Human Impact Project

On January 8, 2026, ICE agents fatally shot 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good during an encounter in Minneapolis. Federal authorities claimed the officer fired in self-defense after being run over, but video analysis from multiple angles showed the SUV was turning away from the agent when he fired three shots at close range. Protesters gathered Thursday at the ICE Field Office (Whipple Building) in St. Paul, where federal agents deployed pepper balls, mace, and tear gas.

A father in Minnesota was separated from his child by federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. The incident was documented on social media. Community organizers in Minneapolis erected makeshift barricades in neighborhoods to monitor and slow ICE vehicle movements by tracking license plates. Minneapolis police dismantled at least five of these barricades, citing concerns about emergency response times and traffic obstruction. Residents repeatedly rebuilt the barricades.

On January 8, 2026, Border Patrol agents entered a Target store in Richfield, Minnesota, and detained two U.S. citizen teenagers employed at the store: Jonathan Aguilar Garcia and Christian Miranda Romano. Despite the detainees presenting a U.S. passport and asserting their citizenship, agents proceeded with detention. Both were later verified as U.S. citizens and released without charges. Christian's family remained in contact with ICE during the detention, and the incident prompted protests calling for accountability and restrictions on agent access without warrants.

Federal officers drove through a crowd of protesters outside Hartford's federal building on January 8, 2026, striking at least one person with their vehicles. The protest was held as a vigil for Renee Macklin Good, who was fatally shot by an ICE agent in Minneapolis. Hartford police are investigating potential hit-and-run and assault charges against the federal officers involved.

Dulce Consuelo Díaz Morales, a 22-year-old Maryland mother, was detained by ICE on December 14, 2025, and held for 25 days across facilities in Louisiana, Texas, and New Jersey. She presented a U.S. birth certificate and other documentation to support her citizenship claim, but DHS maintains she is not a citizen and crossed the border without authorization in 2023. Following legal intervention, a federal court judge issued an order preventing her immediate deportation, resulting in her release with an ankle monitor requirement and reunification with her 5-year-old son. She remains subject to ongoing deportation proceedings with a hearing scheduled for July 2026.

ICE agents were reportedly present outside Roosevelt High School, leading to conflicting accounts from union and DHS officials about the nature and purpose of the operation. Law enforcement and workers' representatives provided different accounts of what occurred.

An investigation identified Border Patrol agents Michael Sveum (EZ-2) and Edgar Vazquez (EZ-17) from an El Paso BORTAC unit as key participants in violent federal enforcement operations across the Midwest. The agents were documented using chemical munitions, pepper spray, and tear gas against crowds in Chicago and Minneapolis, including at the scene where ICE agent Jonathan Ross killed Renée Good on January 7, 2026. The investigation analyzed body camera footage, CBP reports, and incident videos to identify the agents and their role in multiple violent escalations.

Rev. Kenny Callaghan, senior pastor at All God's Children Metropolitan Community Church in Minneapolis, was detained by ICE agents on January 7 while standing in solidarity with a Hispanic woman during a protest on Portland Avenue. Callaghan said agents pointed a gun at his face after he told them he was not afraid and offered himself instead of the woman they were approaching. He was handcuffed and placed in an unmarked vehicle for approximately 30 minutes. According to Callaghan, ICE agents then released him, saying "you're White. You wouldn't be fun anyway." Callaghan said the incident revealed to him that ICE raids are "really about fear and intimidation" and made him reflect on how such treatment is "some people's reality every single day of their lives."

Federal agents conducted an enforcement operation at Roosevelt High School in south Minneapolis on January 7, 2026, around 3:30 p.m. as classes were ending. According to witnesses, agents tackled individuals and deployed chemical irritants on school grounds using unmarked vehicles. DHS stated the operation targeted a U.S. citizen who rammed a government vehicle and led agents on a chase, and that a teacher assaulted a Border Patrol agent as a crowd formed. Minneapolis Public Schools cancelled classes for the remainder of the week following the incident.

