation

Jun 2, 2025Milford, MABrazil

An 18-year-old Milford High School student, Marcelo Gomes Da Silva, was detained by ICE agents off campus on Saturday while driving his father's vehicle. Da Silva came to the United States on a student visa in 2012 that has since lapsed, and he intends to apply for asylum. A federal judge ordered he not be moved out of state for 72 hours following a habeas corpus petition filed by his attorney.

Iranian man arrested at home, detained by ICE despite execution order claim

Jun 1, 2025Tempe, AZIran

Mehrzad Asadi Eidivand, a 41-year-old undocumented Iranian resident, was arrested by HSI agents at his home in June without a warrant. He pleaded guilty on August 21 to possessing firearms and ammunition. His attorney claims he faces an execution order in Iran due to his views against the country's Islamist regime. After taking a plea deal with time served and two years' probation, Eidivand was immediately detained by ICE and has been held at Imperial Regional Detention Facility in Calexico, California for three months, where ICE agents have allegedly pressured him to sign a deportation order without legal representation.

Afro-indigenous mother deported after signing misleading document, reunited with children by court order

2025Louisiana, LAHonduras

Sinri Baltazar, a member of the Afro-indigenous Garifuna community from Honduras, was first separated from her then-5-year-old daughter in 2018 under the Trump administration's family separation policy. In 2024-2025, immigration officials presented her with a document they claimed would allow her family to stay together, but it actually facilitated their removal. She was deported with her three children, including one who is a U.S. citizen. Under a federal judge's order in April 2026, she was allowed to return to Louisiana with her three children. The family is currently living with an acquaintance from church while working to reestablish stable housing. Baltazar expressed gratitude that her children could seek a better life but emphasized the family's desire for a safe home of their own.

Immigrant detained after traffic stop in Riverside, family files class-action suit

Jun 1, 2025Riverside, CA

Alberto Perdomo was detained on June 1, 2025, by immigration agents in Riverside while on his way to work. He is currently held at Adelanto Detention Center. Perdomo, the sole provider for his wife and four young children, was taken into custody following a traffic stop. Multiple plaintiffs, including named detainees and immigrant advocacy organizations, filed a class-action lawsuit against DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and other federal officials challenging the detention and recent enforcement sweeps.

Woman granted torture protection remains detained as U.S. seeks Congo deportation

Jun 2025North Louisiana, LA

A 23-year-old South American woman has been held at Richwood Correctional Center in Monroe for over a year despite an immigration judge's June 2025 ruling that she cannot be deported to her home country due to fear of torture based on her queer identity. The Trump administration has since sought to deport her to the Democratic Republic of Congo, a country where she has no connections, does not speak the language, and where LGBTQIA2S+ individuals face persecution. Her sister reports the woman has experienced physical and psychological decline during her prolonged detention.

Judge dismisses deportation case for Mexican father of 3 US Marines

Jun 2025Los Angeles, CAMexico

An immigration judge dismissed the deportation case against Narciso Barranco, a Mexican landscaper arrested in Southern California in June 2025 during a Trump administration immigration crackdown. Barranco, who came to the U.S. in the 1990s without legal status, is now eligible for legal permanent residency based on evidence that he is the father of three U.S.-born sons serving in the military. The Department of Homeland Security announced it would appeal the judge's decision.

Lab technician detained at airport for three months, released and becomes U.S. citizen

May 30, 2025Seattle, WAPhilippines

Lewelyn Dixon, a 64-year-old Filipino green-card holder who had lived in the United States for over 50 years, was detained by CBP at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in late February 2025 after returning from a trip to the Philippines. Dixon worked as a lab technician at the University of Washington. Immigration officials cited criminal cases against her, including a 2000-2001 embezzlement conviction for which she served no jail time and completed restitution payments by 2019. After approximately three months in ICE detention at the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma, Judge Tammy Fitting ruled in May 2025 that Dixon should not be deported and granted her relief available to lawful permanent residents. Following her release, Dixon applied for citizenship to protect herself from future enforcement actions. Her niece stated: "We're not even going to chance it again." On July 20, 2026, Dixon was naturalized as a U.S. citizen, reciting the Oath of Allegiance on her 66th birthday.

