Human Impact Project

Carlton Junior Burke, a 25-year-old Jamaican national, was arrested by ICE at his home in Madison, Wisconsin on October 1, 2025, after overstaying a B2 tourist visa he entered on in 2021. Burke says his passport and driver's licenses were taken during detention and not returned to him, disputing DHS's claim that ICE does not confiscate documents. He had built a life in the U.S., married, and was attempting to adjust his immigration status when arrested. Burke was transferred through multiple detention facilities over several months, including county jails and a correctional facility in Indiana, where he raised concerns about food quality, limited medical assistance, and inadequate family communication. He was granted voluntary departure on January 7, 2026, and ultimately left the country on January 28, 2026, leaving his wife and young child behind in the United States.

Gratien Milandou-Wamba, a 32-year-old from the Republic of Congo who fled torture and political persecution, was detained by ICE on April 19, 2025, while driving to work at the Cumberland County Jail in his sheriff's uniform. He had lawfully entered the United States in May 2023 on a nonimmigrant visitor's visa, obtained a work permit while applying for asylum, and was hired as a corrections officer in August 2024 after passing comprehensive background screening. ICE cited an expired visa as grounds for detention, though Milandou-Wamba believed he was in legal status while his asylum application was pending. His attorney noted that immigration authorities may have flagged his status after he attempted to purchase a firearm in September 2024 due to safety concerns from interactions with inmates at work. Cumberland County District Attorney Jackie Sartoris publicly defended him as an upstanding community member who does not fit the Trump administration's stated plan to target only criminals, and criticized the detention as targeting someone with a legitimate asylum claim who had registered with the government. His friend and landlord, Tyler Brinkmann, described him as a kind and gentle man involved in his church and community. Milandou-Wamba left his corrections officer position on May 31, 2025, while remaining in ICE custody at Strafford County Department of Corrections in Dover, New Hampshire. He fears deportation would result in imprisonment or death in Congo, where he was tortured for political differences. A federal judge denied bail citing flight risk, which he is appealing. His asylum hearing is scheduled for October 2025.

Garcia's husband was arrested by a Manatee County sheriff's deputy on a DUI charge last October and transferred to ICE custody. He is being held at a detention center in California. Garcia, a mother of three, works as a cleaner and party venue staff member while applying for a T visa (trafficking victim relief) for both herself and her husband at a cost of approximately $15,000. She disclosed that at age sixteen, smugglers brought her into the U.S. and held her against her will for years in what she describes as kidnapping; her husband faced labor abuse as an H-2A visa migrant farmworker before overstaying. Since his arrest, Garcia has taken only one day off for an immigration appointment. Most of her earnings go toward legal fees and her husband's detention account so he can purchase food and make phone calls home. With limited funds remaining, she struggles to feed her children and has had to forgo celebrating family birthdays and holidays.

Rey, a Cuban in his mid-fifties who arrived in the U.S. in 1994 and had been authorized to remain in the country due to Cuba's non-cooperation with deportation, was arrested at an ISAP (Intensive Supervision Appearance Program) check-in in El Paso in October 2025. Rey had built a life in El Paso as a truck driver and small business owner, opening a Cuban pizzeria, nightclub, and trash-collection and furniture-restoration businesses. He was married to Sara, a U.S. citizen and Texas state employee, and was a father figure to her son. After his arrest at the ISAP office, he was transferred to Camp East Montana, where he spent six weeks in the facility's deteriorating conditions.

Giovanni, a 48-year-old car wash worker in the San Fernando Valley, was detained in October 2025 along with three coworkers during a federal immigration raid. Unlike his coworkers who were deported to Mexico within 24 hours, Giovanni refused to sign voluntary departure documents and was held at Adelanto ICE Processing Center for six months rather than return to El Salvador. His detention left his wife Maria and school-age children without his primary income.

Erick Pena, a 29-year-old from Honduras who came to the U.S. as a child, was detained by ICE in October while on his way to work. He had an approved petition for permanent residency through his U.S. citizen wife. After three months in ICE custody, he was released on bond while his deportation case is pending. His wife Synthea, a U.S. citizen, started a GoFundMe to cover legal fees and government costs as they pursue a hardship waiver.

