Human Impact Project

ICE agents, working with the U.S. Forest Service and Caldwell County Sheriff's Office, set up a checkpoint on the only road into Wilson Creek, a popular swimming spot in Pisgah National Forest, on July 26, 2026, detaining 13 people. Among them was Argenis Eduardo Torres Rosales, a 32-year-old Venezuelan asylum seeker with a work permit and no criminal record, according to his aunt Wuendy Rosales; he is now held at a detention facility in Folkston, Georgia, 433 miles from his wife and stepson. ICE said many of those detained had criminal histories including DUI and illegal reentry charges. Witnesses described the operation as "terrifying," with families separated during the stops, including one whose wife and children were left stranded roadside without cell signal. Sandra Salazar, co-founder of Hands of Hope y Adventurous Latinos, said her cousin's partner was among those detained and that families with pending asylum cases were caught up in the action. Sheriff Kevin Bean denied reports that children were separated from families, while advocates said the raid, following North Carolina's new law mandating state-ICE cooperation, has discouraged Latino families from visiting the forest.

A Nicaraguan citizen entered the United States without inspection on November 8, 2022, and was briefly detained before being released on parole with routine ICE check-ins. He filed an asylum application on August 1, 2024, which remains pending, holds a valid work authorization card, and has no criminal history. For over 43 months, he complied with all supervision conditions and DHS repeatedly determined his physical detention was unnecessary. On July 27, 2026, ICE detained him during a scheduled immigration check-in in Los Angeles, alleging no violations, no changed circumstances, and no individualized basis for custody, and providing no pre-deprivation hearing. He filed a habeas petition and TRO application arguing his re-detention violated Fifth Amendment due process rights. The Government did not oppose the TRO. The court found he demonstrated a likelihood of success on the merits, irreparable harm, and that the balance of equities favored release, ordering Respondents to immediately release him subject to narrowly tailored conditions and to file a status report within five days confirming release.

Alexander Jarquin-Jarquin, a Nicaraguan asylum seeker with a valid work permit and driver's license, was arrested on July 26, 2026, while on his way to work with no stated reason. He entered the U.S. in 2021 through the southern border, was released by ICE under parole, and has since obtained legal work authorization and worked 12-hour days supporting his elderly father in Nicaragua and his wife in the U.S. He has no criminal history. He is now in immigration custody with his case before an immigration judge, and his family is raising funds for legal fees and bond to secure his release and demonstrate community ties.

Carlos Hugo Betancur, a 52-year-old Colombian national, was detained by ICE on July 8, 2026, while pumping gas at a Marathon station in Doral on his way to work. An immigration officer approached him from behind, asked for identification, and detained him after he provided his Florida driver's license. Betancur had filed a political asylum application in January 2023 and possessed both an employment authorization card and a Florida driver's license. He spent 8 days at the Miramar Processing Center and 8 days at Krome Detention Center before being released on electronic monitoring. At Miramar, he described severe overcrowding, with 93 to 104 detainees held in a single room with insufficient space for everyone to sit or sleep simultaneously. His daughter, Maria Alejandra Betancur, disputed the detention, noting he had valid asylum and work authorization documents. He is now required to wear an ankle monitor while his immigration case proceeds before an immigration judge.

Yasmin Suarez Reyes, a 45-year-old Venezuelan citizen with dual Spanish citizenship, was arrested by ICE agents at Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport on July 24, 2026, while preparing to travel with her fiancé, Texas businessman John Gannon. Suarez Reyes entered the U.S. legally in October 2023 under the Visa Waiver Program and filed for asylum in January 2024 before her initial 90-day stay expired. While her asylum case remained pending, she obtained a work permit and Texas driver's license and had no criminal record. According to Gannon, ICE officers "swarmed" Suarez Reyes without explanation and "wrestled her off into a car." DHS said she was detained for illegal overstay after her lawful admission expired on January 19, 2024, noting that pending asylum applications do not confer legal status. Suarez Reyes was being held at Montgomery Processing Center in Conroe, Texas for deportation processing. Gannon told media he regretted voting for Trump, saying agents are "picking up law-abiding citizens" and "destroying families."

Luis, a 25-year-old tile installer from Ecuador, was arrested by ICE agents in the parking lot of Tanger Outlets in Deer Park while sitting in his car. ICE agents ran his out-of-state license plates without his knowledge, identified him as an Ecuadorian citizen, obtained a warrant, and arrested him within 20 minutes without giving him an opportunity to explain that he had a valid work permit and federal status protecting him from deportation. A judge later freed him from custody. Luis's arrest occurred as part of a broader enforcement pattern: Newsday's investigation found ICE has arrested over 2,000 people on Long Island since Trump's second term began, primarily through parking lot surveillance and traffic stops rather than coordinated raids. At least 84 of 400 reviewed cases involved immigrants arrested while using vehicles, despite New York state law barring ICE from accessing DMV records.

A community member was detained by ICE agents at a Denver DMV office while applying for a driver's license. The person had a pending asylum case, valid work authorization, and no criminal record, according to the post. Their family and church are requesting prayers and calling for justice and respect for the person's dignity while awaiting their release.

