Human Impact Project

Argam Nazarian, a 27-year-old Armenian Christian Iranian asylum seeker, was detained by ICE in June 2025 despite having an active asylum case and no criminal history. An immigration judge ordered his release on bond in August 2025, finding him neither a flight risk nor a danger, but ICE refused to release him, citing mandatory detention policies for those who entered without inspection. After 298 days in detention across multiple facilities, including El Paso, a federal judge ruled in April 2026 that ICE violated Nazarian's Fifth Amendment due process rights by holding him without a bond hearing and using incorrect legal authority. Nazarian was released and reunited with family in Los Angeles, though his immigration case remains pending.

Octavio Daniel Cabrera Valdez, a 36-year-old Mexican immigrant who fled cartel violence in Monclova, Mexico, was detained by ICE while at work in April 2026. He had a valid work permit and had applied for a green card through his U.S. citizen mother. A Stockdale Marshal's Office officer asked him and his coworkers for papers before turning him over to ICE. He was the sole provider for his partner and two children, ages 8 and 4, and had also cared for his U.S. citizen parents; he has siblings who are also U.S. citizens and has worked in the energy industry after years living in the U.S. He has been held at the Karnes City detention facility, where he reports scarce food, an untreated rash he attributes to insect-infested bedding, and delayed medical care. His family sold their belongings, was forced from their apartment, and moved to another part of Texas, where they now avoid going out for fear of arrest. U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro has called for his release and visited the Karnes facility in June 2026 to review his case and the conditions there.

Shriram Krishnan, an engineer with two master's degrees who has lived in the United States since 2003, was detained by ICE at McAllen International Airport on Wednesday while preparing to board a flight to Seattle to meet his newborn nephew. His wife, Dr. Ranjana Sarma, says Krishnan has no criminal history, and the family has paid taxes and had a pending green card application since 2014. Their 8-year-old son has not yet been told what happened and has been asking when his father will return. According to an immigration attorney quoted in the article, Krishnan may have been detained due to a legal technicality: while he holds a work permit, it does not necessarily grant legal status, and ICE is following a new protocol of detaining noncitizens who show work permits but lack legal status.

José and his family from Venezuela entered the U.S. legally in 2024 using the CBP One app and received parole to live and work while their asylum cases were pending. After their immigration court hearing in June 2025 was dismissed under a Trump administration order, they were arrested outside the courtroom and detained for a month at the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley. Following their release, the family decided to abandon the asylum process and purchased one-way plane tickets back to Venezuela.

Nallely Valles Santos's husband has been held in ICE custody since April 14 despite having no criminal record and being in the process of lawfully obtaining residency. Nallely is 35 weeks pregnant with a high-risk pregnancy complicated by low placenta, is a single parent to two daughters including a 3-year-old with severe autism who requires constant therapies and medical appointments, and has no family support network in El Paso. Since her husband's detention, she has struggled alone to pay rent, utilities, food, transportation, pregnancy-related expenses, her daughter's special needs care, and legal fees while not currently working and relying on savings.

Maryam Tahmasebi, a psychology and statistics professor at Los Angeles Pierce College, and her son have been detained at the Dilley Immigration Processing Center since April 9, 2024. Her husband, Eissa Hashemi, a professor at The Chicago School's Business Psychology department, was taken to the South Texas Detention Center in Pearsall, Texas. All three are legal permanent residents with valid green cards and no criminal record. The Trump administration is seeking to revoke their green cards and deport them based on Hashemi's mother's alleged role as a translator during the 1979 U.S. Embassy hostage crisis in Tehran—an event that occurred before Hashemi was born. According to their lawyer, Curtis Morrison, there are no specific allegations against the three individuals other than their familial relationship. Friends and colleagues describe Tahmasebi as highly intelligent and dedicated to her work as an educator, and Hashemi as kind and joyous. The family is allowed to speak for only 10 minutes every two weeks under supervision, and Tahmasebi reports their physical and mental health have deteriorated significantly. A federal judge temporarily barred the government from deporting the family after they filed petitions challenging the legality of their detention.

