Human Impact Project

Victor Acurio Suarez, a 52-year-old disabled Ecuadorian immigrant with autism and aphasia, was issued an order of voluntary departure by an immigration judge on January 20, 2026. Suarez was arrested by ICE in September 2024 while in a Lowe's parking lot. His asylum request was denied and he faces deportation to Ecuador. He has documented trauma.

Augsburg University president Paul Pribbenow stated that ICE agents illegally detained a student on campus without displaying a warrant. In response, the university plans to lock more buildings to prevent ICE agents from entering without proper legal documentation. Federal officials countered that university staff attempted to obstruct the arrest.

Jose Argueta, a 37-year-old Maryland resident, was detained by ICE for approximately one month after D.C. police called him to pick up his recovered stolen vehicle at the Fifth District police station. According to his attorney, D.C. police coordinated with federal immigration agents to lure Argueta into custody, which violates the city's Sanctuary Values Act. The incident is under investigation by both D.C. police internal affairs and the Office of Police Complaints.

Federal agents, including more than 200 CBP and ICE officials led by Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino, carried out the 'Catahoula Crunch' operation in New Orleans and Kenner beginning December 3, 2025, lasting several weeks and resulting in 560 arrests, the vast majority of people detained having no criminal records. The raids slowed business at Hispanic-owned stores and reduced attendance at some schools and churches, after agents arrested people fleeing a Lowe's parking lot, patrolled a heavily Hispanic neighborhood, and surrounded a home during a standoff. On January 26, 2026, U.S. House Democrats held a hearing at New Orleans City Hall where Mayor Helena Moreno and other officials testified that fear persists among immigrants, saying agents had targeted predominantly Hispanic groups before identifying individuals. The hearing also referenced the recent fatal shooting of a Minneapolis nurse by Border Patrol agents, which lawmakers said reflected similar enforcement tactics.

Federal immigration agents arrested two men, Adolfo Felipe Mendoza-Cruz on October 30 and Fabian Pablo Beltran-Flores on November 3, in apparent violation of Washington state law prohibiting immigration enforcement within one mile of courthouses. Mendoza-Cruz was detained in a courthouse parking lot after attending a DUI arraignment, while Beltran-Flores was arrested on a sidewalk outside City Hall after a court appearance. City officials reported both incidents to the Washington State Attorney General's Office.

Broadview Police Chief Thomas Mills announced three criminal investigations into ICE operations at a detention facility in his village, citing repeated exposure of his officers to tear gas deployed by federal agents. Mills and Mayor Katrina Thompson criticized ICE's use of tear gas, pepper spray, and mace during protests at the Broadview Processing Center, stating the chemicals created dangerous conditions for residents and first responders exercising their First Amendment rights.

New Jersey's attorney general is reviewing reports that ICE is conducting operations at a Roxbury warehouse in violation of a federal court order barring its conversion into a detention facility. A May court ruling required ICE to halt conversion plans and limit activity at the site to maintenance, but a July 10 DHS filing indicated the agency intends to move forward with retrofitting the warehouse for detention use. The community group Sussex Visibility Brigade has reported increased ICE activity at the site, and the AG's office says it will take steps to address any non-compliance. The warehouse, purchased by DHS for nearly $130 million to become a 1,500-person detention center, has drawn bipartisan opposition, including a lawsuit from the state and Roxbury township.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents opened fire on a vehicle during an immigration enforcement operation after the driver allegedly struck two officers with his car. The three occupants, including an unauthorized immigrant, were not hit. The driver was briefly detained but released due to California's sanctuary policies, as agents lacked a warrant.

Micaela Eudave, a 44-year-old Othello woman, was arrested by ICE agents on February 8 while driving to work at her taco truck business. According to court documents, Eudave had no criminal history and was under no deportation orders, though ICE stated agents were in the area searching for a different person. Her arrest has sparked debate about local law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration authorities, leading to a lawsuit by Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown against Adams County Sheriff Dale Wagner for allegedly violating the state's "Keep Washington Working" act.