Chantal Alejandra Morales Rojas, a 27-year-old Ecuadorian au pair and software developer, was detained by plainclothes ICE agents at Denver International Airport while boarding a Southwest Airlines flight to Oakland. She had entered the U.S. lawfully on a J-1 exchange visitor visa in early 2023 and, before that visa expired, filed an immigration application allowing her to remain with federal authorization while her case was pending, according to her attorney Laura Lichter. ICE alleged she had overstayed her visa, but Lichter said Rojas "followed the rules of her program" and worked legally under federal employment authorization as a software developer for a recycling app company in Oakland. Agents in civilian clothing removed her from the jetway and placed her in a Homeland Security van as friends and fellow passengers watched, and the arrest was captured on video that circulated widely amid a broader increase in ICE enforcement at U.S. airports. She was transferred to the Aurora ICE Processing Center, where a federal immigration judge later ordered her release on a $3,000 bond. The family she worked for said, "She is a part of my family. She has never hurt anyone and just lives a quiet life. She came here legally and tried to do everything right."

Yajaira, a 37-year-old Honduran mother of two with a valid work permit, was pulled over and arrested by federal immigration officers while driving through the Florida Keys on July 20. She was held for five days in an overcrowded concrete holding cell at the ICE field office in Miramar, Florida, jammed in with roughly 50 other people, given little food, no room to sleep, and limited phone access. She suffered an anxiety attack and passed out, was taken to a hospital by ambulance, and was returned to the facility still carrying an IV in her arm, according to her sister Marlene. Yajaira was later transferred to a detention center in El Paso, Texas, and is now held at an ICE facility in Spokane, Washington, while her family has hired an attorney to file a habeas corpus petition on her behalf.

James Wambui, a Kenyan truck driver, was arrested by ICE at a weigh station in Middletown, Virginia during a routine cargo stop after a local sheriff handed his documents to waiting ICE officers. He was transferred to Farmville Detention Center and held for three weeks, incurring $50,000 in legal fees. Wambui was eventually released due to pending marriage-based immigration petition, asylum application, and marriage to a U.S. citizen, though ICE retained his driver's license, work permit, Social Security card, and other personal documents.

Shaoping Wu, a 48-year-old Chinese human rights lawyer, was detained by ICE in mid-July 2026 while working as an Amazon delivery driver in Pennsylvania. Wu fled China in 2019 after the government cracked down on lawyers challenging authorities in civil rights cases. He arrived in the U.S. on a tourist visa, filed for asylum in 2020, and received work authorization. He had been working full-time as a delivery driver since April 2025 while continuing his advocacy work criticizing the Chinese Communist Party. Wu was living in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania with his wife Li Caoliu and their 17-year-old daughter, a Hempfield High School student. During his arrest, he informed police about his pending asylum application, but they notified immigration officials who detained him at Moshannon Valley Processing Center in Clearfield County. His wife expressed concern about lost income and mounting bills while helping with his defense. Human rights organizations have warned that Wu could face serious retaliation if deported to China.

ICE agents in Lakewood, Washington detained 23-year-old Venezuelan citizen Moises Velasquez while searching for a Mexican national with a final deportation order who drove the same make and model car. Velasquez, who entered the U.S. legally through a CBP appointment in 2023, was paroled, obtained employment authorization, and was awaiting a December 2026 asylum hearing when agents broke his car window and pulled him from his vehicle outside the barber shop where he works; his fiancée, then eight months pregnant, was on the phone and heard him screaming for help. His attorney, Bart Klein, said ICE agents realized they had detained the wrong person but sent him to the Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma anyway. A federal magistrate judge called the arrest 'egregious' and granted a habeas corpus petition, and Velasquez was released after about a month in detention and has returned to work.

Rosendo Lira, a 59-year-old Wise County business owner and father of five, was detained by ICE after Wise County sheriff's deputies pulled him over for a traffic violation on July 17, 2026, just three minutes from his home. Despite holding a valid work permit and driver's license, Lira was transferred to ICE custody based on a 2020 immigration court order of removal that his family says is under appeal. Lira was preparing for his daughter Bella's quinceañera celebration; Bella was born with Down Syndrome, and Lira has been her primary advocate and caregiver throughout her life. His daughter Synthia stated that Lira had no reason to be detained as he had not violated the terms of his work permit, committed no crime, and cannot legally be deported while an appeal is pending. The detention occurred following the sheriff's office's April 2026 adoption of a 287(g) agreement with ICE.

Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero, a 25- or 26-year-old Colombian national with legal work authorization, was fatally shot by ICE officer David Brouillette on July 13, 2026, during a mistaken traffic stop near a laundromat in Biddeford, Maine. He was working an early-morning DoorDash delivery shift when agents conducting surveillance on a different address approached his vehicle and fired five shots through the windshield, with his 3-year-old daughter witnessing the shooting. DHS said the vehicle attempted to flee and the officer fired fearing for public safety, a claim disputed by witnesses; Sen. Angus King said Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin confirmed Guerrero was not the intended target. He lived with his partner Karolina Rojas and also worked as a veterinary clinic cleaner; she described him as 'a hard worker devoted to his family' who 'always dreamed big' for their daughter. His death prompted hundreds of protesters to gather and led to inquiries by the Maine Attorney General's Office, the FBI, and the DHS Office of Inspector General, with Democratic lawmakers, including Congressman Bennie Thompson, calling for an investigation into the officer's hiring history.

