Human Impact Project

Missing ICE Detainee Vicente Ventura Aguilar's Case Highlighted

Vicente Ventura Aguilar has been missing for over 45 days after suffering a medical emergency while in ICE custody in South Los Angeles. He and a friend were taken by masked agents, and his friend, who was deported to Mexico, last saw him fainting in ICE custody. Despite searches of hospitals, morgues, and government agencies, and DHS reporting no records of him, his whereabouts remain unknown.

Marwan Marouf Released After 60 Days ICE Detention

Marwan Marouf appeared before Immigration Judge Abdias Tida after 60 days in ICE detention. He chose to accept deportation rather than continue fighting what advocates describe as unjust incarceration. Supporters vow to continue advocating for his case and others facing similar circumstances.

ICE arrests teacher at Chicago daycare, U.S. citizen in LA

Federal agents arrested a daycare teacher in Chicago in front of parents and children, with witnesses reporting she was violently taken away despite having a work permit. In a separate incident in Los Angeles, immigration agents arrested a U.S. citizen during a Home Depot raid and drove away in his car with his 1-year-old daughter still inside before the child was retrieved by family.

23-year-old US citizen describes armed encounter with unidentified men

Martin Rascon, a 23-year-old U.S. citizen, described an incident where four men attempted to force their way into a vehicle. When the men refused to identify themselves, the vehicle's driver (Francisco) attempted to drive away through an open pathway. The vehicle was met with gunfire during the escape.

Four Haitian women found dead after U.S. deportation

Dominican authorities reported finding the bodies of at least four women near the Dominican-Haitian border who had been deported by the U.S. government from Puerto Rico to Haiti. The deaths occurred amid Haiti's ongoing gang violence and gender-based violence crisis. A federal judge this week blocked the Trump administration from ending Temporary Protected Status for 350,000 Haitians in the U.S., ruling the government failed to determine whether these individuals could safely return.

Federal agents spray protester with chemical irritant during arrest

A photograph published on the front page of the Minneapolis Star Tribune shows federal immigration agents restraining a protester on the ground while spraying chemical irritant directly into his face. The image prompted commentary comparing the incident to brutality used against civil rights protesters in the 1960s.

Denver Bassist Held in ICE Custody for Over Month

Marcos Flores, bassist for local band Summer of Peril, was detained by ICE on December 23 while attempting to pick up a visitor's badge at Colorado Springs Air Force Academy. Flores, who was brought to the U.S. as a young child from Mexico, has been held at Aurora ICE Detention Center with his bond request denied despite community support and legal efforts. His case was affected by a federal policy memo reversing protections against no-bond detentions.

ICE Detained 4-Year-Old U.S. Citizen and Family in Hotels for Weeks

ICE agents arrested a Honduran mother and her two children, including a 4-year-old U.S. citizen, at a check-in appointment on December 20, 2025. The family was detained in hotel rooms for 18 days across multiple locations, including near LaGuardia Airport and Alexandria, Louisiana, during which they had minimal contact with the outside world. They were briefly placed on a plane to Honduras before being taken off due to a federal judge's temporary restraining order blocking their deportation, and were eventually released on January 7, 2026.

Honduran oyster worker drowns fleeing Coast Guard in Louisiana

Walter Francisco Cerrato Cabrera, a 48-year-old Honduran deckhand who had worked on oyster boats for 20 years, drowned on December 18 while jumping into Bayou La Loutre to avoid U.S. Coast Guard agents who had stopped at the docks. Cerrato and a younger coworker jumped from their boat when agents approached, but Cerrato, who could not swim, drowned in the bayou. The incident occurred amid increased immigration enforcement operations in lower St. Bernard Parish.

ICE agents hold pregnant woman face-down as crowd protests

ICE agents were reported to have detained a pregnant woman at Karmel Mall in Minneapolis, holding her face-down on the ground while handcuffed and dragging her by one arm. Witnesses and bystanders screamed that she was pregnant and unable to breathe, while some pelted the agents with snowballs in protest.

Maryland resident detained at immigration check-in, seeking legal aid

Melisa, a Maryland resident with a valid work permit and pending asylum case, was detained on December 15, 2025 during a routine immigration check-in. She had no criminal record and was employed full-time while preparing to start classes at Carroll Community College and planning her wedding. Her community is raising funds to help her hire an immigration attorney.

Green card holder dies in ICE detention facility in Pennsylvania

Sheikh Fouad Saeed Abdulkadir, a 46-year-old green card holder and Imam from Eritrea, died at the Moshannon Valley Processing Center after spending 215 days in ICE custody. He was pronounced dead on December 14, 2025. The Council on American Islamic Relations stated his death reflects failures in the detention system regarding medical care, transparency, and human dignity.

