Human Impact Project

Alberto, a DACA recipient who has lived in the U.S. since 1996, worked as a painter, contractor, and Amazon delivery driver, and is a father of three, was pulled from his vehicle by masked ICE agents while making deliveries in Seattle's Wedgwood neighborhood on August 5. Five of the six agents present were masked; one reached into his car, unlocked the door, and physically removed him before placing him in an unmarked truck. In footage of the roughly 20-minute encounter, Alberto identified himself as a DACA recipient and gave observers his name, Social Security number, and the location of his car keys for his family. Neighbors and local business owners gathered to witness and record the arrest, later organizing a vigil at the site and staying in contact with Alberto's family and immigration attorneys.

Maria Rosales, a 32-year-old DACA recipient who came to the U.S. from Colombia at age 4, was detained by ICE at Logan Airport on July 10, 2026, while trying to board a flight home to Orlando after attending a Noah Kahan concert at Fenway Park with friends from her color guard group. Rosales, who has lived in the U.S. for 28 years, works as a dermatologist's assistant treating skin cancer patients and founded and directs Vestige Winter Guard, an indoor color guard troupe in Florida. Friends and colleagues describe her as a hard worker and integral part of Florida's performing arts community. ICE cited a 2017 removal order from an immigration checkpoint encounter in New Mexico, though her attorney says she was unaware of it and never received proper hearing details. Her DACA renewal has been pending since 2023. She was held at a Burlington facility until a federal judge ordered her release on July 21, finding ICE failed to comply with statutory detention procedures.

Jessica Trevino, a 34-year-old DACA recipient who arrived in the U.S. from Mexico at age six or seven and has lived in Texas her entire life, was arrested by ICE agents on December 28, 2025, as she left church with her family in the Rio Grande Valley. Agents rammed the family's vehicle in a Home Depot parking lot, struck her husband Juan with a baton, and shoved her 14-year-old daughter Sarah against the car hard enough to bruise her. Trevino's DACA status was valid and not set to expire until spring 2027. She worked in an elementary school cafeteria and had no criminal record. After nearly 90 days in ICE custody, an immigration judge granted voluntary departure; Trevino claims she did not consent to this order and did not sign the forms. Despite federal law protecting active DACA recipients from removal and the errors in the judge's statement regarding her DACA expiration date, Trevino was deported to Matamoros, Mexico on March 25, 2026. Her three U.S. citizen children—ages 16, 14, and 13—remained in Texas in the care of relatives. After deportation, USCIS notified her of intent to revoke her DACA status and work permit. Her family has filed a federal lawsuit challenging the deportation as unlawful and seeking her return and restoration of DACA status.

Ricky, a longtime U.S. resident who arrived as a young child in 2000 and lost his DACA status, was detained by ICE. He is married to an American citizen, Katya, and they have two young children in East Tennessee. His family is seeking legal assistance for a T Visa application, waiver, work permit, and other relief options to prevent his deportation to Mexico, where they say he faces safety risks.

Connor Michael Read, 29, a British national who came to the U.S. at age 9 and was a DACA recipient, was detained by ICE on June 3, 2026, during a green card interview in Tampa, Florida. Read, who runs a pressure-washing business called Refresh Florida and has lived in the country for over 20 years, was separated from his American wife Jaelin and their three-year-old twin sons Ryder and Ozzie during what agents described as a private interview. Read reported that agents bound his hands and tied his ankles during transport to a local jail, then to the Central Louisiana ICE Processing Center. He described detention conditions as "horrible" and "dirty," and reported becoming ill with headaches, chills, and fever. His wife discovered their I-130 petition for permanent residency had been approved the same day he was detained. His wife told media they are considering relocating the family to the United Kingdom if he is deported. An ICE spokesperson cited a 2011 removal order and stated Read violated the terms of his F-2 dependent visa after his parent's F-1 student status ended.

