HUMSI — Human Security Initiative

Human Impact Project

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

Man on valid asylum detained by ICE in Walmart parking lot on Christmas Eve

Dec 24, 2025·Location: Yakima, WA

Man on valid asylum detained by ICE in Walmart parking lot on Christmas Eve
Photo via Instagram

A man with valid asylum status, no criminal history, and a valid work permit was detained by ICE agents in a Walmart parking lot in Yakima, Washington on Christmas Eve while placing groceries in his vehicle. Yeimi Ortiz, a volunteer with the Yakima Immigrant Response Network, witnessed and filmed the arrest. The incident occurred as part of a pattern of federal enforcement actions in the Yakima area during the Christmas holiday period, prompting Ortiz and local activists to hold a boycott protest of Walmart on December 28, alleging the corporation's cooperation with immigration authorities.

Suggest a correction, comment, or update

Sources

More incidents in Washington