Tania Warner, a 47-year-old Canadian citizen from Penticton, B.C., with a valid U.S. work visa through 2030 and a Social Security number, and her seven-year-old autistic daughter Ayla Lucas were detained at a Border Patrol checkpoint near Sarita, Texas, on March 14, 2026, while returning from a baby shower with Warner's American husband Edward. The family, who had lived in Kingsville for five years, was separated from Edward and held at the Ursula Central Processing Center in McAllen, sleeping on the floor of a cold cellblock for five days before being transferred to the Dilley Immigration Processing Center. Warner said guards were "sadistic, inhumane and abusive," taunted her for being Canadian, and pressured her to self-deport, telling her she could do it "the easy way or the hard way." Ayla suffered chemical burns and a stress-related rash from harsh cleaning products, and the family reported inadequate healthcare, food shortages, and insufficient schooling during roughly three weeks in custody. Penticton-Summerland MLA Amelia Boultbee called the detention "extrajudicial," and Congressman Vicente Gonzalez said neither Tania nor Ayla should have been detained. Warner was released on bond of $9,500 on April 2-3, 2026, fitted with an ankle monitor she is contesting in court, and plans to file a lawsuit alleging unlawful detention and harm to her daughter.

Dr. Rubeliz Bolívar, a 33-year-old Venezuelan emergency medicine resident working at South Texas Health System in McAllen, Texas, was detained by Customs and Border Protection agents at McAllen International Airport while traveling with her 5-year-old U.S. citizen daughter to California for a scheduled asylum interview. Bolívar entered the U.S. on a tourist visa in 2016, held a valid work permit through 2030, and had an active asylum case and pending green card application; CBP said she had overstayed her visa since 2017. Her daughter was also held, for about 19 hours, before being released to a relative. Bolívar was transferred to ICE custody at El Valle Detention Center and missed the asylum interview, which her husband, Milenko Faria, attended alone. The American College of Emergency Physicians and the Emergency Medicine Residents' Association have advocated for her release and called for a national-interest exemption for physicians.

Mauro Yosueth Henriquez, 18, a senior at Sam Houston Math, Science and Technology Center in Houston and varsity soccer team co-captain, was detained by ICE on December 16, 2025, during a routine immigration check-in with his father. He was held at multiple ICE facilities including Montgomery Processing Center in Conroe and Livingston before being transferred to federal detention. After nearly four months in custody, Henriquez was deported to Honduras in February 2026. His detention prompted Houston students to organize protests calling for his release so he could graduate with his class. Elected officials and Houston-area Democrats responded to the case, while Texas Republican leaders declined to comment. Mauro Yosueth Henriquez, a senior captain and midfielder on the Sam Houston Math, Science and Technology Center soccer team, and his father Mauro Rigoberto Henriquez were detained by ICE on December 16 and are reportedly held at a detention center in Conroe. The younger Henriquez is also a volunteer soccer coach in the community. Neither has a criminal record according to Harris County District Clerk's Office, and both are originally from Honduras. Community members organized a protest on Tuesday evening calling for Henriquez's release so he can graduate with his class. Mauro Henriquez, an 18-year-old senior and soccer team captain at Sam Houston Math, Science and Technology Center in Houston, was taken into custody by ICE along with his father while attending an immigration meeting in early December 2025. Henriquez and his father, both from Honduras, were seeking asylum in the U.S. and have been detained at Montgomery Processing Center for over 50 days. Henriquez is an A and B student who has lived in the U.S. since grade school and serves as a volunteer soccer coach at his church. Christian Jimenez, a 17-year-old US citizen and senior at McMinnville High School, was detained by ICE officers after they smashed the window of his father's car during his lunch break. Despite repeatedly asserting his citizenship, an officer broke the car window and ordered him out of the vehicle. Jimenez was taken to an ICE facility in South Portland and held for several hours before being released that evening. Authorities later attempted to charge him with interference or obstruction of investigation.

Hayam El Gamal, a mother of five detained at the Dilley Immigration Detention Center in Texas, was taken to the emergency room on April 9 after weeks of being denied medical care for an abnormal chest growth, despite a facility doctor recommending a CT scan in mid-February. She rated her pain as 11 out of 10, and the ER scan revealed fluid around her heart (pericardial effusion); DHS, ICE, and CoreCivic subsequently denied a follow-up ultrasound recommended by the ER doctor. According to her attorney, Eric Lee, three independent physicians who reviewed her case, Dr. Amy Zeidan, Dr. Virginia Reddy, and Dr. Christopher Merrick, have called for further testing for possible cancer, autoimmune disease such as lupus, and heart complications, warning that ICE and CoreCivic are systematically denying her care in a way that poses an urgent threat to her life. El Gamal and her four minor children have been detained at Dilley for over 10 months, far exceeding the 20-day legal limit for detaining children.