Diego Hernandez Garcia, a 24-year-old construction worker who had lived in the U.S. since age 13, was detained by ICE on December 11, 2025, during a raid at a Hardin Valley construction site in Knoxville. Hernandez Garcia had been granted protective status in 2022 and had an approved I-360 petition for lawful permanent status. His attorney claimed he had valid work authorization at the time of detention and that ICE revoked his deferred status only after taking him into custody. A federal judge denied his habeas corpus petition and lifted a stay on a 2016 removal order, ruling the government was not constitutionally obligated to provide due process before terminating his deferred action status. Hernandez Garcia was subsequently deported to El Salvador.

On May 18, 2026, ICE agents detained 31-year-old DACA recipient and community organizer Karla Toledo at her Tucson home without presenting a judicial warrant, despite her maintaining valid DACA status since age 1 and having no criminal record. ICE agents were reportedly searching for someone else when they arrested Toledo. DHS alleged Toledo assaulted a federal officer and illegally entered the U.S. in October 2024—claims she disputed using video footage showing her compliance and asserting she had legally used advance parole authorization available to DACA recipients. During the arrest, agents allegedly used force to prevent the door from closing and denied her attorney access. Her mother, Veronica Ortiz, held a press conference pleading for her release, and attorney Mo Goldman stated allegations of assault were fabricated, with surveillance footage supporting Toledo's account. Following community protests and statements by U.S. Rep. Adelita Grijalva, Mexican consulate representatives, and local nonprofits, Toledo was approved for a $1,500 bond and released from Eloy Detention Center. One day after dismissing an earlier deportation case, DHS filed a second notice to appear in immigration court against Toledo.

Maria de Jesus Estrada Juarez, a 42-year-old DACA recipient who had lived in the United States for 27 years after arriving in 1998 at age 15, was arrested and deported to Mexico on February 18, 2025, during a green card interview at a USCIS office in Sacramento, California. Immigration agents cited a 1998 expedited removal order from her initial border crossing, despite her valid DACA status, lack of criminal history, and previous federal approvals to remain in the country. She was removed within 24 hours. Following a lawsuit by her attorneys, U.S. District Judge Dena Coggins issued a temporary restraining order on March 23, 2025, ruling the deportation a "flagrant violation" of her DACA protections and due process rights. Estrada Juarez was granted humanitarian parole and reentered the United States on March 30, 2025, at the San Ysidro border crossing, where she was reunited with her daughter.

A man who arrived in the United States at age two and was part of the DACA program was arrested during a traffic stop for a headlight violation and driving without a license. He was detained by ICE for six weeks across three facilities before being released on bond. He now faces deportation to Mexico within 120 days despite having no criminal history and having lived in the U.S. for nearly his entire life.

Jose Francisco Orellana-Rivera, a Honduran who entered the U.S. as a 4-year-old in 2001 and is a DACA recipient married to a U.S. citizen with two U.S.-citizen children, was detained by ICE without a pre-detention hearing. U.S. District Judge Hernán D. Vera ruled the detention violated his constitutional rights and due process protections, ordering ICE to release him immediately and barred re-detention without a proper bond hearing. He was arrested six times as an adult between 2016 and 2025, but all charges were dismissed and he has no criminal convictions.

José Contreras Díaz, a 30-year-old DACA recipient from Edinburg, Texas, was arrested by ICE agents during a routine check-in appointment in January 2026 and deported to Honduras despite his valid protected status. After his attorney challenged the deportation citing federal court precedent, immigration authorities granted him parole to return to the United States. Upon arrival at Harlingen Airport on April 29, 2026, ICE agents detained him at Port Isabel Detention Center rather than releasing him as expected. He was released on May 7-8, 2026, after more than three months of separation from his family, including missing the birth of his son. He continues to face removal proceedings.