A 60-year-old Mexican tamale vendor who had been selling street food in Pilsen for over a decade was detained by ICE agents when she could not provide proof of legal status. She had been supporting herself and her son while managing diabetes since her husband's death in 2023. She was released on October 22, 11 days after filing her habeas case.

Samuel Ochoa Ochoa, a Venezuelan immigrant, was detained by ICE and held for 126 days before a federal judge ordered his release in October. His habeas corpus ruling has since been cited as a favorable precedent in 186 other immigration cases filed in the Northern District of Illinois.

Amanda Ungaro, a 41-year-old Brazilian former model who lived in the U.S. for over 20 years, was arrested in June 2025 on fraud charges related to unlicensed cosmetic procedures at a wellness center in Florida. She was detained for approximately three and a half months at ICE facilities in Miami and Louisiana before being deported to Brazil in October 2025. Ungaro alleges that her ex-partner Paolo Zampolli, a Trump special envoy and father of their teenage son, contacted senior ICE officials to ensure her detention and deportation amid an ongoing child custody dispute. Zampolli and the Department of Homeland Security denied the allegations, with DHS stating the removal was based on visa overstay and fraud charges. The case remains open with an arrest warrant issued should she return to the United States.

Stanley Minjale, who immigrated to the United States from Malawi in 2021 on a student visa, was detained in October 2025 after his visa status was terminated for failing to enroll in a university as required. At the time of detention, he held a valid work permit and was employed full-time as a nursing assistant. He has a nearly two-year-old U.S. citizen son whom he has not seen during his nine-month detention at North Lake Processing Center. Minjale has received a deportation order but continues to appeal.

Kamal Tijani, who arrived in the U.S. from Nigeria in 2017 on a valid student visa, was arrested by ICE in October 2025 for overstaying his visa. He has been detained at North Lake Processing Center for nine months. His wife, a U.S. resident from Georgia, lost their apartment without his income and cannot visit him. Tijani has received a deportation order but continues to appeal his case while remaining in indefinite detention.

Alberto, a 59-year-old surgical technician who worked as a confidential informant for federal immigration agents in the 1990s in exchange for promised legal status, was arrested in October 2025 during a scheduled green card interview at a USCIS field office in Fresno when ICE agents entered the room. Released after four days following a successful habeas petition, he was re-arrested at a subsequent ICE check-in appointment in November and detained for nearly four months at Golden State Annex detention center near Bakersfield before being released on bond in February with an ankle monitor.

a 24-year-old Colombian migrant, Angie Rodriguez, suffered a miscarriage in the facility. Upon discovering her pregnancy while in detention, she was provided no medical care or prenatal vitamins. Her diet was also inadequate, forcing her to supplement provided meals with instant ramen, chips, and candy, often purchased at a high cost from the commissary.

A father from an unnamed country who was separated from his daughter at the US-Mexico border in 2017 and reunited with his children in Florida in 2021 was detained by ICE in October 2025 at Alligator Alcatraz in the Florida Everglades and transferred to Camp East Montana in Texas. While detained, he experienced poor conditions including mouldy food with worms and witnessed a fellow detainee's death from asphyxia due to neck and torso compression. The ACLU filed a motion and he was released in April 2026, but remains subject to ankle monitoring and bi-weekly ICE check-ins.

Abdullahi Mohamed, a Somali immigrant with 25+ years in the U.S. and valid work authorization, was detained by ICE in October 2025 during a routine check-in and subsequently transferred rapidly across multiple states without warning to his family or attorney. His family lost contact with him for approximately five days during the transfers, receiving fragmented updates before he was deported to Somalia. According to a Marshall Project investigation, rapid transfers of detainees have become increasingly common under the Trump administration, with transfers of five or more times more than tripling and out-of-state transfers within 24 hours more than doubling since the Biden administration's final year.

A Chicago couple was arrested during Operation Midway Blitz just eight days after getting married. The wife was deported to Mexico while the husband remained in detention in Michigan. Despite being named in a federal lawsuit alleging unlawful arrests, a judge ordered the husband's removal to El Salvador.