Deported Livermore father appeals federal court ruling; family seeks return

May 27, 2025Livermore, CAMexico

Miguel Angel López, a Livermore father deported to Mexico in June 2025, lost a federal court case on a statute of limitations technicality in April 2026. López, who lived in the U.S. for 27 years and worked as a welder, was detained during a routine immigration check-in and deported hours before a court order could have allowed him to stay. His family is pursuing an appeal to the Ninth Circuit Court, with support from U.S. Representative Eric Swalwell, as a final legal pathway for López's return.

Judge dismisses Baraka charges, reprimands prosecutors

May 21, 2025Newark, NJ

A federal judge dismissed trespassing charges against Newark Mayor Ras Baraka related to a standoff at a migrant detention center. The judge stated that the 13-day process from arrest to dismissal was problematic and instructed prosecutors that their duty is to justice and not solely to securing convictions. Baraka had visited Delaney Hall, a facility housing immigrant detainees, as part of an oversight visit with members of Congress. Rep. LaMonica McIver was indicted for allegedly impeding the arrest and assaulting federal officers; she has pleaded not guilty.

U.S. citizen construction worker detained twice by ICE despite presenting valid ID

May 21, 2025Southern Alabama, ALMexico

Leo Garcia Venegas, a U.S. citizen born in Florida, was detained twice by ICE agents while working in construction in southern Alabama in 2025. On May 21, federal agents raided a construction site where Venegas was working, detained him along with Latino coworkers, and dismissed his REAL ID-compliant driver's license as fake, keeping him handcuffed for nearly an hour before confirming his citizenship via Social Security number. On June 12, he was again detained at a residential construction site when officers refused to accept his REAL ID and was released only after they confirmed his lawful status. Venegas has filed a federal lawsuit challenging the raids.

Trump administration returns wrongfully deported Guatemalan migrant

May 21, 2025Phoenix, ArizonaGuatemala

A Guatemalan national identified as O.C.G. who was deported to Mexico has been returned to the United States following a federal judge's order. O.C.G. had sought asylum after experiencing violence in Guatemala and during border transit. He is now in ICE custody while his case challenging third-country deportations proceeds through the courts.

Woman granted asylum detained nearly a year at Eloy, DHS appeals despite legal entry

May 21, 2025Eloy, AZEl Salvador

Marta Alicia Dominguez, 51, from El Salvador, was arrested by Dallas Police in May 2025 on a family dispute charge. After her criminal case was dismissed, ICE placed a detainer and transferred her to custody. She presented herself at the Paso del Norte port of entry in 2017 and was granted entry after a credible fear interview. A judge granted her asylum in October 2025, but DHS filed an appeal and continues to hold her in Eloy Detention Center. She has contracted Hepatitis A and B, lost 30 pounds, and her health has significantly declined while in detention.

Senior citizen detained by ICE faces deportation to Vietnam

May 21, 2025Dorchester, MAVietnam

Dong Van Nguyen, a 64-year-old Vietnamese refugee who fled to the U.S. in 1980, was detained by ICE on May 21, 2025 during a scheduled check-in appointment at the Burlington ICE office. He was enrolled in the alternatives to detention program. Greater Boston Legal Services filed a habeas corpus motion to challenge his detention. Nguyen now faces deportation to Vietnam after 45 years in the United States.

16-year-old from Guinea held in adult ICE detention nearly two months due to clerical error

May 16, 2025PennsylvaniaGuinea

A.D., a 16-year-old from Guinea, was arrested by Suffolk County Police on May 16, 2025, and transferred to ICE, which held him in an adult detention facility at Moshannon Valley Processing Center for nearly two months due to a clerical error. ICE mistakenly believed he was 26 years old based on a secondary school entrance exam document from Guinea that erroneously listed his birth year as 2000, despite multiple federal and state documents—including his passport, birth certificate, and HHS records—showing he was born in May 2009. Federal Judge Marilyn J. Horan ordered ICE to transfer A.D. into the custody of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Refugee Resettlement while conducting an age reassessment. A.D. had fled Guinea in December 2023 after local police threatened to burn down his family home due to their Fulani heritage, and had been living in a foster home overseen by New York City's Administration for Children's Services when he was arrested.