Milena Araya-Davis, a 27-year-old therapist and Palm Springs High School graduate, was arrested by ICE agents on December 15, 2025, outside a USCIS office in San Diego immediately after being told her green card application was approved. Araya-Davis was brought to the U.S. from Peru at age 4 and received DACA protection as a teenager, going on to earn a master's degree in marriage and family therapy. She was detained for overstaying a tourist visa from her childhood. During her seven-day detention at Otay Mesa Detention Center, Araya-Davis slept on the floor, shared a single sink with roughly 150 women, and received inadequate food and medical care, relying on other detainees for basic supplies and support. Her husband, a U.S. citizen whom she married in April 2025, was home waiting for brief phone calls during her detention. Araya-Davis has since shared her experience on social media, drawing thousands of responses from people fearing detention or worried about loved ones. San Diego County subsequently filed a lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security and private prison operator CoreCivic after being denied inspection access to the facility.

José Contreras Díaz, a 30-year-old DACA recipient who grew up in Edinburg, Texas, was arrested at an immigration appointment on January 6, 2026, and deported to Honduras within days despite holding valid DACA status. While in Honduras, he missed the birth of his son, Mateo. After his attorney filed a legal challenge arguing the deportation was unlawful, ICE flew him back to Texas on April 29. Upon re-entry, he was immediately detained at Port Isabel Detention Center for eight days. Released on May 7-8, Contreras is now home with his wife and newborn son. He stated: "I would not wish what I've been through on anyone. They detained me, sent me to a country I barely remember, and then gave me hope — the hope that I could come home, see my family, and hold my son again. Then that hope was taken away." Contreras remains under deportation threat and must report periodically to ICE. The Department of Homeland Security has stated it still intends to deport him, arguing that DACA does not confer legal status.

Yenniffer Natalia England, a 32-year-old DACA recipient and nurse's assistant with valid work authorization through 2027, was detained by Texas state troopers on February 16, 2026, after a traffic stop for a suspended driver's license stemming from an unpaid speeding ticket. She was arrested while driving her brother and daughter to get tacos. ICE agents were tipped off by county jail staff and transferred her to El Valle Detention Facility in Raymondville, Texas. During her nearly three-month detention, her two daughters, ages 12 and 14, remained without her care. Her brother Francisco De La Rosa stated: "This is just tearing us apart. She's like the glue that keeps our family together." Community supporters from La Union del Pueblo Entero (LUPE) organized protests calling for her release. An immigration judge initially denied her bond and issued a deportation order despite her legal DACA status and 28-year residence in the United States. On May 21, 2026, a federal judge granted England a writ of habeas corpus, ordering her release on the condition of wearing an ankle monitor.

Lisandro Pantaleon Pacheco, a 22-year-old University of Utah student and Park City High School alumnus, was detained by ICE agents on April 28-29, 2026, while commuting to his first day of work at a bagel shop in Kimball Junction, Utah. Pacheco was pulled over on S.R. 224 around 5:30 a.m. Brought to the United States from Mexico by his mother at age one, Pacheco had no criminal record except one traffic citation and was scheduled to graduate on April 30 with a bachelor's degree in parks, recreation and tourism. He had previously applied for DACA protection before the program closed. Following his detention, he was held at a county jail in Evanston, Wyoming, while his attorney raised questions about whether profiling was involved in the traffic stop and subsequent detention.

Catalina Santiago-Santiago, a 28-year-old DACA recipient and immigrant rights activist, was detained by ICE in early August 2025 at El Paso International Airport despite holding valid DACA status. Her attorneys filed a motion to terminate her deportation proceedings based on her DACA protections. On April 24, 2026, the Board of Immigration Appeals ruled that immigration judges cannot terminate deportation proceedings based solely on DACA status without considering the government's reasons for opposing termination. The ruling requires judges to comply with a Biden-era rule and sends Santiago's case back for further review, potentially affecting other DACA recipients in similar proceedings. The Trump administration has stated that DACA recipients are not automatically protected from deportation, contradicting the program's original protections.