Catalina 'Xóchitl' Santiago, a 28-year-old DACA recipient and community organizer from El Paso, was detained by Border Patrol agents on August 3, 2025, at El Paso International Airport while traveling for work with her wife, Desiree Miller, a U.S. citizen whom Santiago married earlier in 2025. Despite holding valid DACA status since 2012—renewed seven times with her current renewal expiring in April 2026—Santiago was subjected to deportation proceedings. Originally from Mexico, Santiago has lived in the U.S. since age 8. On October 1, U.S. District Judge Kathleen Cardone ruled that Santiago's arrest and detention violated her Fourth and Fifth Amendment rights and ordered her release from the ICE El Paso Service Processing Center. Judge Cardone found that the government presented no evidence that Santiago endangered anyone during her twenty years at liberty, including her thirteen years under DACA, and failed to articulate any individualized reason for her detention. Santiago's brother Jose said the family was deeply affected by her detention and expressed relief at her release.

An immigrant from Peru was arrested by ICE officers during an asylum hearing at 26 Federal Plaza. The arrest occurred on September 30, 2025, and was documented by journalists present at the facility. The incident escalated when ICE officers shoved and injured multiple journalists who were lawfully documenting the detention.

Broadview Police Chief Thomas Mills announced three criminal investigations into ICE operations at a detention facility in his village, citing repeated exposure of his officers to tear gas deployed by federal agents. Mills and Mayor Katrina Thompson criticized ICE's use of tear gas, pepper spray, and mace during protests at the Broadview Processing Center, stating the chemicals created dangerous conditions for residents and first responders exercising their First Amendment rights.

Miguel Angel Garcia-Hernandez, a 32-year-old Mexican immigrant and father of four with another child on the way, was shot on September 24, 2025, when a gunman opened fire at a Dallas ICE facility's controlled entrance. Garcia-Hernandez, who had lived in the U.S. since age 13 and worked as a painter, was in ICE custody after being arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence on August 8. He died from his injuries on September 30. His widow, Stephany Gauffeny, stated that he was the sole provider for their family and that they had just purchased their first home together.

Davona Williams, a 42-year-old Manchester resident originally from Jamaica, was detained by ICE on August 25, 2025, while bringing her child home to Torrey Knoll in Manchester Center. Williams, who worked as a health aide in Vermont, was held under a prior removal order from 2013. She was initially held at Chittenden County Regional Correctional Facility before being transferred to ICE's North Lake Processing Center in Baldwin, Michigan on September 1. Williams has no criminal record, three children ranging from 18 months to 15 years old, and had been living in Vermont for nearly two decades while pursuing legal status. On September 30, 2025, Detroit Immigration Court Judge Mark J. Jebson granted her a $7,500 bond, finding her neither a danger to the community nor a flight risk, citing her strong community ties. Her attorney, Christopher Worth, plans to file a motion to move the case to Chelmsford Immigration Court in Massachusetts and continue seeking legal relief. Community members, including the Rutland Area NAACP and local officials, organized support efforts; a GoFundMe campaign raised $25,265 to cover bond costs, transportation, and family expenses during her detention. A judge also approved a stay of deportation, and a motion to reopen her prior removal order is pending before the Boston Immigration Court.

Miguel Ángel García Hernández, 31, a Mexican national who immigrated to the U.S. at age 13, died on September 30, 2025, from injuries sustained during a shooting at a Dallas ICE facility on September 24, 2025. He was shot approximately eight times in the shoulder, stomach, tailbone, neck, and urethra while detained. According to witness accounts and his wife's account, García shielded another young detainee with his body when gunfire began, telling the person to get under him for protection. García was married to Stephany Gauffeny, a U.S. citizen, in 2016 and was the sole breadwinner and father of four children with a fifth on the way; the family had recently purchased their first home together. He worked as a painter and contractor and had been pursuing permanent legal status through an I-130 visa petition sponsored by his wife, following legal immigration procedures. His wife said: "My husband Miguel was a good man, a loving father, and the provider for our family. He worked hard every single day to make sure our children had what they needed." García had been detained on August 8, 2025, on a DUI charge; evading arrest charges were later dropped. He was one of three detainees shot; a second detainee from El Salvador also died from his injuries.

