Human Impact Project

A living database documenting reported incidents of harm related to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations.

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620 incidents with known locations

762 of 762 incidents

Brazilian immigrant with work authorization detained during traffic stop

bit.ly
Oct 6, 2024Troy, NHBrazil
Disappearance/DetentionOfficer Misconduct

A 23-year-old Brazilian man with valid U.S. work authorization was detained by ICE after local police in Troy, New Hampshire stopped a vehicle he was a passenger in for alleged speeding on October 6. Despite producing a valid work authorization card, the officer took him into custody at ICE's direction. He was held for approximately one month without any criminal charges being filed.

Federal officers threatened ambulance crew at ICE facility in Portland

ift.tt
Oct 5, 2024Portland, OR
Officer MisconductOfficer Use of ForceProtest/Intervention

Federal officers at an ICE facility in South Portland stalled and threatened an ambulance crew transporting an injured protester to a hospital on October 5. According to internal incident reports obtained by Willamette Week, one federal agent threatened to "shoot and arrest" one of the medics. The allegations were confirmed by a representative of the union representing the American Medical Response ambulance crew.

Father detained by ICE during routine appointment

bit.ly
10/2024Dallas, TX
Disappearance/DetentionMinor/Family

Wael Tarabishi, who has lived with Pompe disease for over two decades, lost his primary caregiver when his father Maher was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in October. Maher, who served as his son's medical advocate and caregiver, was detained while checking in for a routine appointment at ICE's Dallas Field Office. The detention has left Wael, who depends on others for breathing and eating assistance, without his primary support system.

New Brunswick mother cares for medically fragile son alone after husband detained

bit.ly
10/2024New Brunswick, NJ
Disappearance/DetentionMinor/Family

Fanny Jakelinne Núñez cares for her eight-year-old son with severe disabilities who requires oxygen monitoring and tube feeding in a small room in New Brunswick. Her husband, Néstor Luis Rivera Chavez, was detained by ICE agents in October while going to pick up medicine for their son. Núñez now lives in constant fear of being detained herself and leaving her son without care, remaining confined to the small room most of the time.

Honor student Sara Velasquez Gomez detained by ICE after graduation

bit.ly
10/2024Staten Island, NYColombia
Disappearance/DetentionProtest/InterventionMinor/FamilyRefugee/Asylum Seeker

Sara Velasquez Gomez, an 18-year-old honor student who graduated from Port Richmond High School in June, was detained by ICE in late October. The Colombian native, who moved to Staten Island in 2022, is being held out of state while her asylum case remains unresolved. Her former teachers and community members have rallied for her release, highlighting her academic achievements and contributions to the community.

U.S. Citizen Detained Six Weeks Despite Valid Visa

t.co
Sep 26, 2024Montana
Disappearance/DetentionOfficer MisconductU.S. Citizen

Karen, a U.S. citizen traveling with a valid visa, was detained by ICE for six weeks after being turned back at the Canadian border when her husband's visa had expired. Despite having valid documentation, no criminal record, and being a retired school administrator, she was handcuffed, shackled, and held in ICE detention for attempting to leave the United States with her husband.

Man with developmental disabilities detained by ICE in Delaware parking lot

bit.ly
Sep 22, 2024Seaford, DEEcuador
Disappearance/DetentionDeportationVulnerable PopulationCourt Process Issue

Victor Acurio Suarez, a 52-year-old with developmental disabilities originally from Ecuador, was arrested by ICE on September 22 in a Lowe's parking lot in Seaford, Delaware, after attempting to flag down an ICE agent. He was detained at Moshannon Valley Processing Center in Pennsylvania and faces deportation, despite having a scheduled immigration court hearing where he could potentially be granted asylum based on gang violence he fled.