Gilberto García (also referred to as Gilberto Garcia Cruz), a 26-year-old DACA recipient with autism, was detained by ICE agents at his home in LaBelle, Florida without an arrest warrant. According to his account, agents entered his property and the detention involved physical force that left marks on his arms. He was detained in front of his mother without explanation. He was subsequently released on April 10, 2026, following family intervention. After his release, García expressed fear about the possibility of deportation and separation from his mother. His family is now facing housing instability in the aftermath of the incident.

Annie Yaritza Ramos Alvarado, a 22-year-old Honduran-born immigrant who arrived in the U.S. as a toddler in 2005, was detained by ICE agents on April 2, 2026, at Fort Polk military base in Louisiana while attempting to complete paperwork to move in with her spouse, U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Matthew Blank, 23, whom she had recently married. Ramos was a college student with no criminal history who had applied for DACA status in 2020, though her application was never processed. She was working with a lawyer to adjust her immigration status through marriage, a process that typically allows spouses of U.S. citizens to obtain legal permanent residency. She had been subject to an outstanding removal order issued in 2005 after her family missed an immigration court hearing when she was 22 months old. After being held for nearly a week at an ICE detention facility in Basile, Louisiana, Ramos was released on April 7 and ordered to wear a GPS monitor while removal proceedings continue.

The Trump administration is detaining DACA recipients at increasing rates, treating them as deportable despite their protected status. The article documents cases of multiple DACA holders detained for months, including some with no criminal records, and highlights how long renewal processing times and mandatory detention policies are creating uncertainty for the roughly 600,000 DACA recipients in the U.S.

Gilberto Garcia, a 26-year-old DACA recipient with autism and intellectual disability, was forcibly detained by ICE agents at his home in Hendry County, Florida on April 8, 2026, while awaiting DACA renewal processing after his status expired on April 1. According to family accounts and police reports, ICE agents entered his yard without a warrant and placed him in a chokehold. When his mother attempted to intervene, agents allegedly threatened to tase her and pushed her back. Garcia was transported to Hendry County Jail and charged with resisting arrest without violence. His public defender argued that his disability prevented him from understanding or identifying law enforcement. Garcia was released on April 10, 2026, after advocates raised concerns about the arrest's legality and lack of probable cause. The Florida Immigrant Coalition and United We Dream called the detention "deeply troubling and potentially unlawful."

Juan Chavez Velasco, a 35-year-old DACA recipient who arrived in the U.S. from Colombia at age 8, was detained by ICE agents on February 18, 2026, while driving to deliver breast milk to his premature daughter in a hospital NICU in Weslaco, Texas. Chavez Velasco holds two bachelor's degrees and works as a medical laboratory scientist with no criminal history. He is married to Stephanie Villarreal, a U.S. citizen, and has three U.S. citizen children. His DACA renewal application, submitted in November 2025, remained unanswered and his status expired on March 10, 2026, while he was in custody. DHS cited a 2005 removal order issued before his DACA approval in 2012, arguing that DACA does not confer legal status. He is detained at Webb County Detention Center in Laredo, Texas.

Ya'akub Ira Vijandre, a Filipino DACA recipient and community activist, was detained by ICE at his Arlington home in October 2025. The federal government is seeking to terminate his DACA protection, citing his social media activity and posts about Palestine activism. On March 24, 2026, community members and supporters spoke before Arlington City Council requesting a resolution calling for his release, citing constitutional concerns and detention conditions at Folkston Detention Center in Georgia.

JeanCarlos Fiallos Manzanares, a 31-year-old DACA recipient from Miami, was detained by ICE agents following a traffic stop near his mother's house despite holding valid deferred action status. He was transferred to Otero County Processing Center in New Mexico, approximately 2,000 miles from his family. While detained, USCIS approved his deferred action renewal in January, but ICE did not release him. An immigration judge subsequently ordered his deportation to Honduras, and USCIS rescinded his approved deferred action protections. Fiallos Manzanares filed a lawsuit challenging his detention after a federal judge found merit to his petition, but he was deported after more than a year in custody, separated from his U.S. citizen wife and two young sons.