A man detained by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is currently held at the Joe Corley Processing Center in Conroe, Texas. Represented by counsel, he filed a petition for a writ of habeas corpus under 28 U.S.C. § 2241 challenging his continued confinement and a motion for a temporary restraining order and/or preliminary injunction seeking his immediate release pending judgment on the merits of his petition. On April 3, 2026, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas issued an Order to Answer requiring the respondent (the Warden) to file an answer or appropriate responsive pleading and response to the motion by April 17, 2026. The petitioner was given ten days to respond to any answer or dispositive motion and to the respondent's response to the motion for temporary restraining order.

Stephanie Kenny-Velasquez, a 25-year-old Venezuelan national and wife of a U.S. Army Reserve Black Hawk pilot, was detained by ICE in Houston on December 5, 2025, during a routine check-in despite having been released in 2021 pending her asylum claim and consistently complying with all required appointments and hearings. She was held at the Houston Contract Detention Facility for approximately four months. A federal judge found due-process violations and ordered her release within 48 hours, permitting her to continue her immigration case outside of detention. Kenny-Velasquez reported poor conditions including overcrowding (60 women), lack of privacy, inadequate food, anxiety attacks, and limited access to medical care.

Otofu Ayaku, a UT Austin graduate originally from Nigeria, was arrested during a traffic stop in March and detained for approximately one month in two Houston-area facilities. Though their criminal charges were dropped, Ayaku was released on bond with an ankle monitor while their immigration case continues. Ayaku has described their detention experience as dystopian, noting the lack of privacy and control, and has remained connected to other detained migrants they met during their time in custody.

Haydee Mercado-Rodriguez, 34, of El Salvador, was arrested April 9, 2026, during an ICE enforcement operation in Southeast Texas. ICE identified her as an MS-13 gang member and foreign fugitive convicted in El Salvador of homicide-related and other offenses. She remains in custody pending removal. Minh Duy Tong Nguyen, 54, of Vietnam, was arrested April 16, 2026, during an ICE enforcement operation in Southeast Texas. ICE reported he was convicted of murder in Houston in 1991 and had a longstanding removal order. He remains in custody pending removal. Carlos Carmona-Palomo, 29, of Mexico, was arrested April 6, 2026, during an ICE enforcement operation in Southeast Texas. ICE identified him as a foreign fugitive wanted for homicide. He was deported April 21, 2026. Leobardo Nieves-Vasquez, 35, of Mexico, was arrested April 7, 2026, during an ICE enforcement operation in Southeast Texas. ICE reported he was convicted of intoxication manslaughter in Angelina County, Texas. He was deported April 9, 2026. Eric Eusevio Cortez, 44, of Mexico, was arrested during an ICE enforcement operation in Southeast Texas between April 6 and April 17, 2026. ICE reported he had prior convictions for sexual offenses involving minors. Some individuals with such convictions have been deported while others remain in custody pending removal proceedings. Manuel Navarrete-Arellano, 43, of Mexico, was arrested during an ICE enforcement operation in Southeast Texas between April 6 and April 17, 2026. ICE reported he had prior convictions for sexual offenses involving minors. Some individuals with such convictions have been deported while others remain in custody pending removal proceedings. Yeslin Orellana Manchame, 30, of Honduras, was arrested during an ICE enforcement operation in Southeast Texas between April 6 and April 17, 2026. ICE reported she had prior convictions for sexual offenses involving minors. Filiberto Aleman Sanchez, 55, of Mexico, was arrested during an ICE enforcement operation in Southeast Texas between April 6 and April 17, 2026. ICE reported he had prior convictions for sexual offenses involving minors. Brian Rivera Santoyo, 22, of Mexico, was arrested during an ICE enforcement operation in Southeast Texas between April 6 and April 17, 2026. ICE reported he had prior convictions related to drug offenses, immigration violations, or other crimes. Heros Cantu, 33, of Mexico, was arrested during an ICE enforcement operation in Southeast Texas between April 6 and April 17, 2026. ICE reported he had prior convictions related to drug offenses, immigration violations, or other crimes. Jose Artemio Sanchez-Garcia, 61, of Mexico, was arrested during an ICE enforcement operation in Southeast Texas between April 6 and April 17, 2026. ICE reported he had prior convictions related to drug offenses, immigration violations, or other crimes. Javier Ramirez, a U.S. citizen and single father of two, was arrested during a Border Patrol roving patrol at a tow yard in Montebello and charged in federal court with assaulting, resisting, or impeding a federal officer. According to a federal criminal complaint, agents conducted a roving patrol and engaged subjects in a consensual encounter in a parking lot on West Olympic Boulevard. Security camera video showed agents entering the fenced property, and Ramirez was wrestled to the ground while shouting. His attorney contests the charges, stating that Ramirez did not assault anyone, raised his hands when confronted, and was not attempting to flee. The incident occurred as part of broader Border Patrol enforcement operations in Southern California. Pedro Joel Martinez, 52, of El Salvador, was arrested during an ICE enforcement operation in Southeast Texas between April 6 and April 17, 2026. ICE reported he had prior convictions for sexual offenses involving minors. Some individuals with such convictions have been deported while others remain in custody pending removal proceedings. Cristian Muratalla Rodriguez, 29, of Mexico, was arrested during an ICE enforcement operation in Southeast Texas between April 6 and April 17, 2026. ICE reported he had prior convictions related to drug offenses, immigration violations, or other crimes.