7th Circuit rules deportation can proceed for detained man

bit.ly
Sep 17, 2024Clay County, IN
Disappearance/DetentionDetention ConditionsRaidDeportation

Asif Amin Cheema, 63, was arrested by CBP on September 17 as part of Operation Midway Blitz. The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that his deportation could proceed despite a pending appeal related to his arrest. His daughter reports he has been denied medication and family calls while detained for over 100 days, and faces inhumane conditions exacerbated by malnourishment and dehydration.

Chicago business owner detained, facing deportation from ICE custody

bit.ly
Sep 17, 2024Chicago, ILPakistan
Disappearance/DetentionDeportationDetention ConditionsCourt Process Issue

Asif Amin Cheema, 63, a Pakistani-born Chicago-area resident and business owner, was detained by Border Patrol on September 17 while driving in suburban Addison as part of Operation Midway Blitz. During his detention by ICE, his health declined significantly. His family is fighting his deportation to Pakistan based on a 1993 removal order they claim they had no knowledge of until his detention.

ICE raid results in dog's death during home operation

kfoxtv.com
9/2024
Officer Use of Force

An Instagram post describes an ICE raid that occurred in September where a dog named Chop was killed during the operation. The post gained significant attention months after the incident occurred, with the poster condemning the actions as inhumane and expressing concern about other reported incidents involving officer misconduct.

Korean PhD Student Released After Three Months ICE Detention

koreanquarterly.org
Jul 21, 2024San Francisco, CASouth Korea
Disappearance/DetentionOfficer MisconductDetention ConditionsLPR/Greencard Holder

Will Kim, a Korean PhD student and U.S. permanent resident, was unlawfully detained by CBP agents at San Francisco International Airport in July and held for over three months across ICE facilities in California, Arizona, and Texas. During detention, he was denied legal access, subjected to harsh conditions including sleep deprivation and constant room transfers, before being released following activism by NAKASEC and other community advocates.

Iraq Combat Veteran U.S. Citizen Arrested and Detained by ICE

bit.ly
Jul 10, 2024
Disappearance/DetentionOfficer MisconductU.S. Citizen

George Retes Jr., an Iraq combat veteran and U.S. citizen, was arrested by ICE on July 10 and held in detention for 3 days. The incident was documented on social media as part of efforts to raise awareness about ICE enforcement actions.

Jim Brown's Irish Wife Detained by ICE in Kentucky

bit.ly
Jul 1, 2024Kentucky, KYIreland
Disappearance/DetentionDetention ConditionsLPR/Greencard Holder

Donna Hughes-Brown, the Irish wife of Jim Brown, was detained by ICE after returning from Ireland in July. She was transported in a prisoner van for six hours to Kentucky without seat belts, food, or water for 12 hours. Jim Brown has launched a campaign to highlight her detention and the degrading conditions she has experienced.

Woman's fiancé detained at ICE office after 13 years

bit.ly
Jul 1, 2024San Francisco, CAChina
Disappearance/Detention

A woman who fled China's one-child policy 13 years ago and became a U.S. citizen describes how her fiancé was unexpectedly detained on July 1 during a routine check-in at San Francisco's Immigration and Customs Enforcement field office. The incident has disrupted her family's life in the South Bay after years of building stability as a citizen with children.

Former HBCU player detained after traffic stop, held at Texas facility

bit.ly
6/2024Dallas, TX
Disappearance/DetentionDACA

A former HBCU football player was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents following a traffic stop in Dallas in June 2024 and held at the Blue Bonnet Detention Facility in Anson, Texas. The individual had participated in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, but his status had expired and was not renewed. He was released from detention by late December 2024.

20-year-old student detained by ICE at immigration court hearing

instagr.am
May 1, 2024Bronx, NY
Disappearance/DetentionMinor/Family

Dylan Lopez Contreras, a 20-year-old student at Ellis Prep academy in the Bronx, was detained by ICE in May while attending a routine immigration court hearing. He was reportedly the first New York public school student detained by ICE and has been held at Moshannon Valley ICE processing center in Philipsburg, Pennsylvania for approximately 10 months.