Georgetown postdoctoral fellow detained for Palestinian rights speech, ordered released by federal judge

May 14, 2025

Dr. Badar Khan Suri, an Indian national and postdoctoral fellow at Georgetown University on a valid research visa, was arrested by federal agents on March 17, 2025, outside his home in Arlington, Virginia. Plainclothes ICE agents detained him and transported him over 1,300 miles to detention facilities in Texas, where he remained for nearly two months in poor conditions. The Trump administration cited his social media posts supporting Palestinian rights and his wife's family connection to Gaza as grounds for visa revocation. On May 14, 2025, Federal Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles ordered his release on bond, ruling that his statements constituted constitutionally protected political speech, that the First Amendment applies to noncitizens, and that his detention violated due process protections with no evidence of wrongdoing.

Chelsea family sues ICE for detaining father on Mother's Day

May 11, 2025Chelsea, MAGuatemala

ICE agents surrounded a family's vehicle on Mother's Day, smashed the passenger window, and detained Daniel Flores-Martinez in front of his wife and three children as they drove to church. The agents used unmarked vehicles, some wore vests labeled "police" while others were unmarked, and did not provide a warrant or explain why Flores-Martinez was being arrested. The family filed a complaint seeking $1 million in damages, alleging violations of Fourth and Fifth Amendment rights and that the agents deliberately chose to arrest Flores-Martinez while he was with his family. ICE agents conducted a vehicle stop in Chelsea on Friday morning to detain Jose Ramírez-Perez, who was in the country illegally and facing felony charges. During the stop, agents forcefully detained multiple family members including Hilda Ramírez, a legal permanent resident and mother of a 13-year-old U.S. citizen with autism. Video footage shows agents pressing and dragging Ramírez to the ground, breaking car windows, and temporarily detaining her son, resulting in hospitalization for both mother and child.

Rep. McIver indicted on three counts after ICE facility protest

May 9, 2025Newark, NJ

Rep. LaMonica McIver, D-N.J., was indicted on three counts of forcibly impeding and interfering with federal officers following a May 9 incident at Newark's Delaney Hall ICE detention facility. The indictment, announced June 10 by U.S. Attorney Alina Habba, carries a maximum sentence of 17 years if convicted on all counts. McIver has pleaded not guilty and stated she was conducting lawful congressional oversight duties. McIver and her attorney deny the charges and characterize the prosecution as political retaliation.

Pregnant Colombian woman deported despite medical distress

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May 5, 2025Atlanta, GAColombia

A 21-year-old Colombian woman who was eight months pregnant was deported from Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson airport. She had crossed the U.S.-Mexico border in November seeking asylum but was subject to expedited removal. A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order to stop the deportation, but the order came approximately three hours after the flight had departed.

23-year-old Tasered by Border Patrol agents, charged with assault; prosecutors drop case

May 2025San Diego, CAGuatemala

A 23-year-old woman was detained at a Border Patrol checkpoint on State Route 94 near Dulzura and charged with assaulting a federal officer after agents accused her of pushing an agent and throwing a punch. Body camera footage revealed agents had falsely told her they found "deleted evidence" on her phone, twisted her arm behind her back when she tried to retrieve it, and Tasered her as she turned away to enter a holding cell. The Taser prong struck her breast; her breastmilk was laden with blood for weeks afterward. Federal prosecutors dismissed the charge in August 2025. Her case is one of 10 of 22 assault-on-federal-officer cases dismissed in San Diego during Trump's second term, representing a 45% dismissal rate compared to 8% in Biden's final year.

Chinese man collapsed from unmedicated diabetes and hypertension in ICE detention

May 2025Newark, NJChina

Sen Miao Lin, a 67-year-old Chinese man, was detained at Delaney Hall ICE detention center where he repeatedly asked for but never received medication for his Type 2 diabetes and hypertension for nearly a month. At one point during his detention, he collapsed, lost consciousness, and was rushed to the emergency room. His attorney filed a federal lawsuit alleging this medical neglect in May 2025. His case is one of over 70 lawsuits filed by detainees at Delaney Hall alleging medical neglect and deficiencies at the facility.

ICE Arrests Dozens of Delivery Drivers at San Diego Military Base Gates

May 2025Oceanside, CA

ICE officers arrested dozens of delivery and rideshare drivers at the gates of Camp Pendleton military base in California as part of an "interagency security initiative" launched in May 2025. Many of those detained had temporary permission to work in the U.S. and were employed by apps like Uber, Lyft, DoorDash, and GrubHub. Federal judges have repeatedly found the detentions violated due process, yet the base and ICE continue the practice.