Dinah Marie Chollet, a South Carolina restaurant co-owner, was charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor after joining a private group chat with Summerville High School students planning a walkout against ICE. Chollet stated she joined to express support for the students' activism, shared safety information, and then left the chat. She was arrested on February 12 and released on $1,000 bond, with an initial court appearance scheduled for April 14.

ICE detained a person at a trailer park in Mancos on Friday morning, which prompted a protest at the ICE field office in Durango's Bodo Industrial Park. About a dozen protesters attempted to block federal officers from leaving the facility with the detainee. Federal agents pepper sprayed the protesters and deployed Tasers to clear the entrance. Durango Police Chief Brice Current said he contacted both protesters and ICE requesting the former not break the law and the latter to de-escalate, noting this was the first physical confrontation since October when agents used pepper spray and rubber bullets on over 200 protesters.

About a dozen protesters attempted to block federal ICE agents from leaving with a detainee outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement field office in Durango on Friday. Protesters linked arms and sat in front of the ICE office driveway to prevent vehicles from departing. Federal agents responded by removing protesters and using pepper spray against them.

Gustavo, a restaurant cook from Mexico who had lived in Santa Barbara for seven years, was arrested by ICE agents in the lobby of Santa Barbara County jail in January 2026 as he was being released. A judge had ordered him to wear an ankle monitor and return home to await trial on a domestic dispute charge, but ICE agents—masked and armed with handcuffs—intercepted him before he could leave the facility. Gustavo had only a minor driving offense on his record, which under California's SB 54 sanctuary law should have barred local authorities from coordinating with ICE to place him in immigration custody. The arrest occurred outside official procedures in the jail lobby rather than through the authorized "sally port" transfer process, potentially violating state law.

Carlyn Williams and their spouse Polyxenia Pantos were threatened by federal agents during ICE's "Operation Catch of the Day" in January 2026. While Pantos was driving Williams' car to work, Pantos pulled over to film ICE agents conducting enforcement activities. Williams later received a call from someone claiming to be with DHS who told her to discourage Pantos from filming, warning that people doing such things "might get added to a domestic terrorism watchlist." The couple, along with two other Portland residents, joined a lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security claiming the threats violate their First Amendment rights to observe and film law enforcement.

An ICE agent driving into the Crosspoint check-in facility in San Antonio pointed a gun at two community members from Comrade Coffee Collective who were filming and distributing aid outside the facility. One volunteer said hello to the agent from a distance, prompting him to reach for his gun and point it at her despite her backing away, then at another volunteer further away.

Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino stated to Fox News that his agents have arrested U.S. citizens on charges of assaulting federal officers. The article also details allegations of excessive force by Border Patrol and ICE agents, including a November incident in Chicago involving Bovino during 'Operation Midway Blitz.'

ICE agents detained a pregnant woman at Karmel Mall in South Minneapolis, holding her face-down on the ground while handcuffed. Witnesses reported that she was unable to breathe during the detention and shouted that she was pregnant. Bystanders protested the incident, with dozens of neighbors gathering at the scene and pelting agents with snowballs. Video of the encounter circulated on social media documenting the use of force during the detention.

A Columbus, Ohio mother and her three daughters, ages 18, 15, and 11, were pepper-sprayed by ICE agents on December 21, 2025, while driving near Easton Town Center. The mother reported that her eyes burned and the children cried after agents deployed spray into their open car window without activating police lights. The mother said she made no threatening gestures. ICE stated that agents had been involved in an incident at a nearby Dollar Tree where anti-ICE demonstrators had blocked their exit, though the agency did not clarify why pepper spray was deployed in the moving vehicle. A retired FBI Special Agent in Charge reviewed ICE's use-of-force policy and raised concerns about whether agents followed proper protocols, noting that verbal remarks alone do not justify force deployment. The mother filed an assault report with Columbus police.

