Human Impact Project

An incident occurred in the Santa Ana/Irvine area involving women who were allegedly let go and then followed or kidnapped. The poster sought to provide context about the incident and requested updates if the women created a fundraiser.

Juan Parra, a tattoo artist, provided services at ICE protests and donated half the proceeds to support protesters. He was assaulted and detained for participating in a protest. He later spoke at a Pro-Palestine rally and encouraged support for protesters outside a detention center.

Nikita, Oksana, and their three children—fleeing Russia due to Nikita's outspoken opposition to President Vladimir Putin—were released from the Dilley Immigration Processing Center after more than four months in federal custody, exceeding the 20-day limit for holding minors set by federal court settlement. The family reported enduring worms and mold in food, hourslong waits for medicine in bitter cold or rain, repetitive and sometimes inedible meals, and nonexistent schooling. Their daughter Kamilla suffered a recurring ear infection that, compounded by what parents described as lax medical care, resulted in partial hearing loss. The family was freed following legal intervention by their attorney, a Columbia Law School professor, and media coverage by NBC News, which documented their case. After their release, other detainees erupted in applause and celebration in the dining hall.

Rigoberto Soto Jimenez, a Mexican immigrant, was ordered released by a federal judge in Minnesota but ICE released him in Texas without his driver's license, work permit, or Mexican consular ID card. The Department of Justice failed to comply with the court's February 9 order to return his belongings by the February 17 deadline. At a February 18 show cause hearing, U.S. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Isihara was found in civil contempt of court, and Judge Laura M. Provinzino ordered him to pay $500 daily fines beginning February 20 until the documents were returned. On February 19, the DOJ returned Soto Jimenez's documents via overnight delivery, and the judge dismissed the contempt order without imposing fines.

Oscar Adonis Trochez, a noncitizen who had been previously released on bond or conditional parole, was re-detained by immigration authorities on February 19, 2026, without being provided a pre-deprivation bond hearing. The court found this violated his due process rights and ordered his immediate release with the same conditions he had prior to detention. The court ruled that the government must provide at least seven days' notice and a pre-deprivation bond hearing before a neutral arbiter if they seek to re-detain him.

Victor Jardon-Reyes, a 33-year-old DACA recipient from Guerrero, Mexico, lost his job on February 18, 2026, after his DACA renewal application stalled for months. He applied to renew his DACA in November 2025, received an appointment for fingerprinting in January 2026, but his work permit expired before the renewal was processed, causing him to lose work authorization and legal protections from deportation. Jardon-Reyes, a homeowner in Chicago's Belmont Cragin neighborhood with a mortgage and college enrollment, is now afraid to leave his home due to risk of ICE detention. His situation exemplifies a nationwide problem of DACA renewal delays affecting an estimated half million recipients.

Rolando Santos G.C., a Guatemalan citizen living in the U.S. for 14 years with two U.S. citizen children, was detained by Florida Highway Patrol during a traffic stop on February 18, 2026, while driving to work. He was transferred to Border Patrol custody and later moved to California City Immigration Processing Center. The federal court ordered his immediate release, finding his detention without a bond hearing violated due process rights.

A mother of three was detained by ICE on February 18, 2026 at her workplace. She is being held in Adelanto, California, miles from her family who depend on her as their main provider. Her family states she has no criminal record and is fundraising for legal representation and bond to secure her release.

Juan Nicolás, a two-month-old infant, was deported to Mexico on February 8, 2026, hours after being discharged from hospital treatment for bronchitis and respiratory illness. He was detained at the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, Texas, alongside his mother Mireya López Sánchez and 16-month-old sister after his mother was apprehended near Eagle Pass on January 21 while seeking asylum. During detention, Juan Nicolás developed severe breathing problems, vomiting, and gastroesophageal reflux disease; his mother reported he became unresponsive and was "choking on his own vomit" while hospitalized. After hospital discharge, he was immediately deported with only $190 from the family's detention commissary account. With assistance from journalist Lidia Terrazas and advocacy groups, the family secured shelter and medical care, where Juan Nicolás was diagnosed with RSV and severe bronchiolitis. The family later relocated to Guatemala where they have relatives. Rep. Joaquin Castro criticized the deportation as "heinous."

Noel Quintana, a 50-year-old legal permanent resident and owner of Señor Machetes restaurant in Madison, was detained by ICE at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago on January 23, 2026, after returning from Mexico on a valid green card. DHS initiated removal proceedings based on a 2006 cocaine possession conviction. A federal immigration judge ordered termination of removal proceedings and granted bond, but DHS filed an intent to appeal, keeping Quintana detained at Miami Correctional Facility in Indiana. Community members organized fundraisers that collected over $50,000 in support, and local leaders including Rep. Francesca Hong criticized the detention.

A Wilson County man spoke out against a rumored ICE detention center, expressing that he feels safer with undocumented immigrants than with ICE agents. Sheriff deputies responded to the man during his protest, though the ICE detention center plan was subsequently abandoned.