Maryland woman claims US citizenship released after 25 days in ICE custody

Dulce Consuelo Díaz Morales was detained by ICE on December 14 near her home in Maryland despite claiming to be a U.S. citizen born in the state. She was held for 25 days while her attorneys presented documentation including a U.S. birth certificate to support her citizenship claim. After a federal court judge issued an order preventing her deportation, she was released and reunited with her family, though deportation proceedings may continue.

Maryland woman detained by ICE fights to prove U.S. citizenship

22-year-old Dulce Consuelo Diaz Morales was detained by ICE on December 14, 2025, despite claiming U.S. citizenship. She was held for 25 days and transferred between facilities in Louisiana, Texas, and New Jersey. Her legal team provided a Maryland birth certificate and other documentation supporting her citizenship claim, but DHS maintains she is not a citizen and illegally entered the country in 2023. She was released with an ankle monitor requirement and faces deportation proceedings with a court hearing scheduled for July 2026.

Haitian man dies in ICE detention within 24 hours

Jean Wilson Brutus, a 41-year-old Haitian man, was transferred to Delaney Hall ICE detention center in Newark on December 11, 2025. He showed no signs of distress during intake and had no known cardiovascular issues, but died less than 24 hours later. ICE delayed publicly acknowledging his death for a full week. This was the first death at Delaney Hall since it reopened under a contract with private prison company GEO Group.

ICE Detained Critically Ill Man En Route to Medical Treatment

ICE detained a critically ill man who was traveling to receive medical treatment. The incident raises concerns about the treatment of individuals with serious health conditions during immigration enforcement operations.

Venezuelan woman seeking asylum detained by ICE

Stephanie Velasquez, a Venezuelan woman seeking asylum, was detained by ICE on December 5th, 2025 during one of her appointments. She was married to a U.S. citizen at the time of her detention.

ICE truck allegedly runs over detainee's legs in Vancouver

Jose Paniagua Calderón was detained in front of a Mexican restaurant on East 4th Plain Boulevard in Vancouver, Washington. Videos on social media show him screaming in pain as a silver-colored SUV drives over his legs during the detention. ICE denies that its agents ran over Paniagua's legs, while his family alleges ICE agents denied him medical care and forced him into their vehicle. He is reportedly being held at the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma.

Francisco Gaspar Cristóbal Andrés dies after 93 days ICE detention

Francisco Gaspar Cristóbal Andrés, a 48-year-old who worked in the U.S. for 20 years, died on December 3rd, 2025 after being detained by ICE for 93 days. His wife Lucía Pedro Juan was deported while Francisco was detained, and they were separated by ICE officials despite her pleas to see him. The post highlights allegations of mistreatment during detention and calls for justice for the couple.

15-Year-Old Houston Boy With Autism Released After 48 Days in Federal Custody

A 15-year-old Houston boy with autism was released from federal custody last week after 48 days of separation from his mother, following a judge's order for reunification. Emmanuel Gonzalez-Garcia was initially reported missing on October 5 after he was selling fruit with his mother Maria Garcia, and was later found by Houston police and placed in the custody of the Office of Refugee Resettlement as an unaccompanied immigrant minor. The family's attorneys successfully argued in court that authorities had no legal authority to keep Emmanuel in custody since he was not truly unaccompanied, and the judge agreed, ordering his release—though the family still has pending immigration court cases.

OU College of International Studies professor arrested by ICE

An OU College of International Studies professor was reportedly arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement at Will Rogers Airport on Saturday. The arrest occurred at the airport, though additional details about the circumstances and charges were not provided in the available content.

Student deported to Honduras despite court order barring removal

Any Lucia López Belloza, a 19-year-old Babson College student, was detained by ICE at Boston airport while attempting to travel to Austin for Thanksgiving. Despite a federal judge issuing an emergency order barring her removal for 72 hours, she was deported to Honduras within 48 hours of her arrest. López had left Honduras at age seven and had no criminal record.

U.S. citizen high school senior detained by ICE in Oregon

ICE agents detained Christian Jimenez, a 17-year-old U.S. citizen and high school senior, after stopping his vehicle during lunch break on November 21, 2025. Despite Jimenez telling officers he was a U.S. citizen, an agent broke the car's driver-side window and detained him. He was transported to an ICE facility in South Portland and released later that day, and authorities attempted to charge him with interference or obstruction of investigation.

McMinnville High School student among US citizens detained by ICE

A 17-year-old U.S. citizen high school student was detained by ICE in McMinnville during lunch period on November 21. According to advocacy groups, at least seven people were detained in Yamhill County during sweeps that week, including at least four U.S. citizens. The high school student was later released after being recognized as a U.S. citizen. The incident prompted a protest with hundreds of residents on Saturday.

