Human Impact Project

Mariana, a Mexican national, entered an immigration office in Fresno believing she had an appointment to advance her legalization process, but ICE agents arrested her there. She was transferred to California City Detention Center, where she spent a month before being released. She reported extremely cold cell temperatures, inadequate medical care for gastrointestinal problems, poor food quality, and detainees having to help each other with emergencies because medical staff was unavailable. A pregnant detainee she witnessed was only given water for a nosebleed and panic attack. Mariana says the experience left her with physical and psychological scars and describes the facility as feeling like a jail.

Alberto Enriquez, a Mexican immigrant with longtime ties to Catholic parishes in Denver and Gillette, Wyoming, was arrested by ICE in Tampa, Florida, after traveling there for what he believed was an appointment to secure Military Parole in Place based on his daughter Bettsaida's service in the U.S. Navy. His wife, Karina Gonzalez, and daughter Karibett say he was led to believe the appointment would grant him legal status, but he was instead taken into custody and is now held at Baker County Detention Center in Sanderson, Florida. Married for 29 years with seven children, four still living at home, Enriquez had previously volunteered extensively at St. Cajetan's Catholic Church in Denver and later helped launch a Hispanic ministry at St. Matthew's Catholic Community in Wyoming. His family says his decades-old domestic violence conviction, which he pleaded guilty to under difficult circumstances, is now being used to justify his removal, and they are struggling to find an attorney licensed in the jurisdiction where he is being held before what they fear is a fast track to deportation.

A Nepali national filed a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus challenging the constitutionality of his detention in federal immigration custody. He is currently detained at the Rio Grande Processing Center. The petition names Miguel Vergara (ICE-ERO Field Office Director), Markwayne Mullin (Secretary of U.S. Department of Homeland Security), Todd Blanche (U.S. Attorney General), and the Warden of the Rio Grande Processing Center as respondents. On August 3, 2026, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas ordered respondents to file a response to the petition by August 10, 2026, with evidence from his A-file. The court directed notification to the U.S. Attorney and ordered respondents to notify the court and his counsel of any planned transfer or release.

A Mexican woman, known in the Stockton music scene as DJ Reina Azteca, was detained at Otay Mesa Detention Center starting December 18, 2025, for nearly four months. She first came to the U.S. as a child, self-deported to Mexico in 2020, and re-entered in August 2021; she was later detained during an immigration check-in while enrolled in the Intensive Supervision Appearance Program and had a pending U-Visa and open asylum case. She says she requested deportation but was told she had to remain in detention, and alleges she was forced to take a pregnancy test after initially refusing, was held in a cold holding cell without adequate clothing, and faced other harsh conditions; CoreCivic disputes some of her claims, including about phone access. She lost her DJ music library when her account was deactivated and is now borrowing music from friends to resume gigs, but cannot fully rebuild her library or open a bank account until the federal government returns her confiscated identification documents.

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.

A Nicaraguan man is a native and citizen of Nicaragua who was ordered removed from the United States in 2012 and appealed to the Board of Immigration Appeals. The removal order became final in 2014. After 2014, he was released under an Order of Supervision and remained under supervision for nearly fifteen years. On July 27, 2026, he reported for a routine ICE check-in, where he was detained and subsequently transferred to River Correctional Facility where he remains. He filed a motion for a temporary restraining order seeking release under supervision, a detention hearing, and an injunction against removal from the United States or outside the Western District. The court denied his motion, finding that the requested preliminary relief mirrored the ultimate relief sought in his habeas corpus petition and should be addressed through standard habeas procedures rather than as an emergency TRO.

Tangieth Paola Carrasquero Lopez, 23, a Venezuelan asylum seeker with polycystic ovary syndrome, hepatic steatosis, and obesity, has been held at Irwin County Detention Center in Georgia since her July 27, 2026 detention during a scheduled immigration check-in. She says she has received only ibuprofen for abdominal pain and numbness, and that detention food is heavy in carbohydrates her doctor warned she cannot tolerate. A DHS spokesperson said she initially denied needing urgent care at intake but has since tested positive for PCOS and been placed on a chronic care list; her gastroenterologist, Dr. Arnaldo Jimenez, continues to request access to her prescribed Tirzepatide and ongoing monitoring. Her partner, Andres, said she remains unable to continue her necessary medical treatment.