A U.S. District Court in Minnesota ordered ICE to immediately release Michael Opeoluwa Egbele, a Nigerian immigrant detained in January 2026, ruling that the government unlawfully revoked his supervised release without due process or prior notification. Egbele had entered the U.S. unlawfully in 2003, was charged with a drug offense in 2012, but was released on supervised release where he remained compliant for over a decade before his arrest during a routine check-in.

A 48-year-old father of five with pending U-visa protection for victims of crimes cooperating with law enforcement was released from detention at Whipple Federal Building with only his belt, glasses, and wallet. ICE agents withheld his work permit, Social Security card, and consular card, claiming they did not know where the documents were. He has remained largely confined to his house out of fear.

About 150 students at Grand Island Senior High School walked out to protest ICE activity on February 17. During the protest, a 54-year-old man exchanged blows with students near West Lawn Elementary School. A water bottle was thrown through the man's car window during the altercation. The man was arrested for assault on a juvenile, and at least one juvenile was cited for assault; additional citations may follow.

Karla Ruby Quinones Herrera, a noncitizen single mother of two US citizen children, was arrested by ICE on February 17, 2026 in Victorville, California. She was charged as inadmissible under Section 212(a)(6)(A)(i) of the Immigration and Nationality Act and detained at the Adelanto Detention Facility without being afforded a bond hearing. The court ordered that she must be provided an individualized bond hearing before an immigration judge within 7 days.

Three women employed at The Dots Corp, a printing and marketing business in Irvine, were detained by ICE officers on February 17, 2026, when four tinted SUVs surrounded their vehicle in the parking lot at 8:30 a.m. Officers showed a purported warrant through the vehicle's window before taking the women into custody. The City of Irvine stated its commitment to providing services to all residents regardless of immigration status.

Nenko Gantchev, a 56-year-old Bulgarian national who lived in Chicago for 30 years, died on December 16, 2025, while in ICE custody at North Lake Correctional Facility in Baldwin, Michigan, operated by GEO Group. He had been arrested in September 2025 during an immigration enforcement operation. Gantchev had type 2 diabetes and deteriorating health conditions that advocates say went untreated. His death prompted calls from his family and U.S. Representatives Haley Stevens and Hillary Scholten for an immediate investigation. The lawmakers toured the facility and expressed frustration that the Department of Homeland Security has not responded to their inquiries about his death, which ICE attributed to natural causes. Immigrant rights advocates, including the ACLU of Michigan and Michigan Immigrant Rights Center, documented that multiple detainees at the facility have been denied emergency and routine medical care, prescription medications, and follow-up care after hospitalization. Gantchev's family has sought a private autopsy.

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.

Omar's father was taken into custody by Customs and Border Patrol in Ontario, California. He is Omar's only source of financial support. The family is seeking funds to cover Omar's housing and legal fees for his father's case.

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 Otay Mesa Detention Center run by CoreCivic threw handwritten notes attached to lotion and deodorant bottles over the facility fence to protesters at weekly vigils outside. Notes described going 280 days without fresh fruit, constant illness, cold temperatures, and living in one large room with no windows. San Diego County supervisors were subsequently denied access to inspect the facility, and the notes stopped after ICE restricted detainees from outdoor recreation time during 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.

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.

Dmytro Kulik, a Ukrainian father who fled the war and arrived in the U.S. in late 2023 under the Uniting for Ukraine humanitarian program, was detained by ICE agents near a Walmart in Minneapolis in January while loading groceries. His wife and daughter's applications for conditional release were approved, but his remained pending when immigration authorities arrested him. Kulik fears deportation back to Ukraine where he may be forced to fight, and his family worries they could also be detained.

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.

Ofelia Torres, a 16-year-old U.S. citizen and Lake View High School junior from Chicago, died from metastatic alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma on February 13, 2026. Her father, Ruben Torres-Maldonado, an undocumented immigrant, was detained by ICE agents at a Home Depot in October 2025 during the Trump administration's 'Operation Midway Blitz' enforcement initiative. While undergoing hospice care for stage 4 cancer, Ofelia posted social media videos calling for her father's release from custody. Three days before her death, an immigration judge ruled that Torres-Maldonado was entitled to cancellation of removal based on the hardship his deportation would cause his U.S. citizen children, granting him protection from deportation and the ability to pursue permanent residence.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol agents vacated a Coast Guard facility at Terminal Island in San Pedro that had served as a staging ground for immigration raids across Southern California. Harbor Area Peace Patrols volunteers had been tracking agent movements since summer 2025. Rep. Nanette Barragán confirmed the federal departure on February 14-15, 2026. The status of the departure remained unclear, with officials uncertain whether it was permanent or whether operations would relocate elsewhere in the county.

Ruben Torres Maldonado, a home painter who has lived in the U.S. since 2003, was arrested by ICE agents on October 18, 2025, outside a Home Depot in the Chicago area and detained at the Broadview ICE facility before being transferred to Clay County, Indiana. His arrest occurred shortly after his 16-year-old daughter Ofelia returned home from the hospital, where she was undergoing chemotherapy and radiation for stage 4 Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare and aggressive cancer. Her cancer treatments were put on hold during his detention. A federal judge ruled that Torres Maldonado's detention violated his due process rights. An immigration judge set his bond at $2,000, which his family paid, and ruled him conditionally entitled to cancellation of removal based on family hardship, noting he poses no danger to the public and has strong family and community ties. He was released on Thursday, October 30, reuniting him with his family. On February 15, 2026, Ofelia died after her cancer battle. An immigration judge's ruling on her death came three days before, granting Torres Maldonado a pathway to lawful permanent residence.