Palestinian advocate detained at naturalization interview, released after judge finds First Amendment violation

Apr 30, 2025

Mohsen Mahdawi, a lawful permanent resident and Columbia University student, was detained by ICE on April 14, 2025, immediately after his naturalization interview at a USCIS field office in Vermont. Federal Judge Crawford ordered his release on April 30, 2025, after finding that the government arrested him in retaliation for his pro-Palestinian speech and activism, violating his First Amendment and due process rights. The Trump administration had targeted him for lawful political speech deemed contrary to U.S. foreign policy. Mahdawi was released on bail pending resolution of his habeas petition, though he may still face deportation proceedings.

Graduate student detained by ICE after university terminated employment, lost visa status

Apr 27, 2025Ann Arbor, MI

Philippe Kame, a Taubman College Master of Architecture student at the University of Michigan, was detained by ICE in April 2025 after losing his F-1 student visa status. Kame claims the university terminated his graduate student instructor position in breach of an employment contract signed in December 2024, leaving him unable to afford tuition for winter 2025 semester and resulting in loss of visa status. He was detained for approximately one month and described being approached by armed officers in tactical gear. After his release on bond on April 27, Kame received support from the Graduate Employees' Organization, which helped him file a grievance against the university, and from over 1,300 community members who signed letters supporting his release. Kame remains enrolled as a student and continues to pursue reinstatement of his GSI position with GEO's support.

ICE Deports 3 U.S. Citizen Children Held Incommunicado

Apr 25, 2025New Orleans, LA

ICE deported at least two families including three U.S. citizen children aged 2, 4, and 7 from New Orleans in early morning operations on April 25, 2025. The families were held without legal access. One child with metastatic cancer was deported without medication and a pregnant mother was deported without prenatal care arrangements. The deportations occurred after ICE reversed course and expedited the process before courts reopened. A habeas corpus petition had been filed.

2-year-old U.S. citizen apparently removed to Honduras with no meaningful process, judge says

Apr 25, 2025New Orleans, LAHonduras

A 2-year-old U.S. citizen was apparently removed to Honduras on Friday with her mother, who had been ordered deported, according to a federal judge in Louisiana. The child's mother, a Honduran national, was seized by ICE on Tuesday morning in New Orleans while attending a scheduled check-in appointment with an Intensive Supervision Appearance Program office. During approximately three days in ICE custody, the mother and her two daughters were separated from family and legal counsel. U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty wrote that the child was sent to Honduras "with no meaningful due process" and expressed "strong suspicion that the Government just deported a U.S. citizen." The mother's attorney stated that ICE mischaracterized the removal as the mother's voluntary choice and that she was pregnant and prevented from contacting lawyers or family to make arrangements.

Pomona barbershop owner released after detention by federal agents

Apr 25, 2025Pomona, CAMexico

Martín Majín was detained by federal agents outside his barbershop in Pomona on Tuesday, with the arrest captured on security camera video showing agents approaching with weapons. He was released Wednesday after an immigration judge granted his release without bail. Majín, who was deported nearly 20 years ago and returned to the United States unauthorized months later, is scheduled to appear before an immigration judge again on May 29 in Los Angeles court.

Family of six detained in windowless Blaine CBP cell for weeks, ACLU says

Apr 22, 2025Blaine, WA

A family of six asylum seekers from southwestern Africa — parents Josefina and José and their four children, ages 13, 10, 5 and 11 months — were held in a single windowless cell at a CBP facility in Blaine, Washington for about a month starting in April 2025, according to an ACLU complaint. Josefina, who was five months into a high-risk pregnancy, was hospitalized twice during the detention after CBP staff allegedly kept her in unsafe conditions despite hospital warnings, and she suffered pregnancy complications. The children reportedly went weeks without mental stimulation or physical activity, and the 13-year-old was allegedly handcuffed when taken to shower. The ACLU of Washington filed a federal claim seeking $15 million in damages from the Department of Homeland Security and Customs and Border Protection, one of 54 such claims filed nationwide in July under the Federal Tort Claims Act.