Brothers deported to El Salvador despite American upbringing

ift.tt
5/2024Central Islip, NYEl Salvador
DeportationMinor/FamilyCourt Process Issue

Brothers Josue (20) and Jose (21) Trejo Lopez were deported to El Salvador in May after spending over nine years in the United States growing up. Despite earning high school diplomas, joining Air Force Junior ROTC, having no criminal records, and receiving a judicial recommendation against deportation, immigration agents arrested and deported them. The brothers were returned to El Salvador in shackles, separated from their mother and other family members in a country where they feel like foreigners.

ICE Detains Man After Violent Arrest at St. Paul Gas Station

mprnews.org
Mar 10, 2024St. Paul, MN
Disappearance/DetentionOfficer Use of ForceDetention Conditions

A 27-year-old man identified as Orbin Mauricio Hernandez Serrano was tackled and detained by ICE at a Speedway gas station in St. Paul on Sunday. Viral video showed him unconscious, leading some to believe he was killed, but his sister confirmed he survived and is being held in a detention center in El Paso, Texas. According to his sister, ICE did not have a warrant for his arrest, and he suffered reinjury to a recently operated knee during the detainment.

ICE detains Philippine woman, denies medical care and visits

bit.ly
3/2024North Carolina, NCPhilippines
Disappearance/DetentionDetention ConditionsOfficer Misconduct

ICE arrested Tita Rebecca during a routine check-in in North Carolina in March. According to her family, she has been denied kidney medication, subjected to medical neglect and sexual assault, and held in Indiana for over three months without outdoor access. Her family reports being denied in-person visits and are fighting for her release.

ICE detention of asylum seeker during school morning

t.co
Feb 25, 2024
Disappearance/DetentionRefugee/Asylum SeekerMinor/Family

A woman named Jessica, who came to the United States legally seeking asylum to escape domestic violence, was detained by ICE agents on February 25 while waiting outside her home in pajamas for her daughters' school bus. Jessica had missed immigration appointments due to lack of transportation and language barriers after being in the country for approximately 20 months. The witness posting attempted to prevent agents from also taking her daughters during the incident.

Demand for release of Alex Hernandez detained in Arizona

Facebook
Feb 12, 2024Florence, AZ
Disappearance/DetentionProtest/Intervention

Alex Hernandez was detained in California and transferred multiple times without warning. He is currently being held at the Florence detention center in Arizona. Advocacy group Centro CSO is calling for public support to demand his release through calls to the detention facility.

Immigrant family sues over toddler returned to ICE detention

t.co
Feb 1, 2024Dilley, TX
Disappearance/DetentionDetention ConditionsMinor/Family

An immigrant family filed a lawsuit in early February alleging their 18-month-old daughter was returned to an ICE detention facility in Dilley, Texas during a measles outbreak, despite being hospitalized for a life-threatening respiratory illness and being denied medication. The girl and her parents have since been released from ICE custody.

Eugene Police Declare ICE Protest a Riot Over Broken Window

bit.ly
Jan 30, 2024Eugene, OR
Protest/InterventionOfficer Use of Force

The Eugene Police Department declared an ICE Out protest at the downtown Federal Building a riot after a ground-floor window was broken. The protest was among many across the country opposing ICE enforcement tactics and federal agents' involvement in shooting deaths. Video evidence later surfaced suggesting a federal officer may have broken the window, contradicting initial reports that protesters were responsible.

Orbin Mauricio Henriquez Serrano injured in St. Paul incident

noise-live.de
Jan 13, 2024St. Paul, MN
Disappearance/DetentionOfficer Use of ForceDetention Conditions

Orbin Mauricio Henriquez Serrano, detained in St. Paul, spoke briefly with his sister on January 13th, confirming he is alive but injured. He reported significant pain including a leg injury from recent surgery, and stated his condition was not medically evaluated following the incident and he has not received medical attention.