Erendira Rendon, a DACA recipient of more than 14 years and vice president of immigrant justice at The Resurrection Project, applied for DACA renewal in February 2026 and is facing uncertainty as processing delays have extended up to six months. Unlike previous years when a lapsed DACA was manageable, Rendon said current delays create risk of detention if her renewal lapses. As an immigrant advocate who has helped thousands navigate the system, she now confronts the same vulnerabilities affecting hundreds of thousands of DACA recipients nationwide.

Franco Guzman Lopez, a DACA recipient who has lived in the U.S. for an extended period, was detained by immigration authorities immediately upon his release from local criminal custody at the Santa Barbara County jail on March 15, 2026. He was held for over a month without a bond hearing despite being eligible for one under immigration law. The federal court ordered his immediate release and prohibited re-detention without a pre-deprivation bond hearing.

Joel Angel-Becerril, a 27-year-old DACA recipient from Omaha, was released from Sarpy County Jail on February 20, 2026, after nearly three months in ICE custody. His release followed a federal judge's mid-February order declaring his detention without a bond hearing unlawful. An Omaha Immigration Court judge subsequently dismissed his removal proceedings on Friday, February 24, 2026, finding that his DACA status provided protection against deportation. Angel-Becerril had filed a civil rights lawsuit with the ACLU of Nebraska, which intervened in the case.

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.

Luis Roldan-Cerda, a DACA recipient, was detained and deported by ICE on February 17, 2026, after attending a biometric appointment for his U visa application at an immigration office in McAllen, Texas. He was deported to Reynosa, Mexico, and spent more than five weeks stranded there, witnessing cartel violence in the city. A federal judge ordered his return to the United States, and he was reunited with his wife Denisse Garcia and their children. Roldan-Cerda, who was brought to the U.S. at age three, said he was grateful to be back with his family and planned to return to his job as an electrician.

Guillermo Aguilar, a DACA beneficiary and business owner who lived in the United States for nearly 40 years, was arrested on February 3, 2026, while driving to work in North Carolina and deported to Mexico two months later. His wife was pregnant at the time of his arrest and experienced health complications following the incident. His infant son, Guillermo, was born prematurely on May 11, 2026, with six months and two weeks of gestation and remains hospitalized. Aguilar says he has been denied access to the assets and property he built in the U.S. and cannot be with his family during this critical time.

Jessica Marlene Corrales-Duarte, a 32-year-old DACA recipient, was arrested by ICE on January 15, 2026, following a felony indictment for allegedly stealing approximately $5,500 in merchandise from an Ulta Beauty store in August 2025. Her DACA status was terminated in November 2025 following the indictment. She has been detained at Eloy Detention Center and is unable to appear at her scheduled Pima County criminal trial, raising constitutional concerns about her right to be present and confront her accuser.

Flor Ivet Vargas-Loya, a DACA recipient and mother of two U.S. citizen children ages 17 and 19, was handcuffed and detained by ICE on Christmas Eve while shopping at a T.J. Maxx in Phoenix's West Valley. She and her husband operate the El Taco Loko restaurant and a food truck in Laveen, and she is the sole provider for her children following her husband's deportation. At the time of her arrest, she was awaiting a delayed DACA renewal, had no new criminal charges, and was wearing an ankle monitor after being released on bond following about a month in immigration detention earlier in the year. Her attorney said she had been fully complying with her orders, and she had a court hearing scheduled for 2028. She is being held at the Florence Processing Center. Arizona lawmakers called for her release, with state Sen. Analise Ortiz saying, 'People like Flor and her husband are entrepreneurs who contribute to their community.'

Bruna Ferreira, a 34-year-old Brazilian national who arrived in the U.S. as a child and held DACA protection, was arrested by ICE on November 12, 2025, while driving to pick up her son from school. An immigration judge granted her release on a $1,500 bond on December 8 after 26 days in detention across multiple facilities. The government stipulated to arguments that she posed no danger or flight risk and did not challenge her release. She remains in removal proceedings with mandatory periodic check-ins with ICE as conditions of her release.