ICE agents detain 18-year-old U.S. citizen in North Carolina

Manny, an 18-year-old U.S. citizen from North Carolina, was detained by masked armed ICE agents on November 19, 2025, while sleeping in his work truck. Despite having done nothing wrong, he was harassed and detained, an experience he later recounted in an interview with The Hometown Holler.

Polish-born Sanford grandfather detained after 70 years in U.S.

Paul John Bojerski, a 79-year-old man born to Polish parents in a German refugee camp after World War II, was detained at the Alligator Alcatraz detention camp in the Everglades on a decades-old deportation order that authorities had previously chosen not to enforce. Despite legally emigrating to the United States in 1952 and spending more than seven decades in the country, Bojerski found himself in legal limbo without a country. His family, including his stepdaughter and elderly wife, are devastated by his incarceration.

ICE Attack Dog Mauls Constituent, Senator Murray Demands Release

On November 14, 2025, ICE agents detained Wilmer Toledo-Martinez using an attack dog despite him not resisting arrest or attempting to flee. An ICE agent posed as a construction worker to lure him out of his home, and a second agent released a dog on him, causing serious injuries. Toledo-Martinez was denied medical care for hours following the assault and remains detained at the Northwest ICE Processing Center.

Chicago father and toddler pepper-sprayed by federal immigration agents

Rafael Veraza and his 1-year-old daughter were pepper-sprayed at close range in a Sam's Club parking lot in Cicero while heading to go grocery shopping. The family said they were not protesting or interfering when a masked federal immigration agent fired pepper spray through their vehicle's open window. The Department of Homeland Security denied the incident occurred, claiming there was no pepper spray deployed in the parking lot.

ICE detains street vendor in Los Angeles

A man was detained by ICE agents on November 5, 2025, while returning from a doctor's appointment. The individual is a street vendor with a city permit who has lived in the country for over 35 years, paid taxes, and has no criminal record. His family is seeking help to cover legal fees and bring him home, expressing concern about his access to medication for medical conditions.

Guatemalan man detained in LA immigration raid faces health concerns

Julio Vargas, a 66-year-old Guatemalan, was detained by U.S. Border Patrol during an immigration raid at El Corredor Salvadoreño in Los Angeles on Sunday. He is being held at Adelanto Detention Center and has reported breathing problems and cramps due to cold conditions, worsened by his existing health conditions and lack of medication. His family is seeking legal assistance but faces financial and resource barriers.

U.S. citizen shot by ICE agents in Ontario during residential enforcement

Carlos Jimenez, a 25-year-old U.S. citizen, was shot by ICE agents in Ontario on Thursday while attempting to warn federal officers about children gathering at a nearby school bus stop. His lawyers claim he was shot from behind while trying to leave the scene, while federal authorities contend he reversed his vehicle toward officers in a threatening manner. Jimenez was charged with assault on a federal officer but released on bond; a bullet remains lodged in his right shoulder.

Legal F-1 Visa Holder Detained by ICE, Denied Insulin During Detention

A woman who entered the U.S. legally on an F-1 visa in 2022, graduated college, worked on OPT, and married a U.S. citizen was detained by ICE for 9 days in November 2025. During detention, she was denied insulin despite being a Type 1 diabetic, causing her blood sugar to exceed 500, and her credit card was stolen and used by a guard. Her case was terminated after she provided necessary paperwork showing her eligibility for a green card interview.

Beaverton father dies after ICE detention and deportation to Mexico

Paulino Martin San Pedro, a Beaverton resident, was detained by ICE in November and deported to Mexico within days. He was hospitalized shortly after deportation and died of pneumonia at age 53. His family believes his death was triggered by the trauma of detention and deportation to a country he had not lived in for over 30 years.

Man shot by ICE agent pleads not guilty to assault charges

Carlos Jimenez, a food bank worker and father of three, was shot in the back by an ICE agent during an immigration stop on October 30, 2025. He pleaded not guilty to assault charges after being indicted by a federal grand jury. His attorneys claim he was attempting to leave and reverse his car out of fear after being ordered to leave by agents, and that he was shot unnecessarily with a bullet remaining lodged in his right shoulder.

ICE officer shoots U.S. citizen motorist in Ontario

An ICE officer shot Carlos Jimenez, a 24-year-old U.S. citizen, on a residential Ontario street after Jimenez allegedly pulled his SUV ahead of ICE officers and then put the vehicle in reverse toward them. Jimenez was struck in the shoulder and taken to a hospital. The Department of Homeland Security and FBI are investigating the incident.