Dr. Ezequiel Veliz, a Venezuelan-born family-medicine resident physician at Knapp Medical Center in Weslaco who had lived in the U.S. lawfully for about nine years, was detained by Customs and Border Protection agents at the Sarita Border Patrol checkpoint while driving with his husband, Joseph Williams, from the Rio Grande Valley to Houston. Veliz had lost his work permit in late 2025 when the Trump administration terminated Temporary Protected Status for Venezuelans and was pursuing a green card based on his marriage to Williams, a U.S. citizen. Agents transported him to a detention facility in McAllen, and CBP said his pending green card application did not qualify as a valid visa. U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro criticized the detention, noting Veliz served a medically underserved region. Veliz was released on an $8,000 bond on April 16, 2026, after ten days in ICE custody in Laredo, and has an immigration court hearing scheduled in July in Houston.

Cristina Mejia, 21, has assumed responsibility for her household in Waco, Texas, after her mother Elizabeth was detained by ICE on January 5, 2026, following an altercation. She now manages bills and cares for her two younger brothers, ages 16 and 5, while her mother awaits case updates at a detention facility in Houston. Mejia has limited contact with her mother through three daily phone calls and started a GoFundMe campaign to help cover family expenses during the separation.

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.

Brian Jose Morales Garcia, 25, was deported by ICE after being detained during a traffic stop near Fredericksburg, Texas on April 3, 2026. Garcia claims he is a U.S. citizen born in Denver and provided documents including a birth certificate, hospital records, and baptismal record to support his claim. Despite his assertions of citizenship and documents at home, ICE deported him four days after his arrest after he allegedly made an admission of illegal entry under what he says was intimidation.

A Cuban citizen who entered the United States from Mexico on March 24, 2022, was issued a Notice to Appear for removability under immigration law. She was released on her own recognizance and complied with all conditions of her release. She filed applications for asylum, withholding of removal, and protection under the Convention Against Torture; an immigration judge denied her asylum application, and her appeal remains pending. On April 3, 2026, local police in Odessa, Texas arrested her for an alleged local ordinance violation, and ICE took her into custody on April 6, 2026, transferring her to the Otero County Processing Center. The petitioner, who is approximately ten weeks pregnant and has been diagnosed with diabetes during detention, filed a habeas corpus petition challenging her continued detention without a bond hearing. The U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico granted her petition, finding that 8 U.S.C. § 1226(a) governs her detention and that continued detention without a bond hearing violates her Fifth Amendment due process rights. The court ordered her immediate release and prohibited re-detention without a pre-deprivation bond hearing before a neutral Immigration Judge.

A Government Accountability Office report found that Camp East Montana, the nation's largest immigration detention center in El Paso, Texas, wasted $11.5 million on meals when no detainees were present and suffered performance issues due to a rushed opening. The watchdog's findings follow an earlier ICE inspection on April 2, 2026, that identified 49 deficiencies, including inadequate suicide prevention measures, unsecured equipment, staffing shortages, and failure to isolate a detainee with tuberculosis symptoms, which the GAO confirmed led to a tuberculosis outbreak. The facility, which has housed nearly 3,000 detainees daily since opening in summer 2025 and has recorded at least three deaths, received an acceptable rating despite the violations. The GAO recommended changes to ICE, the Army, and the Department of Homeland Security to prevent further issues.