ICE agents conducted an enforcement action at West Loop Elementary School in Chicago, Illinois during afternoon school pickup. Thirteen masked agents surrounded a car and removed two sisters who were DACA recipients and were eventually released after proving their legal status. One sister, Jocelyn, stated the agents did not have a warrant. The driver of the vehicle was also the other sister. A teacher exiting an Uber at the time recorded video of the incident after hearing children screaming.

Yaa'kub Vijandre, a Filipino-born DACA recipient and pro-Palestine activist who has lived in the Dallas area for over 20 years, was detained by ICE after his DACA status was revoked based on social media posts. ICE agents arrested him at his Arlington apartment on October 7, taking him to the Bluebonnet Detention Center. Vijandre has not been charged with any crimes, and his attorneys argue his speech is protected under the First Amendment and that the government's terrorism allegations are unconstitutional.

Yaa'kub Ira Vijandre, a 38-year-old DACA recipient and Filipino immigrant, was detained by ICE on October 7, 2025, after his DACA status was terminated citing social media posts. Vijandre, a freelance journalist and activist in the Dallas area, had spoken out against the Gaza war, ICE detention conditions, and human rights abuses. His attorneys filed a habeas corpus petition arguing his detention violates his First and Fifth Amendment rights, as his speech constitutes protected political expression rather than support for terrorism.

Saúl Zermeño, a 45-year-old single father with deferred action status, was deported to Mexico after attending a routine ICE check-in appointment on October 3. His 15-year-old U.S. citizen son Damian, who has ADHD, autism, and other health conditions, was left without his sole caregiver. Damian subsequently experienced severe emotional distress including depression, anxiety, inability to focus in school, and withdrawal from activities.

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.

A federal judge ordered the immediate release of Paulo Cesar Gamez Lira, a 27-year-old DACA recipient and father of four U.S. citizen children who was detained by ICE for 42 days. Gamez Lira was detained on August 13 when federal agents surrounded his vehicle in Horizon City, Texas, with two of his young children present. He was held at the Otero County Processing Center in Chaparral, New Mexico, separated from his family including a three-month-old infant with serious medical conditions. The federal government declined to oppose his release.

Ismael Ayala-Uribe, a 39-year-old Mexican national and former DACA recipient, died in ICE custody after being held at the Adelanto ICE Processing Center in California. He was arrested by ICE and Border Patrol agents on August 17, 2025, during an enforcement operation at a car wash in Fountain Valley, and transferred to Adelanto five days later. During roughly five weeks in detention, he reported severe pain from an infected abscess along with cough, fever, and shaking; on September 18, facility medical staff responded to his complaints with only Tylenol. After developing complications, he was transferred to Victor Valley Global Medical Center, where he was found unresponsive at 1:48 a.m. on September 22 and declared dead at 2:32 a.m. from cardiac arrest arising from septic shock. His family was not notified of his hospitalization until after his death. His death occurred amid a rise in ICE detainee deaths, with at least 16 recorded in nine months of 2025.

Jean Carlos, 37, has lived in Miami for 31 years and is a father of two. He is a DACA recipient who is currently detained. Multiple DACA recipients are currently in detention. Children of detained immigrants are being separated from their parents.

Jose Valdovinos, a 27-year-old DACA recipient who has lived in Arizona since he was a toddler, was detained by Border Patrol on August 10, 2025, after he and his wife, U.S. citizen Jitzell Flores, left a Circle K gas station near downtown Yuma. When Flores asked why he was being taken, an agent said, 'We don't have to give it to you.' Valdovinos, who works packaging Medjool dates at Datepac, has no criminal record, pays taxes, renewed his DACA status every two years, and was pursuing permanent residency. DHS said the vehicle was stopped for 'driving in a suspicious manner' and stated that 'DACA does not confer any form of legal status.' Flores called the stop racial profiling. The Mexican Consulate visited him and connected his family with an attorney before his transfer to the Florence Service Processing Center. Weeks later, he was released with an ankle monitor.