Karla, an activist who publicly exposed medical neglect of a lesbian woman with cancer detained in Eloy, has herself been detained at the same facility. Activists are demanding her immediate release, protection from retaliation, and access to her hormones while in detention.

A volunteer legal observer was detained and arrested by ICE agents on January 11th while documenting enforcement activities at the Whipple Federal Building in Minneapolis. Agents surrounded the observer's car, pepper-sprayed the vehicle, shattered windows, and roughly handcuffed the observer without identifying themselves or providing instructions. The arrest occurred during increased ICE enforcement operations in Minnesota, part of coordinated community efforts to document and warn residents about immigration enforcement activities.

Ashleigh Brown and Cynthia Raygoza were convicted of stalking a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent after following him to his home in Baldwin Park on August 28, 2025. Both were acquitted of conspiring to publish the agent's personal information, while a third defendant, Sandra Samane, was acquitted of both charges. Brown and Raygoza each face up to five years in federal prison with sentencing scheduled for June 8, 2026.

Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan was convicted of obstructing federal agents from arresting an undocumented immigrant. Dugan allegedly helped an undocumented immigrant leave her courtroom in April to avoid arrest by ICE agents waiting in the hallway. She was acquitted of a misdemeanor charge.

Abdikadir Abdi Noor, a 43-year-old Somali-American citizen from Fridley, was pulled over and arrested by ICE on December 15 outside Karmel Mall in Minneapolis. He is a named plaintiff in an ACLU lawsuit alleging ICE violated constitutional rights of observers and protesters during the agency's ramped-up raids in Minnesota targeting the state's Somali community.

A confrontation occurred in south Minneapolis when dozens of residents gathered as ICE agents operated near Lake Street and Pillsbury Avenue. During the incident, federal agents used pepper spray and at least one Taser on observers as the crowd attempted to prevent the arrest of a woman reported to be pregnant. Local law enforcement responded to assist ICE agents in leaving the scene.

David Cardenas, 54, a Raleigh resident who fled Nicaragua and sought asylum in 2022, was detained by ICE during a routine yearly check-in appointment with USCIS in Charlotte. He suffered a medical emergency shortly after detention and was hospitalized at Atrium Health in Pineville, where ICE and the hospital initially blocked visits from his wife and children for a week. Following advocacy efforts and a press conference by immigrant rights groups and local leaders, ICE announced it would release Cardenas due to his severe health condition, potentially using alternative detention such as an ankle monitor.

Jose Roberto Ramirez, a U.S. citizen and Red Lake Nation descendant, was detained by ICE officers at a Robbinsdale Hy-Vee on January 8 and later released from federal custody. A family member's video of the encounter was shared on social media, prompting local lawmakers and the legislature's Native American Caucus to condemn the arrest as racial profiling and a violation of Indigenous sovereignty. Robbinsdale police stated they did not participate in the federal operation and were not notified in advance.

Alan Crenshaw, a 35-year-old Minneapolis resident, observed and filmed ICE arresting a U.S. citizen on December 9. As officers were leaving the scene, one agent leaned out of a car window and pepper sprayed Crenshaw. He is a named plaintiff in an ACLU lawsuit alleging ICE violated constitutional rights of observers and protesters.

An ICE vehicle struck a protester in Minneapolis on December 9 as demonstrators heckled immigration enforcement agents. The incident was recorded on video. ICE agents also used pepper spray against the protesters.

Susan Tincher was arrested on December 9 while standing on a sidewalk observing an ICE raid in north Minneapolis. Officers pulled her to the ground, handcuffed her face-down in the snow, transported her to the Whipple Federal Building at Fort Snelling, shackled her legs, removed her wedding ring and boot laces, and held her in a cell for five hours before releasing her. She is one of six named plaintiffs in an ACLU lawsuit alleging ICE agents routinely violated constitutional rights of people protesting their actions.