David Ardila, a 33-year-old DJ from Venezuela, was detained by ICE at Logan Airport on July 10, 2026, after returning from attending a FIFA World Cup quarterfinal match in Boston. Ardila fled Venezuela and applied for asylum in 2017, entering the U.S. on a valid visa that year. He holds a Social Security number and work permits and has been following all legal processes required while waiting nearly a decade for an asylum interview. ICE detained him for allegedly overstaying his visa by over eight years, which his attorney Todd Pomerleau attributes to delays in the asylum application process. Ardila has no criminal record and is currently being held at Plymouth County Correctional Facility in Massachusetts, approximately 3,000 miles from his family in Seattle, with legal challenges being filed seeking his release and permission to remain in Massachusetts during his immigration proceedings.

Joan Sebastian Durán Guerrero, a 25-year-old Colombian national with lawful work authorization, was fatally shot by ICE officer David Brouillette during a traffic stop in Biddeford, Maine, while driving to his job as a food delivery and custodian driver. His partner, Karolina Rojas, and their 3-year-old daughter were nearby when agents rammed his vehicle and opened fire, striking him in the head. Officials later confirmed he was not the intended target; agents had been surveilling a nearby address for someone with a final removal order. A neighbor described him as 'a good person,' quiet and dedicated. His death made him the 11th person fatally shot by federal immigration officials during Trump's second term, coming days after agents killed another immigrant father in Houston. DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin briefly paused ICE traffic stops before Trump reversed the decision, and the FBI declined to open a civil rights investigation despite the officer's prior history of abusive conduct. Maine officials, including Senator Angus King, Governor Janet Mills, and Congresswoman Chellie Pingree, called for an independent investigation as protests broke out in Biddeford and his family sought to repatriate his body to Colombia.

Lorenzo Thompson, a Jamaican citizen and Southwest Airlines flight attendant, was detained by ICE agents at Nashville International Airport on July 14, 2026, while returning from a work trip. Thompson lawfully entered the United States on April 17, 2021, on a six-month visitor visa and has been working as a flight attendant while pursuing legal status through an active asylum application. He holds a valid work permit and has no criminal record. His best friend Kristin Foster stated that Thompson is seeking refuge from life-threatening abuse, and colleagues described him as a well-liked, caring worker. Thompson and his supporters dispute ICE's characterization that he overstayed his visa, asserting he has followed legal procedures and maintained compliance with immigration requirements. He is being held at a correctional facility in Mississippi pending immigration proceedings. The Transport Workers Union Local 556 stated they are working with Thompson's attorney and committed to supporting him and his family.

Darwin Alberto Gomez Corrales, an Uber and Lyft driver with Temporary Protected Status and a valid state driver's license, was arrested by ICE agents who shattered his vehicle window in the parking lot of a WOW Supermarket on South Boulevard in Charlotte. According to his wife, agents refused to explain the reason for his arrest or show a warrant, and he was denied the ability to speak with someone in Spanish or ask questions during the encounter. His wife reported that when detained, agents told him to "shut up" and used profanity when he requested a Spanish-speaking officer. Gomez Corrales is currently held at an ICE facility in South Georgia. He and his wife have two children.

Teodoro Vazquez-Moreno, 58, a Mexico-born resident of Evansville, was arrested by ICE following a traffic stop and held at the Clay County Justice Center in Brazil, Indiana on an immigration hold. His niece Ana Karen Gonzalez learned of his detention through a text from his son, who operates a food truck business on Evansville's East Side, and discovered her uncle in the back of a federal van outside the Evansville-Vanderburgh Civic Center while seeking information from local officials. According to family members, Vazquez-Moreno carried a valid driver's license and federal work permit at the time of arrest and had no active criminal cases; a years-old DUI case from Dubois County was the only reported scrape with the law. Vazquez-Moreno was being represented by immigration attorney Jason Flora at the time of his arrest. By Saturday, the family confirmed through a phone call that he was the person in the van and were told he would be deported to Mexico, though they received no formal removal documentation.

About 10 employees at Ternerita Steakhouse in Orlando were detained by ICE on the night of July 10, 2026, after an employee called police following a workplace dispute, prompting an inspection of the restaurant. Owner Luis Tarrés said authorities found the restaurant fully compliant with licensing and operational requirements, but officers detained and handcuffed workers who lacked U.S. citizenship or permanent residency, including some with valid work permits and Social Security numbers, leaving only citizens and residents behind. Tarrés, describing the business as family-run, said the restaurant has been unable to reopen since the raid due to lack of staff, and that prospective hires he has since approached fear suffering the same fate. The employee who initially called police has not publicly explained what prompted the call.