On September 30, 2025, ICE and FBI agents conducted an operation at an apartment building at 7500 S. South Shore Drive in Chicago as part of Operation Midway Blitz, detaining approximately 37 people including Venezuelan migrants and at least one U.S. citizen. The operation involved helicopters, snipers, flash-bangs, and agents breaking down doors and zip-tying residents. The federal government has provided no public accounting of how many remain in custody, what happened to children present in the building, or whether any criminal charges were filed related to the raid.

ICE agents, along with CBP, FBI, and ATF personnel, conducted an overnight raid on a South Shore apartment building on September 30, 2025, targeting individuals allegedly associated with Tren de Aragua and involved in drug trafficking, weapons crimes, and immigration violations. The operation resulted in 37 arrests and drew criticism from residents and advocates over tactics that included use of flash bangs, property destruction, and separation of parents from children.

Miguel Ángel García, 31, died after being removed from life support following a shooting attack at an ICE field office in Dallas. García was among detainees in an ICE transport van when a gunman opened fire from a nearby rooftop in an attack federal investigators said was intended to target immigration officers.

An ICE officer who was relieved of duties after being captured on video pushing an Ecuadoran woman to the ground outside an immigration court in Manhattan was returned to duty following a preliminary review. The incident occurred when federal agents were attempting to detain the woman's husband, and the officer pushed her to the floor in front of her children and journalists.

Santos Edilberto Banegas Reyes, a 42-year-old Honduran construction worker from Hempstead, died on September 18, 2025 after less than 18 hours in ICE custody at Nassau County Correctional Center in East Meadow, New York. He was arrested by ICE Long Island Fugitive Operations on September 17, 2025 and processed at the jail the same day. He was found unresponsive in his cell and pronounced dead at 6:30 a.m. on September 18. Initial reports cited liver failure related to alcoholism complications, but ICE later revised the cause of death to acute alcohol withdrawal. His sister told reporters he had no underlying health conditions and said officials had not contacted the family. His death prompted a protest on September 29, 2025 at the County Executive Building in Mineola, where advocates called for ICE to leave Long Island and demanded abolition of the 287(g) program. His family's attorney alleged a cover-up after ICE missed the federal 90-day deadline to release a death report, and the family requested an independent autopsy and video footage from the jail.

Miguel García-Hernández, an undocumented immigrant awaiting intake at an ICE facility in Dallas, was shot on September 24, 2025, when a gunman opened fire outside the facility. He died from his injuries on September 29, leaving behind his wife Stephany Gauffeny and three children. García-Hernández had been in ICE custody following a DUI arrest and was working toward legal status through a Biden administration initiative when the shooting occurred.

Jaime Ramirez was detained by ICE agents in Millennium Park on September 28 along with his wife and two children during a family outing. He was taken to the Broadview processing facility before being flown to a Texas immigration facility. While his wife and children were released on October 2 after a federal judge ordered their protection from deportation, Ramirez remains detained in Texas. The family, originally from Guatemala, has an asylum appointment scheduled for October 2027.

Luisa Rodriguez, a Mexican national who immigrated to the U.S. over 30 years ago and worked in courts, was detained by ICE agents on September 28, 2025, at Camp Pendleton's gate while visiting her pregnant daughter, a newly enlisted U.S. Marine. Rodriguez and her husband Esteban Rios were initially released with ankle monitors but were taken back into custody at a subsequent ICE check-in appointment. Rodriguez was held at Otay Mesa Detention Center for nearly three weeks before being released on October 30. Her husband was deported to Tijuana on October 31. The family has pending green card applications and no criminal history.

Watchdog groups alleged in a court filing that children and families held at the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, Texas face prolonged detention beyond legal limits, along with shortages of clean drinking water, chronic sleep deprivation, inadequate medical care, and lack of hygiene products. Legal experts filed accounts describing the facility environment and conditions for detainees.

Noemi Chavez and her two children, ages 8 and 3, were detained by ICE agents in Millennium Park on September 28 while on a family outing. Video showed the 8-year-old clinging to a doll and crying as heavily armed federal agents in camouflage detained the family. The mother reported agents targeted them based on appearance. Chavez and the children were released on October 2 after a federal judge ordered they be protected from deportation while a habeas corpus petition is reviewed. The family, originally from Guatemala, has an asylum appointment scheduled for October 2027.