Augsburg University president Paul Pribbenow stated that ICE agents illegally detained a student on campus without displaying a warrant. In response, the university plans to lock more buildings to prevent ICE agents from entering without proper legal documentation. Federal officials countered that university staff attempted to obstruct the arrest.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, along with Border Patrol and Florida Highway Patrol, conducted immigration enforcement operations in central Palm Beach County on December 8, 2025, including roadblocks and an attempted raid on a residential construction site. Activists estimate at least 50 people were detained during the sweeps, with children separated from apprehended parents. A 19-year-old U.S. citizen was wrongly detained but later released. Local officials stated the operations disrupted the community and economy.

John Biestman and Janet Lee, a married couple in their late 60s from Linden Hills, followed an ICE vehicle after a December 7 raid at Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Mary in Richfield. ICE agents boxed in their car, pointed guns at them, and threatened to arrest them. They are named plaintiffs in an ACLU lawsuit alleging ICE violated constitutional rights of observers and protesters.

Greggy Sorio, a 37-year-old lawful permanent resident from the Philippines, was detained at the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma, Washington for eleven months, during which he developed severe medical conditions including ulcerative colitis, a bone infection that required toe amputation, and kidney disease due to alleged medical neglect. On December 7, 2025, as he was being deported on a Philippine Airlines flight from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, union members and Tanggol Migrante activists coordinated to alert the airline of his status as a medical liability. Philippine Airlines subsequently cancelled the deportation flight, stopping his removal.

ICE agents engaged in an hours-long standoff with a man who barricaded himself in a second-floor apartment unit in Elgin on Saturday. Federal agents deployed tear gas canisters and flash-bang grenades while protesters gathered to provide supplies to the man on the balcony. One person was detained around 3 p.m. after agents breached the building. Community members clashed with agents. State officials made statements regarding the incident.

Rep. Adelita Grijalva of Arizona stated she was pepper-sprayed and pushed by ICE agents during a raid at a Tucson restaurant on Friday. The congresswoman identified herself as a member of Congress and stated she witnessed others being sprayed, including press and staff members. The Department of Homeland Security stated she was in the vicinity of another person being pepper-sprayed.

Omar Ramos Jimenez, 50, a Mexican national who has lived in Rochester since 2004 and co-founded the La Casa restaurant, was detained by ICE on Wednesday after being lured to their Buffalo field office under the pretext of installing a new reporting app. Ramos Jimenez, who has an ongoing appeal for asylum and has been complying with ICE check-ins for five years, was arrested upon arrival. His attorney filed a federal complaint alleging denial of due process and seeking his immediate release or a bond hearing.

Federal ICE agents pepper-sprayed and fired crowd suppression munitions at newly sworn-in Arizona Representative Adelita Grijalva during a confrontation with protesters outside a taco restaurant in Tucson. Video evidence shows agents spraying Grijalva and others with pepper spray and firing pepper balls, which the Department of Homeland Security denied occurred. The incident occurred during an operation targeting the restaurant as part of a human trafficking investigation, with heavily armed agents deploying flash-bang grenades, tear gas, and pepper-ball rounds at immigrant rights protesters.

Jose Argueta, a 37-year-old Maryland resident, was detained by ICE for approximately one month after D.C. police called him to pick up his recovered stolen vehicle at the Fifth District police station. According to his attorney, D.C. police coordinated with federal immigration agents to lure Argueta into custody, which violates the city's Sanctuary Values Act. The incident is under investigation by both D.C. police internal affairs and the Office of Police Complaints.

Lucia Webb, a 31-year-old Minneapolis resident, followed two ICE vehicles to the park-and-ride outside the Whipple Building on December 3. Officers boxed her in, surrounded her car, and threatened to arrest her. She is a named plaintiff in an ACLU lawsuit alleging ICE violated constitutional rights of observers and protesters.

Asif Ali, 26, was charged with second-degree assault after shoving a wooden pallet into an officer's foot during a protest against an ICE operation on Canal Street in lower Manhattan. Ali was among 18 people arrested when activists blocked ICE agents from leaving a garage. He pleaded not guilty and was released without bail.