Houman Rashidy, an Iranian citizen, was detained at Torrance County Detention Facility for approximately 13 months pending removal. On July 27, 2026, U.S. District Judge Kea W. Riggs granted Rashidy's petition for a writ of habeas corpus under 28 U.S.C. § 2241, ordering his release. The court found no significant likelihood of removal in the reasonably foreseeable future, as removal to Iran is withheld and three countries (Canada, Brazil, Honduras) refused to accept him.

At least 11 people, including asylum seeker Jesus Carrión, were detained during check-ins at ICE's Malta field office, according to court records and immigrant rights advocates. An emergency habeas petition was filed the same day to prevent their transfer outside the Northern District of New York, and they were initially held at Montgomery County jail before a court ruling allowed transfer to the Batavia detention center with restrictions on further movement. Carrión's wife, Jean Aurilio, said he was taken into custody while waiting for what was expected to be a routine check-in. A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said the detained individuals lacked legal status and would receive due process, as nationwide ICE arrests rose to an average of 1,474 per day by late July, according to federal data.

Jesus Carrion, a 63-year-old asylum seeker, was detained by ICE on July 26 during a routine check-in at the Malta facility after receiving a text instructing him to bring his paperwork and family members. His wife, Jean Aurilio, an American citizen and teacher, accompanied him expecting a standard interview but was told Carrion would be taken into custody and transferred to the detention center in Batavia, with a possible court appearance in two weeks. Aurilio said they had been following all requirements and rules, and she remains waiting for information about his status and when she will hear from him.

An Ecuadorian asylum seeker who has resided in the United States since 2023 entered the country without inspection and filed a timely asylum application shortly thereafter. On November 19, 2025, he was served with a Notice to Appear charging him as removable for being present without admission or parole. On July 25, 2026, ICE took him into custody and transferred him to the Clinton County Correctional Facility in the Middle District of Pennsylvania, where he was held without a bond hearing under 8 U.S.C. § 1225(b). His immigration records show no criminal history and no final order of removal. Petitioner filed a pro se habeas corpus petition arguing he should instead be detained under the discretionary provisions of 8 U.S.C. § 1226(a), which entitles detainees to a bond hearing, and that his detention without such a hearing violated his Fifth Amendment due process rights. Respondents did not dispute the facts but argued his detention was lawful under § 1225(b). The Court, following the majority view among federal courts and several circuit courts of appeals, agreed with Petitioner, ruling that § 1225(b)(2)(A) applies only to noncitizens affirmatively seeking admission, not those like Petitioner who have resided in the country for years. The Court granted the habeas petition, ordered Petitioner's immediate release, permanently enjoined Respondents from detaining him under § 1225(b), and required a bond hearing before an immigration judge if he is later detained under § 1226(a).

A Guatemalan national was ordered removed to Guatemala but granted withholding of removal on September 17, 2018. She was released on an Order of Supervision and granted employment authorization by the Department of Homeland Security. She complied with all immigration requirements, including scheduled check-ins with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). On July 24, 2026, while attending a scheduled ICE check-in, she was detained by ICE and presented with a Notice of Removal to Mexico, which she was forced to sign. Petitioner contends she received no meaningful notice or opportunity to present a fear-based claim to challenge her removal to Mexico. ICE scheduled her removal for August 8, 2026. On August 5, 2026, the court issued a temporary restraining order preventing her removal from the United States and prohibiting her transfer outside the Central District of California pending resolution of her habeas corpus petition.