Noemi Chavez, her husband Jaime Ramirez, and their two children (ages 8 and 3) were detained by federal agents at Millennium Park on September 28, 2025, without a warrant while the children played at the Crown Fountain. When Chavez asked to see a warrant, agents ignored her request. The family originally came from Guatemala in 2023 seeking protection and have an asylum hearing scheduled for October 2027. Chavez and the children were released after detention, but Jaime Ramirez was transferred to detention facilities in Texas and Indiana. A federal judge characterized the stop as "unconstitutional" based on the family's appearance, and attorneys filed a habeas corpus petition alleging the family was stopped because of their skin color. The case is part of broader litigation challenging ICE's warrantless arrest practices in violation of a 2022 consent decree.

Esteban Rios, a Mexican national who immigrated to the U.S. over 30 years ago, was detained by ICE agents on September 28, 2025, at Camp Pendleton while attempting to visit his pregnant daughter with his wife Luisa Rodriguez. Initially released with an ankle monitor, he was detained again when he checked in with ICE days later and was deported on Friday, October 10, 2025. The family has pending green card applications sponsored by his son, U.S. Marine Steve Rios, and says they have no criminal history.

Monica, an Ecuadorian child care worker seeking asylum, was pushed to the ground and shoved into a wall by an ICE agent outside an immigration court in New York City on September 25, 2025, during her husband Ruben's arrest. The incident was captured on video and spread on social media. Monica feared Ruben's deportation would be a death sentence. The ICE officer was temporarily removed from duty following the video evidence, but was reinstated days later despite DHS condemnation of the conduct as unacceptable and political calls for felony charges. The officer has a history of aggressive behavior at the same location. In late October, a federal court ordered Ruben's release, finding he had been detained without explanation while his partner and two young children were present. The family of four has since been reunited, though their asylum cases remain pending.

Silverio Villegas-Gonzalez was fatally shot by an ICE officer following a traffic stop in Franklin Park, Chicago in September 2025. According to the Department of Homeland Security, Villegas-Gonzalez struck an officer with his vehicle and dragged him while attempting to flee, prompting the officer to use lethal force. DHS initially characterized the officer's injuries as serious. However, video evidence obtained after the shooting showed the officer sustained injuries he described as "nothing major," contradicting the agency's account of the incident's severity. Community members and state lawmakers called for the release of video footage and transparency regarding the shooting.

Ian Andre Roberts, superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools, was arrested by ICE on a fugitive warrant for living in the U.S. illegally despite a federal immigration judge's prior removal order. Roberts, a Guyana citizen who entered on an F-1 student visa in 1999, remained in the country after his work authorization expired in 2020. During his arrest, he was found in possession of a loaded handgun, $3,000 in cash, and a hunting knife, and fled in a school-provided vehicle before being apprehended with state patrol assistance. Roberts has a criminal record with prior weapons charges.

Three women—Cynthia Raygoza, Sandra Carmona Samane, and Ashleigh Brown—have been federally indicted for allegedly following an ICE agent home and publicly disclosing his personal information on social media. On August 28, 2025, the women livestreamed their pursuit of the agent from Downtown Los Angeles to his residence on Instagram, then shouted to neighbors about his identity and posted his address online. Each faces federal charges of conspiracy and disclosing a federal agent's personal information, with sentences of up to five years in prison per count. Raygoza remains at large while her codefendants have been arrested.

Freelance photojournalist Dave Decker was shot multiple times with pepper balls by federal officers and had his camera lens damaged while covering protests outside a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Broadview, Illinois on September 27, 2025. Officers appeared to target Decker specifically, pointing him out before firing. The incident occurred during protests at an ICE detention and processing facility.

Ian Roberts, superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools, was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement on September 26, 2025, after authorities discovered he lacked valid work authorization. Roberts, a native of Guyana, falsely claimed U.S. citizenship when hired in 2023 and is expected to plead guilty to making false statements on employment verification forms. He was also found in possession of illegal firearms at the time of his arrest. Roberts is no longer serving as superintendent of the district.

A 42-year-old Honduran national died while held by ICE in Nassau County, New York in the week prior to September 26, 2025. The death was among at least 16 ICE detainee deaths recorded since January 2025, contributing to concerns about deteriorating detention conditions.