Greggy Sorio, a 37-year-old man from the Philippines held at Tacoma's Northwest ICE Processing Center, was released following a federal court order that deemed his detention unconstitutionally punitive. While in ICE custody, Sorio developed a serious bone infection that resulted in the amputation of one of his toes and part of his foot, along with other serious health conditions including ulcerative colitis and acute blood loss anemia. U.S. District Judge Tana Lin found that the detention center staff engaged in unreasonable treatment and failed to provide adequate medical care. Sorio still faces a deportation order despite his release from detention.

Edel Jesus Rodriguez Torres, a Cuban citizen who entered the U.S. in 2021 and filed for asylum in 2022, was arrested by Lee County Sheriff's Office in Florida on February 14, 2026 for disorderly public intoxication and property damage. This encounter with police prompted ICE to arrest and detain him at California City Immigration Processing Center. The federal court granted his habeas corpus petition and ordered the government to provide him a bond hearing within 14 days.

Arturo Gonzalez, a San Diego community patroller, was arrested in Logan Heights. The San Diego ICE/ERO Office had previously released a statement regarding Gonzalez's alleged criminal history, which appears to be unrelated to the arrest.

Guillermo M.R. was arrested by ICE at his family home in San Jose on February 14, 2026, following an Immigration Judge's decision ordering his detention without bond. The IJ found by clear and convincing evidence that M.R. was a danger to the community based on recent incidents involving law enforcement in 2025. M.R. challenged his detention claiming violations of his procedural and substantive due process rights, but the court denied his habeas petition.

ICE agents arrested 19-year-old Brian Nataren at an Olathe Walmart parking lot on February 14 after stopping his vehicle, whose license plate was associated with a person with an outstanding warrant. Nataren was determined to be a U.S. citizen and was later released. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Kansas announced it is reviewing the incident and decided not to pursue charges against him.

A teenage girl who entered the United States as a refugee was arrested and detained overnight by ICE agents in a hotel room in Minneapolis. According to her allegations, immigration authorities separated her from her family and forced her to share a room with federal agents during the detention. The incident prompted protests outside the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building, with demonstrators opposing the enforcement action.

An NBC News investigation found that Department of Homeland Security officers conducting Trump's immigration crackdown used less-lethal weapons including rubber bullets, tear gas, and pepper spray on protesters. Officers shot 13 people with guns and injured hundreds more. Courts in at least four states found that force was used inappropriately and indiscriminately. The use of these weapons began in late spring and summer in California and Oregon, expanded to Chicago in the fall, and reached Minneapolis where officers shot and killed two protesters.

Diana Butnarciuc was arrested by ICE agents during a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services interview for a permanent resident card in Las Vegas. Her husband, Patrick Baja, a Marine veteran, is seeking her release from Henderson Detention Center. Butnarciuc arrived in the U.S. in 2008, has no criminal record, works, and pays taxes, but faces deportation based on a 2018 removal order after her asylum claim was denied.

A 10-year-old U.S. citizen named Dylan recounted fleeing during an ICE operation that began near his school bus stop in Lindenwold, New Jersey on Thursday morning. Children waiting at the bus stop panicked and ran when they saw ICE enforcement vehicles, with Dylan running home in fear. The Lindenwold School District said the presence of multiple enforcement vehicles caused significant fear and confusion among fourth- and fifth-graders.

A judge dismissed the deportation case of Narciso Barranco, an Orange County landscaper and father of three U.S. Marines, who was detained by Border Patrol agents in June 2025. Video showed agents pinning him to the ground and punching him during the detention in Santa Ana. The judge ruled Barranco is eligible for lawful status due to his three sons serving in the military, and his attorney is now working to secure permanent residency and a work permit.

Jesus Flores, a Mexican mechanic and father of six children, was detained by ICE agents who faked car trouble outside his home in Columbia Heights, Minnesota on Thursday afternoon. Security camera footage shows two women pretending to have mechanical problems at the curb; when Flores came out to help, ICE agents in other vehicles surrounded the driveway and apprehended him. Two of Flores' children have autism and require special care. His family reports he was transferred to El Paso, Texas within 48 hours, allegedly in violation of a federal judge's order. Flores is undocumented and was previously deported approximately 16 years ago.

Zhou Xaixuan, a Chinese national who arrived in the U.S. in 2014 on a visitor's visa, was detained by ICE at the Adelanto Detention Facility on February 13, 2026. He has lived in the United States for over eleven years, has a wife and two U.S. citizen children ages 4 and 1, and has a pending asylum case seeking protection under the Convention Against Torture. The court ordered his immediate release and enjoined the government from re-detaining him without a proper bond hearing.