Paulino Martin, an undocumented handyman who lived in Beaverton for over 30 years, was detained by ICE while driving to get lunch and deported to Mexico within three days. The community gathered at Southridge High School to rally in support of Martin, a father of three with no criminal record, as speakers praised his character and work ethic.

Federal immigration enforcement officer Bovino was found by U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis to have lied about a rock-throwing incident used to justify deploying tear gas against protesters in Chicago's Little Village neighborhood during Operation Midway Blitz. Video evidence contradicted his claim that he was hit by a rock before throwing tear gas, and the judge issued a preliminary injunction against federal immigration agents for violating her temporary restraining order by using force without warning.

Leticia Jacobo, a 24-year-old Native American woman, was jailed in Iowa for a traffic infraction and faced potential transfer to an ICE Detention Center for deportation. Indigenous rights groups intervened to prevent her deportation.

A person warned their community that ICE agents were staging outside houses and then parked at a trolley station to observe. When ICE agents returned to the station, they attempted to detain the person, who fled because the agents were masked and refused to identify themselves. The person claims to be an American citizen and states that other people were also detained at the scene.

Jeffrey Lopez-Suazo, 26, was arrested during an ICE raid on November 25 after allegedly ramming his vehicle into an ICE agent's van while attempting to flee. The raid drew hundreds of protesters who clashed with police and federal agents. Lopez-Suazo, seeking asylum from Honduras, was charged with assaulting an ICE agent and was subsequently held for immigration proceedings.

Two 16-year-old Venezuelan cousins were detained by ICE agents during a raid on their Detroit home in late November 2025. The teens arrived in the U.S. in 2023 and were formally seeking asylum with valid work permits. Both were students at Western International High School, where a teacher described one cousin as an excellent student eager to learn English. One cousin worked at Chili's. During the raid, agents also detained two of the teens' parents while searching for a different individual. All four family members were transferred to the South Texas Family Residential Center in Texas, hundreds of miles from their support network. Both teens had pending asylum cases scheduled for immigration court. Community members, students, and advocates held a rally at Clark Park calling for their immediate release.

A 17-year-old U.S. citizen and high school senior was detained by ICE agents in Yamhill County, Oregon on Friday during the school lunch period. According to ICE, the student allegedly followed and obstructed federal agents in a vehicle. The student's family confirmed he is a U.S. citizen. McMinnville School District Superintendent Kourtney Ferrua stated the school had not previously had ICE visits and is working to support students' social and emotional needs following the incident. The minor was transported to the ERO Portland office for investigation and potential federal prosecution for impeding federal law enforcement officers. Students nearby witnessed the detention.

A federal judge is determining if ICE agents had probable cause to charge Miguel Angel Garcia Martinez, a U.S. citizen, with assault. Martinez fled from officers who began chasing him while he was documenting Border Patrol operations in Charlotte. Court video showed ICE agents planned to 'smash' into Martinez's vehicle during the chase.

On November 21, 2025, ICE agents detained Christian Jimenez, a 17-year-old U.S. citizen and McMinnville High School senior, during lunch break in Oregon. Despite asserting his citizenship, agents broke his car window and transported him to an ICE facility in South Portland before releasing him later that day. The detention was part of ICE sweeps in Yamhill County that week resulting in at least 7 total detentions, including at least 4 U.S. citizens. The incident occurred off school grounds but was witnessed by students in the area. A protest was held in response. The McMinnville School District confirmed increased ICE activity in the community while noting that agents have not entered school buildings.

Two U.S. citizen women were detained by ICE agents in Canby on Thursday after filming the agents in a parking lot. They were held for hours without access to an attorney before being released. The Oregon for All coalition, which reported the detentions, noted the women have chosen to remain anonymous due to fears of retaliation. The detentions occurred during ICE sweeps in Yamhill County that resulted in at least seven other arrests.