ICE beats up 16-year-old citizen

ICE officer bear maces teenage girl filming in Hillsboro

This ICE bear maced a teenage girl for filming in front of four Hillsboro police officers. The police did nothing.

ICE agents shoot at car with mother and children during Aurora enforcement

ICE agents shoot into the windshield of a mother screaming, "I got kids in my car!"

Illinois Lawmaker Reports Gun Pointed at Head During ICE Raid

Illinois state representative Hoan Huynh, a Vietnamese refugee, was confronted by federal ICE and Customs and Border Patrol agents while monitoring immigration enforcement in Chicago's North Side. According to Huynh, agents surrounded his car and pointed a gun at his head while he was documenting their activities and informing local residents of their rights. The incident is part of ongoing immigration enforcement operations in Chicago that have faced legal challenges from a federal judge.

ICE Agents Beat and Choke Houston Teen and Father During Traffic Stop

ICE agents reportedly beat and choked a 16-year-old U.S. citizen named Arnoldo Bazan and his father Arnulfo Bazan during a traffic stop by unmarked vehicles. The teen witnessed agents punching and kicking his father, and was himself assaulted and choked when he attempted to intervene. The father has been deported to Mexico.

Officer throws woman to ground at ICE protest in Durango

A U.S. citizen dropped off his little brother at an elementary school — only to be followed by ICE agents moments later. Let’s be clear: schools are supposed to be protected spaces, and ICE operations targeting families and children on or near school grounds are unlawful and morally unacceptable.

DHS Agents Observed Wearing Halloween Masks During Immigration Raids

Community monitors documented federal immigration agents wearing Halloween masks while leaving Terminal Island in unmarked vehicles on October 28, 2025. Agents were observed wearing masks depicting characters such as Chucky, Momo, and Mr. Potato Head while staging for immigration enforcement operations. When L.A. TACO inquired about the incident, DHS responded with only 'Happy Halloween!' rather than addressing the concerns about agent conduct and identification.

Star athlete injured during ICE enforcement operation

An Instagram post describes an incident involving a star athlete who sustained injuries to his neck and back during what appears to be an ICE enforcement operation. The poster criticizes ICE officers as untrained and calls for accountability, suggesting that resources should be redirected toward proper training rather than other expenditures.

ICE Detains U.S. Citizen Documenting Immigration Enforcement in Oregon

10/27: a US citizen who was observing and documenting ICE at Chick-Fil-A in Gresham was followed after their observations and then subsequently kidnapped by ICE by having their car attacked and windows smashed. Thankfully, she has been released but they are apparently pressing charges (dont have full details yet, this is the info we have now). It might be the first of its kind.

ICE detains British journalist for Israel criticism

British journalist Sami Hamdi was detained by ICE at San Francisco International Airport on Sunday morning while on a speaking tour in the US. His detention came after criticism of Israel's military campaign in Gaza, with the Council on American-Islamic Relations characterizing it as retaliation for free speech. A Trump administration official stated Hamdi's visa was revoked and he faces deportation.

Over 170 U.S. citizens detained

We Found That More Than 170 U.S. Citizens Have Been Held by Immigration Agents. They’ve Been Kicked, Dragged and Detained for Days.

Man deported to Laos despite court order blocking removal

Chanthila "Shawn" Souvannarath, 44, was deported to Laos on Friday despite a federal court order issued the day before blocking his removal. The judge had ordered ICE to keep him in the country so he could present a claim of U.S. citizenship. DHS claimed the court order was not received until after the deportation had already occurred. Souvannarath, who was born in a refugee camp in Thailand but has lived most of his life in the U.S., had been granted lawful permanent residence before his first birthday.

ICE arrests Avondale man after hours-long standoff at home

ICE agents attempted to arrest 21-year-old undocumented Honduran immigrant Willian Castillo-Hernandez on October 24, 2025, despite not having a warrant for him. After he fled to his home, a multi-hour standoff ensued involving the FBI. Video evidence suggests ICE rammed his truck, contradicting ICE's claim that he rammed them. Castillo-Hernandez was ultimately arrested after negotiators convinced him to leave the house.

State Representative Stopped by ICE After Following Agents in Chicago

This state representative was stopped by ice after following them through Chicago. One thing to point out is the driver saying he had no control of his windows and somehow ice was able to put them down…

Federal agents detain multiple people, tear gas residential block in Chicago

Federal agents detained multiple people across the Lakeview neighborhood on Chicago's North Side on Friday morning. Incidents occurred at Broadway and Belmont Avenue where two people were detained, and on Lakewood Avenue where federal agents deployed tear gas in a residential neighborhood while detaining a laborer. Witnesses reported the detentions involved use of force, with one laborer visibly injured and another described as being handled violently despite compliance.