Texas teen with intellectual disability held 48 days in government custodyA 15-year-old Texas boy with an intellectual disability wandered off from his mother's fruit stand looking for a bathroom and ended up in government custody for 48 days, developing appendicitis requiring surgery while held.Oct 5, 2026·TX·Mother Jones📦
Dominican man arrested by ICE at Javits court day after judge's banA Dominican man was detained by plainclothes ICE officers right after his immigration court hearing in New York, a day after a judge barred routine arrests of people attending such hearings.May 19, 2026·New York, NY·Dominican Republic·Washington Post📦
Jessie F.: Chicago alderperson shoved and handcuffed by ICE agents at hospitalChicago Alderperson Jessie Fuentes was shoved and handcuffed by masked federal agents at a hospital in October 2025 while questioning their warrant; she sued the government in May 2026.May 18, 2026·Chicago, IL·CBS News+2📦,Chicago Sun-Times+1📦,Windy City Times📦,Times of India📦,ABC7 Chicago,The Advocate,NEIU Independent
Escondido father detained by ICE en route to kids' schoolA father and family breadwinner was detained by ICE while picking up his kids from school in Escondido, leaving the family without income. He was released in May after they raised his $4,000 bond.Fundraiser onlyMay 18, 2026·Escondido, CA·GoFundMe📦,Instagram
Jorge L.C.: Mexican man in U.S. 23 years held by ICE without bond hearingA Mexican man who came to the U.S. at 17 and lived here 23 years was detained without a bond hearing in May 2026. A court ordered his immediate release, ruling he was entitled to one.May 18, 2026·Mexico·CourtListener
Jose Gregorio L.G.: Man detained again without a hearing at Central Valley AnnexA noncitizen previously freed on bond was redetained in May 2026 without a hearing. A federal court ordered his immediate release, ruling the government must hold a hearing before detaining him again.May 18, 2026·McFarland, CA·CourtListener+3📦
Oliver M.V.: 19-year-old Buffalo resident fast-tracked for deportation after ICE courthouse arrestOliver Mata Velazquez, 19, of Buffalo, was arrested at an immigration courthouse and fast-tracked for deportation. The NYCLU sued over his arrest and secured his release.May 18, 2026·Buffalo, NY·ACLU📦,The Guardline📦,Public Library System New York📦,Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights📦,Instagram📦
Pets left behind by ICE detentions swell New Orleans straysA dog named Chia was left behind after ICE detained her owner, later giving birth to nine puppies at a New Orleans auto shop, as surrendered pets from immigration arrests nearly double citywide.May 18, 2026·New Orleans, LA·Verite News📦
Former child refugee with green card held nearly a year by ICEA California green card holder who arrived as a refugee child had his sentence commuted in 2018 but was shackled and held nearly a year by ICE; a deportation order remains despite his conviction being vacated.May 18, 2026·California, CA·Knox Radio📦
Three Spokane protesters face up to six years for blocking ICE busJac Archer, Justice Forral, and Bajun Mavalwalla II were convicted for blocking ICE vehicles during a nine-hour Spokane protest. They face up to six years in prison and plan to appeal.May 18, 2026·Spokane, WA·Fox News📦,New York Times,The Inlander📦,Range Media+1📦,LM Tribune📦,NY Times Post📦,Internet Archive📦,D News📦,WLT Report📦,KHQ📦,KUOW📦,Instagram📦
Mojtaba: Iranian activist who fled persecution held 17 months in ICE detentionMojtaba, an Iranian activist who fled persecution for joining the Women, Life, Freedom movement, was freed after 17 months at a Newark detention center. Hundreds helped raise his $35,000 bond.May 18, 2026·New Jersey, NJ·Iran·American Friends Service Committee📦,Instagram📦
20 migrants including 4 children turned over to Border Patrol in TexasTwenty undocumented immigrants, including four children from Mexico and Guatemala, were found hidden in a truck's sleeping compartment during a Texas traffic stop. The driver fled on foot but was arrested.May 18, 2026·Webb County, TX·Mexico·CBS News📦,FOX 26 Houston📦,KGNS📦,KXAN,CBS 42,KTAL News,YouTube📦
Jose S.P.: Father of two U.S. citizen children detained by ICE after 30 yearsA Mexican man who lived in the U.S. for 30 years and has two U.S. citizen children was detained, then ordered released after a court found his detention unlawful.May 18, 2026·Philadelphia, PA·Mexico·CourtListener📦
Alejandro C.M.: Hartford man arrested by masked ICE officers, violating Connecticut mask banAlejandro Josue Cervantes-Mencia was arrested on a Hartford street by masked ICE officers lacking identification, violating Connecticut's new law banning masked immigration enforcement.May 18, 2026·Hartford, CT·Honduras·CT Mirror📦,Hartford Courant📦
Angel L.L.: Salvadoran asylum seeker beaten by ICE, held in solitary, deported to MexicoAngel Lemus-Linares, 32, a Salvadoran asylum seeker, was beaten and held in solitary confinement for seven days without adequate medical care at a Texas detention center. He was later deported after his asylum claim was denied.May 18, 2026·Everglades, FL·El Salvador·The Nation📦,The Independent📦,The Prospect📦,Amnesty USA📦,Solitary Watch📦
Ursula G.: Woman deported by ICE to Mexico, which she left at age 5Ursula Gomez completed over 20 years in California prison and took college courses, but was transferred to ICE custody instead of being freed. After 11 months in detention, she was deported to Mexico, the country she left at age 5.May 18, 2026·California, CA·Mexico·Knox Radio📦,Davis Vanguard📦,Local News Matters📦,Marin County Visitor📦
Arizona teen protests ICE detention facility planned near her schoolCali Overs, 17, a student body vice president at Dysart High School, is leading opposition to a planned ICE detention facility a mile from her school, pushing for a buffer zone between ICE sites and schools.May 18, 2026·Surprise, AZ·Washington Post,Mt. Shasta News📦,The Marshall Project📦,The Dickinsonian📦
Nik S.: Albanian barber arrested by ICE, separated from U.S. citizen wife and daughterBesnik Shembitrasi, a 49-year-old barber married to a U.S. citizen and father to an 8-year-old daughter, was arrested outside his Elmwood Park home on May 17 after two decades in Illinois. He remains held in Brazil, Indiana.May 17, 2026·Elmwood Park, IL·Albania·Oak Park River Forest Patch📦,ALBEU📦,Instagram📦
Luis Alberto B.G.: Cuban man arrested in Florida held by ICE in CaliforniaA Cuban man held at Golden State Annex in McFarland, California, was ordered released or given a bond hearing within 14 days after a judge found his re-detention violated due process.May 17, 2026·Florida·Cuba·CourtListener📦
Sara G.: Mother of 15-year-old held by ICE over seven hours from familySara Yazmin Garcia, who has lived in the U.S. over 20 years with no criminal record, is held in Atlanta, far from her husband and 15-year-old son who depend on her.May 17, 2026·Atlanta, GA·Content Publisher📦,GoFundMe📦
Peter B.: Protester arrested blocking ICE surveillance facility in VermontPeter Booth was arrested and carried out by police while protesting at an ICE surveillance facility in Vermont on May 14, 2026, after a similar citation in February.May 17, 2026·Williston, VT·Valley News📦,News from the States