Maikol Carreno, a 24-year-old Venezuelan barber in Yuma, Arizona, was detained by ICE agents while giving a haircut at Stay Faded Barbershop. Carreno, who is seeking asylum, was transferred to Eloy Detention Center. His U.S. citizen wife, who is three weeks away from giving birth, is pleading for his release with community support.

Federal immigration agents used baton rounds, tear gas, and chemical agents against protesters outside the ICE detention facility in Broadview on September 26, 2025. This was the third consecutive Friday of confrontations between protesters and federal agents at the facility. At least two people were arrested as agents attempted to clear the street and protesters refused to disperse.

An ICE officer was placed on administrative leave after video footage showed him shoving a woman to the ground in a courthouse hallway in New York. The incident occurred after federal agents attempted to detain the woman's husband during an immigration enforcement action. DHS stated the officer's conduct was unacceptable and initiated a full investigation into the incident.

A 25-year-old paraprofessional at a special education school in Inver Grove Heights was taken into custody early Monday after an apparent collision with a federal vehicle in the parking lot of Concord Education Center. She was held at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility at Fort Snelling for nearly 12 hours before being released pending an investigation. Her mother reported a lack of communication during the detention. U.S. Rep. Angie Craig's office commented on the detention.

On September 26, 2025, federal agents used chemical agents including pepper balls and tear gas against over 100 protesters gathered outside an ICE detention facility in Broadview, Illinois. The protest was organized to demonstrate against detention conditions and show support for detainees. Following the confrontation, 11 people were taken into custody, with five subsequently facing federal charges including assault on federal officers. Broadview Mayor Katrina R. Thompson sent a letter to the Department of Homeland Security requesting intervention, citing dangers to residents and public safety personnel from chemical agents that can travel hundreds of feet, and noting that a gate constructed by the agency across Beech Street is blocking emergency access.

On September 26, 2025, federal immigration agents from U.S. Customs and Border Protection forcibly removed a U.S. citizen from her white Toyota in Key Largo, Florida, while she stated her citizenship status. The woman, wearing medical scrubs, was handcuffed and placed in an agent's vehicle before being released after approximately 10 minutes when agents confirmed her U.S. citizenship through her driver's license found in the car. According to CBP, the woman had refused to provide identification or roll down her window during the stop. Legal experts subsequently noted that individuals generally retain the right to refuse identification during immigration stops and that agents require individualized reasonable suspicion to conduct such stops.

Hilda Ramirez Sanan, 50, a legal permanent resident, was violently arrested by ICE on September 26 while accompanying a family member to a court hearing in Chelsea with her 13-year-old son in the car. According to a federal complaint filed by Lawyers for Civil Rights, eight armed and masked officers surrounded her vehicle, smashed the car glass, and forcibly restrained her, kicking her and slamming her face on the ground while twisting her arms to handcuff her. Her son, who has autism, was also removed from the car and questioned by agents about his legal status while being held against a fence. When local police arrived and verified her valid green card, ICE released her. Ramirez Sanan and her children were taken to a hospital emergency room for medical evaluation. The complaint alleges violations of Fourth and Fifth Amendment rights and ICE protocol violations.

Nicolas W., a 43-year-old father of four from Guatemala who owned a tow truck company, had a valid work permit, and had lived in the United States for 10 years, was arrested by ICE on September 26, 2025. He was walking to his truck after buying tools at Home Depot when a masked agent grabbed him by the arm, refused to let go, and told him to shut up. Agents searched him and told him he did not have the right to speak. He was taken to a station in Burlington, Massachusetts, and later transferred to Camp East Montana.

Paramjit Singh, a lawful permanent resident who arrived in the U.S. 30 years ago, was detained at Chicago O'Hare Airport on July 30, 2025, based on a 25-year-old theft conviction. DHS subsequently filed for his removal citing an alleged 2008 forgery conviction that appears not to exist; an immigration judge ordered his release on a $10,000 bond in August, but DHS filed an automatic stay to keep him detained. Singh, who is suffering from a progressive brain tumor causing vision loss, remains in a Kentucky county jail awaiting removal proceedings scheduled for September 29.