Ecuadorian man detained and transferred without warning from family

ift.tt
Oct 22, 2023Queens, NYEcuador
Disappearance/DetentionOfficer MisconductDetention ConditionsMinor/Family

Manuel Mejia Hernandez, 46, was detained by masked federal agents at 26 Federal Plaza on October 22 and separated from his wife Alexandra Alvarez and 11-month-old daughter in Queens. During the government shutdown, he was transferred without warning or explanation first to Texas and then to Arizona, over 2,330 miles away. His family can only contact him by calling the detention facility in hopes he will be permitted to speak.

Riverside College student's father detained by ICE despite asylum status

CBS News
7/2023Riverside, CA
Disappearance/DetentionDetention ConditionsRefugee/Asylum SeekerMinor/Family

Andres Caicedo, a Riverside City College student, says his father Cesar was detained by ICE in July 2023 while working as an Amazon delivery driver in San Bernardino, despite having asylum status and a work permit. Cesar Caicedo has been held at the Adelanto ICE Processing Center for nearly six months, and his son says they had consulted with a lawyer days before the detention to verify their legal status. Andres is struggling financially to cover education costs, bills, and legal fees while his father awaits another court hearing.

Immigrant toddlers ordered to appear in court alone

scroll.in
Jun 28, 2018Tucson, AZ
DeportationMinor/FamilyCourt Process Issue

Immigrant children as young as 3 years old are being ordered into court for their own deportation proceedings, often without their parents present. This practice has increased under the Trump administration's family separation policy, affecting over 2,000 children who must navigate immigration court alone while dealing with trauma from separation and their home countries.

Immigrant rights activist Jeanette Vizguerra released on bond after detention

bit.ly
Dec 22, 2017Aurora, CO
Disappearance/DetentionProtest/InterventionImmigrant Rights

Jeanette Vizguerra, an immigrant rights activist and community organizer, was released on bond from the GEO ICE detention facility in Aurora, Colorado on December 22 after nine months of detention. She was arrested by ICE on March 17 from her workplace without warning and faced constant threats of deportation during her imprisonment. Vizguerra, named one of Time magazine's '100 Most Influential People' in 2017, was released on a $5000 bond announced by the American Friends Service Committee.

ICE observers cited at San Diego federal building

t.co
San Diego, CA
Protest/Intervention

Federal Protective Service officials cited four volunteers who were observing immigrants attending their scheduled appointments with ICE at the Edward J. Schwartz Federal Building in downtown San Diego. The volunteers, part of a faith ministry, were cited for violating posted regulations against loitering on federal property. This marks the first time these volunteers have been cited for their practice of observing and offering prayers to immigrants during ICE check-ins.

Bay Area Mother and Children Deported to Colombia After ICE Detention

t.co
San Francisco, CAColombia
Disappearance/DetentionDeportationMinor/FamilyRefugee/Asylum Seeker

Lesly Rodriguez Gutierrez, a 28-year-old Colombian asylum seeker, and her two young children were detained at an ICE office in San Francisco on Tuesday during a routine check-in and subsequently deported to Colombia. California officials and immigration advocates called for their return, with her attorney arguing the deportation was inhumane and unconstitutional. Her 6-year-old deaf son did not have his assistive equipment when detained.

Measles outbreak at Camp East Montana: 14 active cases, 112 in isolation at ICE tent facility

t.co
El Paso, TX
Disappearance/DetentionDetention ConditionsDeath

At least 14 active measles cases have been reported at Camp East Montana, a tent camp in El Paso housing over 3,000 immigrants, with 112 people isolated. The facility, operated by Virginia-based contractor Acquisition Logistics, has experienced at least four deaths including a construction accident and three detainee deaths.

ICE remotely disables community watcher's vehicle in Santa Ana

t.co
Santa Ana, CA
Officer MisconductProtest/Intervention

ICE agents were conducting operations in Santa Ana near Birch Street and Andrew Place early in the morning. Community watchers and legal observers responded to monitor the incident. An ICE agent pepper sprayed the area despite no one being near, and later remotely disabled a legal observer's vehicle engine while stopped at a red light on Main Street and Edinger Avenue.