Chansareth Hong, 50, a Cambodian refugee who arrived in the United States as an infant in 1978 and has lived in Rhode Island for nearly 50 years, was taken into ICE custody on July 22, 2026, while attending a required in-person check-in at the Warwick field office—a practice he had maintained for nearly 28 years. Hong is the sole caretaker of his nonverbal 9-year-old autistic son and his elderly mother; his son's mother died in 2025 and Hong's father died in June 2026. In his late teens and early 20s, Hong pleaded no contest to drug-related charges but maintained a clean record for three decades without missing a single ICE check-in. He was transferred to the Donald W. Wyatt Detention Facility in Central Falls. Over 100 community members, including members of the Cambodian Society of Rhode Island and other refugee advocacy organizations, gathered outside the ICE office to protest his detention. Governor Dan McKee, Providence Mayor Brett Smiley, 13 members of the Providence City Council, and U.S. Representative Seth Magaziner sent letters to ICE urging his release, citing his rehabilitation and essential role as family caretaker. Over 2,000 people signed a petition on his behalf. A federal judge ordered that Hong cannot be moved out of Rhode Island without 72 hours notice, and his legal team filed a habeas petition in federal court challenging his detention.

A Guinean woman is a national of Guinea currently detained by U.S. immigration authorities at the Port Isabel Service Processing Center in Cameron County, Texas. She has protection from removal to Guinea. Respondents intend to remove her imminently to Ghana, a third country, without providing her a reasonable fear interview regarding removal to that country. She filed a verified petition challenging her removal as violating her constitutional rights and seeking a temporary restraining order. The court found that her removal would cause immediate and irreparable injury, as she would be unable to seek habeas relief if removed. On August 5, 2026, the court issued a temporary restraining order prohibiting removal to a designated third country less than seven days after providing notice, requiring compliance with March 2025 Guidance procedures regardless of diplomatic assurances, and prohibiting transfer outside the Southern District of Texas except to a third country subject to the order's conditions. The court ordered her to file a response to the motion to dismiss by August 14, 2026, clarifying jurisdictional bases for her claims.

A native and citizen of India entered the United States without inspection on January 24, 2024, near Tecate, California. He was initially released on his own recognizance with routine ICE reporting requirements. On July 5, 2026, he was arrested in Turlock, California for driving under the influence of alcohol. On July 22, 2026, he was arrested by ICE during a routine check-in and taken into custody at Golden State Annex Detention Facility in McFarland, California. He filed a habeas corpus petition arguing that his re-detention without a bond hearing violated his Fifth Amendment due process rights. The federal court granted his petition in part, finding that 8 U.S.C. § 1226(a), not § 1225(b)(2)(A), governs his detention and that the government must prove by clear and convincing evidence that he poses a danger to the community or flight risk. The court ordered respondents to provide him with an individualized bond hearing before an immigration judge within 14 days, with him entitled to legal representation and at least 72 hours notice.

A man is currently detained at the South Texas ICE Processing Center in Pearsall, Texas. He filed a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2241 in the United States District Court, Western District of Texas, San Antonio Division, challenging his detention. The court ordered respondents to file a response within 7 days identifying pertinent factual and procedural background information, including the date Petitioner entered the United States, whether he was previously apprehended and released by immigration authorities, and the status of his immigration and/or removal proceedings. The petitioner may file a reply within 7 days after the respondents' response.

An immigration detainee filed a petition for writ of habeas corpus challenging her detention at the South Texas ICE Processing Center in Pearsall, Texas. The court ordered respondents to file a response within 7 days identifying pertinent factual and procedural background information, including the date petitioner entered the United States, whether she was previously apprehended and released by immigration authorities, and the status of her immigration and removal proceedings.

A detainee held at Webb County Detention Center in federal immigration custody filed a pro se petition for a writ of habeas corpus challenging the constitutionality of his detention. The court ordered respondents (the Warden, Secretary of Homeland Security, and Director of ICE) to file a response by July 30, 2026, with the petitioner able to reply by August 13, 2026. The court also ordered that respondents notify the court of any planned transfer or release.

A native and citizen of Uzbekistan was detained by ICE on July 22, 2026, when he reported to the ICE field office in Philadelphia as required by his supervision conditions. He had been living in the United States for over one year and was enrolled in ICE's ATD/ISAP supervision program after being released from immigration custody in July 2025, during which time he complied with all supervision requirements. The court granted his habeas petition, finding he was not subject to mandatory detention under 8 U.S.C. § 1225(b)(2) and ordered his immediate release on pre-July 22 supervision conditions.

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.