Monsy Hernández, a DACA recipient who arrived in South Carolina as a child, self-deported at age 19 in 2017 after her mother was detained by ICE. Now living in Germany, she founded Onward, an organization supporting undocumented immigrants considering voluntary departure. The organization's membership increased during Trump administration deportation efforts.

Edgar, a 36-year-old DACA recipient who arrived in the U.S. from Mexico as a 13-year-old in 2001, was detained following a warrant for missing a court date related to driving with a suspended license. He was arrested, held briefly at Orange County jail, then transferred to the Florida Everglades detention center dubbed "Alligator Alcatraz" in early June 2025. Edgar is the father of three U.S. citizens with no criminal record and maintains valid DACA status through regular renewals, with a current work permit. His employer submitted a letter supporting him, and his attorney Josephine Arroyo has petitioned ICE to grant him bond. When arrested, Edgar informed officers of his active DACA status but was told by ICE that DACA had been canceled. His family expressed concern for his safety, citing detention conditions including 24-hour lighting, poor food, mosquitoes, inconsistent air conditioning, and a non-functional toilet system. Neither Edgar nor his attorney understands the legal basis for his continued detention, and the timeline for resolving his bond petition remains unclear.

Jose Francisco Orellana-Rivera, who arrived from Honduras at age 4 and was paroled into the community in 2001, was detained by ICE in June 2025 after 24 years of living freely in the United States. He is married to a U.S. citizen with two citizen children and was previously granted DACA. The court ordered his immediate release, finding his detention without a pre-detention hearing violated due process rights.

Javier Diaz Santana, a 32-year-old deaf DACA recipient with no criminal history, was arrested by ICE agents during a raid at a car wash in Temple City, California on June 12, 2025. Despite being deaf and unable to communicate, agents confiscated his phone and wallet, handcuffed him, and transported him to an El Paso detention center without explaining his detention or accommodating his disability. He was released on July 8 after his attorney provided proof of his DACA status to authorities.

Patricia Vázquez Topete, a DACA recipient who had lived in California for 20 years, self-deported to Mexico in May 2025. She cited legal uncertainty surrounding DACA's future, immigration enforcement under the Trump administration, the inability to travel safely using Advance Parole, and lack of a permanent legal status pathway as factors in her decision. Vázquez Topete sold her belongings and left the U.S. to pursue a master's degree in Spain while reconnecting with family in Mexico.

Amilcar Lisser-Posadas, a 29-year-old Honduran national and former DACA recipient with two U.S. citizen daughters, was apprehended in Shelby County, Tennessee in March 2025 for driving with an expired license and transferred to ICE custody. He was moved between multiple detention facilities over four weeks and filed a legal request citing fear of persecution in Honduras, which received no response. At Alexandria Staging Facility, he was detained for approximately 12 days in overcrowded conditions with inadequate sanitation, food, and medical care—arriving sick with chest congestion, fever, and ear infection but receiving no medication until the final two days. On April 23, 2025, he was deported to Honduras on GlobalX charter flights despite his pending legal request. He was later apprehended again at the southern border in May 2025 attempting to reunite with his family and is now facing deportation again from a federal prison.

Quebec Vasquez, a DACA-protected mother of three U.S. citizen children, announced plans to self-deport to Mexico due to fears about rapidly changing immigration policies under the Trump administration. Despite being protected from deportation through DACA for 10 years, she cited uncertainty and fear about her family's future as reasons for considering leaving the United States.

Dora Reynosa, an undocumented immigrant and former DACA recipient, self-deported to Mexico in January 2026 to live with family. The muralist and visual artist, who faced verbal and physical assault while painting in South Dallas in February 2025, cited rising ICE enforcement and violence against immigrants as factors in her decision. Reynosa plans to continue creating art addressing immigrant issues from Mexico, stating she will have greater freedom to speak about her concerns without fear of detention or deportation.