Bay Area Mother and Children Detained by ICE After Check-in

t.co
San Francisco, CAColombia
Disappearance/DetentionOfficer MisconductMinor/FamilyRefugee/Asylum Seeker

Lesly Rodriguez Gutierrez, a Colombian asylum-seeker, was arrested by ICE officers on Tuesday evening after reporting for her check-in at the ICE office in San Francisco. She was detained along with her two children, ages 5 and 7, with the 7-year-old boy being deaf. Immigration attorneys have been unable to locate the family and suspect ICE moved them out of California to prevent legal intervention.

Haitian asylum seeker dies in ICE custody in Arizona

t.co
Florence, AZHaiti
Disappearance/DetentionDeathDetention ConditionsRefugee/Asylum Seeker

Emmanuel Damas, a Haitian asylum seeker, died in ICE custody at the Florence Correctional Center in Arizona after being held for four months. A local official stated the man died after not receiving timely medical care for an infected tooth. He is at least the 10th detainee to die in ICE custody in the year.

Man dies in ICE custody at Adelanto detention center

t.co
Adelanto, CA
DeathDetention Conditions

Alberto Gutierrez, 48, died while in custody at an ICE detention center in Adelanto, California. Family members claim he was denied medical care despite requesting help, and stated his death could have been prevented with proper medical attention.

Nigerian man describes harsh conditions during deportation flight

t.co
Nigeria
DeportationDetention ConditionsOfficer Misconduct

A Nigerian man shared his experience being deported from the United States, describing being chained for 36+ hours on a flight with other detainees. He and others were kept in restraints including handcuffs, leg cuffs, and waist chains throughout the flight, even after leaving U.S. airspace, and experienced poor treatment from ICE and security contractors.

Man Released from ICE Detention After 10 Years Overseas

t.co
Nigeria
Disappearance/Detention

A man posted on Instagram about being released from ICE custody after returning to the United States following 10 years overseas. He expressed gratitude for his freedom, his family's support, and those who provided assistance during his detention.

ICE Denied Asthma Inhaler to 12-Year-Old for 9 Days

t.co
DeathDetention ConditionsMinor/Family

According to an immigration coalition post, ICE denied asthma inhalers to a 12-year-old child for 9 days while claiming it was pending medical review. The child experienced an asthma attack during lights-out and was found unresponsive on the floor by guards at 6 AM. The post characterizes this as a preventable death resulting from ICE protocol.

Columbia University student detained by ICE at campus housing

t.co
New York, NYAzerbaijan
Disappearance/DetentionOfficer MisconductRaidVisa/Legal Status

Elaina Aghayeva, a Columbia University student from Azerbaijan, was detained by ICE agents at her campus housing around 6:30 a.m. ICE agents allegedly posed as police officers with fake badges to gain entry. NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani stated he received assurances from President Trump that she would be released imminently, and Aghayeva later confirmed she was released and safe.

Undocumented man detained by ICE, faces deportation to Iran

t.co
Tempe, AZIran
Disappearance/DetentionDeportationOfficer MisconductVisa/Legal Status

Mehrzad Asadi Eidivand, a 41-year-old undocumented resident, has been in federal custody since June after HSI agents arrested him and his wife at their home without a warrant. After taking a plea deal and being released in late November, he was immediately detained by ICE and has since been held at Imperial Regional Detention Facility in Calexico, California. ICE has repeatedly asked him to sign a deportation order to Iran, where his attorney says he faces an execution order due to his opposition to the Islamist regime.

Two-month-old deported from ICE family detention center in Texas

t.co
Dilley, TXGuatemala
DeportationDetention ConditionsMinor/Family

A two-month-old boy named Juan Nicolás and his family were detained at ICE's family detention center in Dilley, Texas. When the baby developed bronchitis, ICE deported the family, leaving them stranded on the Mexican border without support. With help from a Univision reporter, the family eventually reached Guatemala where they reunited with relatives.