U.S. citizen wrongfully detained under blocked Florida immigration law

Apr 18, 2025Leon County, FL

Juan Carlos Lopez-Gomez, a 20-year-old U.S. citizen born in Georgia, was arrested by Florida Highway Patrol on April 16, 2025, following a traffic stop for speeding. He was charged under Senate Bill 4C, a state immigration enforcement law that had been temporarily blocked by court order. Despite presenting valid identification documents including a birth certificate and Social Security card, he was held on an ICE detainer at Leon County Jail without food. A judge verified his citizenship and confirmed he had committed no crime, but initially stated the court lacked jurisdiction to release him due to ICE's detainer request. He was released after approximately 24 hours following public advocacy from civil rights advocates, journalists, and elected officials.

Grandfather granted U visa detained for deportation after assisting police investigation

Apr 15, 2025Temple, PAMexico

Erasmo Zavala Almanza, a 50-year-old undocumented Mexican immigrant, was arrested by ICE agents at his home in April 2025 after cooperating with Berks County police in investigating the fatal shooting of his 20-year-old daughter and wounding of his granddaughter in February 2025. Despite applying for a U visa with support from the District Attorney's Office and receiving a favorable bona fide determination from USCIS along with deferred action and work authorization, ICE detained him at Moshannon Valley Processing Center and initiated deportation proceedings. His case reflects a shift under the Trump administration from prior guidance that discouraged arrests of crime victims and witnesses. A federal judge issued a temporary bar on removal while considering whether to grant a preliminary injunction to block deportation.

Georgia mother detained by ICE despite ongoing visa application

Apr 13, 2025Georgia, GA

Jessica Flores Marin, 44, a mother of three who has lived in the United States for 22 years, was detained by ICE on April 13 near her family's home in Georgia. She was taken into custody while an ongoing T visa application was being processed. Her detention came after an immigration judge denied her motion to reopen a decades-old deportation order from 2004.

ICE Detains Construction Supervisor at Court Hearing, Deports Despite Legal Status

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Apr 12, 2025ColoradoMexico

Hugo, a father of five and husband of a U.S. citizen veteran who had lived in the U.S. since age 16, was detained by ICE at a courthouse during what should have been a final hearing for permanent residency. Despite being in an active legal process and authorized to be in the U.S., officials ordered him to continue his case from Mexico and deported him. ICE later admitted the detention was a mistake, but Hugo has been separated from his family.

Indian graduate student's visa revoked over four-year-old traffic conviction, files legal challenge

Apr 7, 2025Rapid City, SDIndia

Priya Saxena, an Indian graduate student at South Dakota Mines, received notification on April 7, 2025 that her visa was revoked as part of a Trump administration criminal records check of international students. The revocation was triggered by a misdemeanor traffic conviction from 2021 for failing to pull over for an emergency vehicle in Meade County; a related DUI charge from the same traffic stop was dismissed after her blood alcohol tested within the legal limit. Saxena had previously disclosed these legal matters when obtaining her most recent visa in 2022. She filed a temporary restraining order against the government seeking a court order to remain in the country after completing her master's and doctoral degrees at the institution.

Venezuelan man with TPS detained illegally for two months, separated from young son

Apr 2, 2025Houston, TXVenezuela

Adrian Gil Rojas, a Venezuelan national, holds Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and has been detained at El Valle Detention Center for more than two months. He has a two-year-old son in the United States whose mother witnessed ICE officers illegally arrest Mr. Gil Rojas approximately two months ago, leaving their young son alone and traumatized. Mr. Gil Rojas also served as a trial witness in a murder case in Clinton County, New York, where he testified despite fears of retaliation and helped secure a conviction. He is challenging his detention through a habeas corpus petition, arguing that 8 U.S.C. § 1254a(d)(4) explicitly prohibits detention of individuals with TPS status on the basis of immigration status. The government claims it can detain him based on speculative predictions that his TPS may expire on April 2, 2025, and that a pending motion to reopen his removal case may be denied, but the petition argues this violates the TPS statute's unambiguous prohibition and that his removal is automatically stayed while the motion remains pending.