Journalists arrested investigating Trump deportation scheme to Cameroon

t.co
Yaoundé, CMCameroon
Third Country DeportationProtest/InterventionCourt Process Issue

Four journalists and an attorney were detained in Cameroon while investigating Trump's alleged scheme to deport third-country immigrants to the African nation. The group was held at a state-run compound in the capital, with police confiscating their equipment. All five individuals have since been released.

ICE detains 16-year-old asylum-seeker, transfers him out of state

t.co
Minnesota, MN
Disappearance/DetentionMinor/FamilyRefugee/Asylum Seeker

Federal ICE agents detained a 16-year-old asylum-seeker in Minnesota and transferred him to a Michigan facility run by Bethany Christian Services, despite his father living locally. The teen was labeled an "unaccompanied minor" and his family and attorneys had difficulty locating him. While in custody, the minor reported being injected with vaccines without consent.

Woman adopted from Iran faces deportation despite American upbringing

t.co
California, CAIran
DeportationVisa/Legal StatusRefugee/Asylum Seeker

A woman adopted from Iran at age 2 and raised in the American Midwest is facing deportation proceedings despite having lived in the U.S. her entire life and considering herself fully American. She was excluded from automatic citizenship under the 2000 Child Citizenship Act because she entered on the wrong type of visa. She fears deportation to Iran due to her Christian faith and her late father's U.S. military service, and has no family or language connections to the country.

ICE car chase ends in multi-vehicle crash injuring three children

t.co
Newark, NJ
Officer MisconductMinor/Family

A dangerous car chase involving ICE agents attempting to make an arrest resulted in a multi-vehicle crash in Newark, New Jersey, leaving three children injured. Newark Mayor Ras Baraka condemned the operation as reckless, noting that New Jersey law prohibits law enforcement from engaging in car chases without an immediate threat.

ICE Detains Man After 43 Years Wrongful Imprisonment

t.co
Disappearance/DetentionDeportation

Subramanyam "Subu" Vedam, a 64-year-old man who spent 43 years wrongfully imprisoned, has been detained by ICE as he fights a decades-old deportation order. He was denied bail and remains in ICE custody awaiting resolution of his case.

Mother and sick baby deported, abandoned at Mexico border

instagr.am
Dilley, TXMexico
DeportationDetention ConditionsMinor/Family

Mireya Lopez-Sanchez and her two-month-old baby were deported and dropped off alone at the Mexico border after being detained at the Dilley, Texas ICE facility. The infant became sick with bronchitis while in custody, was rushed to the hospital, but was denied treatment before being deported.

Pregnant Woman Detained by ICE, Deported to Nicaragua

t.co
Los Angeles, CANicaragua
Disappearance/DetentionDeportationMinor/Family

Leonela Liliana Gomez Hernandez, a 27-year-old woman in her eighth month of pregnancy, was detained by ICE on Wednesday while en route to a prenatal appointment in South Central Los Angeles. She was deported to Nicaragua on Friday morning, according to the activist group Union del Barrio.

Chicago teen fighting father's detention dies of cancer

t.co
Chicago, IL
DeathDisappearance/DetentionRaidMinor/Family

Ofelia Torres, a 16-year-old Chicago resident, died from metastatic alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare aggressive cancer. Torres had gained national attention after her undocumented father, Ruben Torres-Maldonado, was detained by immigration agents during the Trump administration's immigration crackdown called 'Operation Midway Blitz,' and she posted videos and gave interviews calling for his release.

Palestinian activist Leqaa Kordia released from hospital, returned to ICE custody

t.co
North TexasPalestine
Disappearance/DetentionDetention ConditionsRefugee/Asylum Seeker

Palestinian activist Leqaa Kordia was released from the hospital and returned to ICE custody at Prairieland Detention Facility in North Texas, where she has been detained for almost a year. In a statement, Kordia described experiencing her first seizure while in the facility's medical unit, which she attributes to the cruel confinement and inhumane conditions of her detention.

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