Detainees beaten after phone access cut; federal judge orders better legal access

Apr 2, 2025Fort Myers, FL

Attorneys representing detainees at an Everglades facility alleged that guards beat and pepper-sprayed detainees following a protest over lost phone access on April 2. A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction on March 27 requiring improved legal access and expressed frustration with slow compliance efforts during an April 13 status conference. The state and federal governments are appealing the injunction while claiming efforts to comply.

Nicaraguan asylum seeker granted protection from re-detention without hearing

Apr 1, 2025San Bernardino, CANicaragua

A Nicaraguan asylum seeker is a citizen and national of Nicaragua who has lived in the United States since September 2021. He is married and living with his wife in California. He fled Nicaragua after police beat him for participating in anti-government protests, fracturing his arm. He was detained by DHS upon arrival in the US but released in October 2021 on reporting requirements to ICE, which he never missed. On September 14, 2023, he applied for asylum and received work authorization. In April 2025, he reported for a routine ICE appointment and was detained without notice or hearing despite full compliance with check-in requirements. He was transferred between multiple detention facilities where he suffered inhumane conditions, including excessive heat in transport vehicles, contaminated food and water, and injury from handcuffs. An immigration judge released him on a $5,000 bond in June 2025, and he was placed in ICE's Intensive Supervision Appearance Program. On July 13, 2026, the immigration judge denied his asylum application and ordered removal to Nicaragua. He timely appealed. The federal court granted his preliminary injunction, prohibiting ICE from re-detaining him without a pre-detention hearing where the government must prove by clear and convincing evidence that he is a flight risk or danger.

Immigration judge issues 25 deportation orders for minors in single morning

Apr 2025New York, NY

Immigration Judge Jem Sponzo issued 25 deportation orders for minors in a single morning in April 2025 in a downtown New York immigration courtroom, with some hearings lasting only minutes. Among those ordered deported were an 8-year-old girl from Ecuador seeking asylum and SIJS whose mother had already won asylum; a Guatemalan child whose attorney requested more time to prepare evidence for an asylum petition citing an abusive father in the home country; and a high school senior from Guatemala seeking SIJS and asylum. Attorneys reported feeling blindsided by the judge's rapid-fire denials. Sponzo was subsequently fired, becoming one of over 100 immigration judges terminated since Trump returned to office.

Berks County grandfather released from ICE detention after court victory on U visa case

Apr 25, 2026Temple, PAMexico

Erasmo Zavala, a Berks County man who had applied for a U visa after helping law enforcement investigate his daughter's murder, was arrested by ICE in April 2025 despite his pending humanitarian visa application. After nearly two months in ICE detention, including at Moshannon Valley Processing Center, he was released following a court order from Judge Stephanie Haines. His case highlights a dispute over a Trump administration policy rescinding protections for crime victims and witnesses cooperating with law enforcement.

Roofing business owner detained by ICE despite human trafficking victim status and pending T visa

Mar 30, 2025Denver, COHonduras

Rudy Villeda Mejía, a Honduran immigrant who was kidnapped and held for ransom by Los Zetas cartel members for six months in 2010, was arrested by ICE at Denver International Airport on March 30, 2025, while in transit. Villeda Mejía entered the U.S. without authorization following his kidnapping and has since built a roofing business in Washington state with his U.S. citizen wife Mabel Shaffer, caring for her three children. He attended routine immigration check-ins consistently from August 2018 until his arrest and has no criminal history. His attorney filed a T visa application—the legal pathway available to human trafficking victims—which represents his only lawful way to remain with his family. Since his detention at an ICE facility in Aurora, Colorado, his wife has struggled to manage their roofing business while dealing with a hip displacement that requires his full-time care, the business has lost contracts, and Villeda Mejía has experienced health concerns including weight loss due to limited food options and outdoor access. A federal judge denied his habeas corpus petition and request to pause deportation pending appeal, and ICE has indicated he will remain in custody pending deportation despite the pending T visa application.

Iranian political activist detained, tortured in Iran, faces deportation from U.S.

Mar 20, 2025TXIran

Asad Esmaeily, a 35-year-old Iranian political activist, was detained and tortured by Iranian authorities for organizing protests and distributing materials opposing the regime—officials fractured the bone above his eyebrow and subjected him to waterboarding. He fled Iran with his pregnant wife, Farzaneh Nazi, traveling through South and Central America and arriving at the U.S. border on March 20, 2025. Nazi was released on parole due to her pregnancy, but Esmaeily remained in ICE detention. His asylum claim was denied, and his case is being appealed through an immigration court system that has denied relief to hundreds of others.

Iraqi National Detained by ICE, Granted Habeas Relief After Incarceration

Mar 18, 2025Iraq

An Iraqi citizen and national was detained by ICE on March 18, 2025 after serving sentences for felony firearm possession and assault convictions. He was informed he would be deported to Iraq pursuant to an administrative removal order, but claimed he could not return due to fears of torture. Despite an initial credible fear finding, an Immigration Judge denied his Convention Against Torture relief and ordered his removal to Iraq on November 20, 2025. The court granted his habeas petition and ordered his immediate release from immigration detention.

Honduran SIJS holder deported despite status, ordered returned to detention in Texas

Mar 18, 2025MTHonduras

José Eliezer Martínez-Andino, a young Honduran man with Special Immigrant Juvenile Status and a work permit, was stopped by Border Patrol agents in a car crossing Montana in March 2025 over an alleged forged license plate. Despite trying to withdraw a voluntary departure form he says he signed out of fear, he was deported to Honduras in April, separating him from his 3-year-old U.S.-citizen daughter and family in Raleigh, North Carolina. A federal judge later ordered the government to bring him back, calling his removal a case that 'boggles the mind,' but when he returned in August he was sent to an ICE detention facility in Texas rather than home, and DHS has filed a new removal case against him.

Mexican mother of three detained after ICE reinstates challenged removal order

Mar 17, 2025Aurora, COMexico

A 43-year-old Mexican citizen who has lived in the U.S. since 1997 was detained on March 17, 2025, at the GEO Group's ICE Processing Center in Aurora, Colorado. She is the mother of three U.S. citizen children. In 2011, an Immigration Judge denied her cancellation of removal application but granted her voluntary departure with 60 days to leave. She appealed that decision, which tolled her departure period. In September 2012, while her appeal was pending, she traveled to Mexico to see her dying mother; her departure was deemed a withdrawal of the appeal, triggering her timely compliance with the voluntary departure order. She returned to the U.S. in April 2013 without inspection and was subsequently apprehended and charged criminally. On July 24-25, 2013, ICE issued a Form I-871 purporting to reinstate her prior removal order, but the petition alleges the reinstatement was procedurally deficient because it was signed before she was notified of her right to challenge it. ICE granted her a stay of removal on August 8, 2013, which has been repeatedly extended since then. She is now challenging her detention through a habeas corpus petition, arguing she has no valid removal order and therefore no statutory authority supports her detention.

Chicago high school senior and mother detained at immigration court

Mar 16, 2025Chicago, ILColombia

Ricardo Navarrete, an 18-year-old Chicago high school senior, and his mother Liliana were detained outside Chicago Immigration Court on March 16 after being told to come sign papers. Both had active asylum cases and no criminal records. They were from Colombia and arrived in the U.S. in 2022. Ricardo has been transported multiple times between facilities and placed in solitary confinement; he and his mother are currently separated in different facilities in Kentucky.

12 restaurant workers arrested without warrants in federal immigration operation

Mar 14, 2025Liberty, MO

Twelve restaurant workers at a Mexican restaurant in Liberty, Missouri were barricaded inside by armed Department of Homeland Security agents and arrested without warrants. According to legal documents filed by attorneys, federal agents allegedly created arrest documents retroactively to justify the warrantless arrests. The operation violates the Nava Settlement, which covers Missouri along with five other states including Illinois. Attorneys argue this represents an attempt to evade settlement protections limiting warrantless ICE arrests.

Man detained at home without warrant; federal agents created arrest paperwork after fact

Mar 14, 2025Lyons, IL

Abel Orozco-Ortega, 47, was detained outside his home in Lyons without a warrant as he arrived after buying tamales. A federal agent identifying as a police officer requested his driver's license; Orozco-Ortega showed a Temporary Visitor's license, after which he was arrested and handcuffed. Federal agents allegedly kept him in a vehicle and created an administrative warrant while he remained handcuffed. Orozco-Ortega has been detained at Clay County Jail in Indiana for approximately one month. Attorneys argue this represents a pattern of ICE agents evading the Nava Settlement by creating administrative warrants in the field after detaining individuals.

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