Human Impact Project

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

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634 incidents with known locations

766 of 766 incidents

Army veteran deported to Mexico after ICE detention

Nov 14, 2024Denver, COVenezuela
Disappearance/DetentionDeportationLPR/Greencard HolderCourt Process Issue

José Barco, a Purple Heart-recipient Army veteran who served two tours in Iraq, was deported to Mexico on November 14, 2024, after being detained by ICE for nearly a year. Barco was detained immediately upon release from Colorado State Penitentiary in January 2024 and spent time in at least six detention facilities. Despite being born in Venezuela, Venezuelan authorities refused to accept him, citing a forged birth certificate, before he was eventually deported to Mexico where he has no family connections.

Crab Pad employee's family detained by ICE agents

Nov 10, 2024Chicago, IL
Disappearance/DetentionMinor/Family

Diana, an employee at The Crab Pad restaurant in Chicago's Logan Square neighborhood, had her 19-year-old daughter Duri and husband detained by ICE agents on November 10 during a check-in at the ICE office Downtown. Diana has been attempting to track her family members as they are transferred between detention facilities, while struggling to support her 6-year-old son Diego without their financial support. The restaurant owner has launched a GoFundMe to help Diana with bills and potentially pay bail.

Green card holder detained by CBP after returning from funeral

Nov 5, 2024Boston, MACape Verde
Disappearance/DetentionDetention ConditionsLPR/Greencard Holder

Eva Helena Mendes, a 40+ year green card holder and mother of six who grew up in the US, was detained by Customs and Border Protection on November 5th upon returning to Boston Logan Airport from her brother's funeral in Cape Verde. She was subjected to humiliating conditions including being forced to go without a shower for over a week, and her family received no notice regarding the reason for her detention.

Woman detained at Adelanto holding center after workplace arrest in California

Nov 3, 2024Montclair, CA
Disappearance/DetentionDetention ConditionsRaidMinor/Family

Andrea was arrested while working in Montclair, California on November 3rd and is being detained at Adelanto holding center. Her family, including her husband Francisco and six children, is seeking legal assistance and fundraising support to help secure her bond and cover living expenses during her detention.

ICE detains Gerardo outside Riverside courthouse, family fundraiser launched

Oct 27, 2024Riverside, CA
Disappearance/DetentionMinor/Family

Gerardo was detained by ICE on October 27th outside the Riverside courthouse. He has a wife and two young children at home. A fundraiser was launched to help bring him back to his family.

ICE Deports Alabama Man with Citizenship Claim Despite Court Order

Oct 23, 2024AlabamaLaos
DeportationOfficer MisconductU.S. CitizenCourt Process Issue

ICE deported an Alabama man to Laos who had a substantial claim to U.S. citizenship, despite a federal judge issuing a temporary restraining order on October 23 blocking his deportation. The man was placed on a plane the next day, and the restraining order was not served to ICE until after he was already airborne. DHS has stated it was not a mistake and does not want him returned.

University of Arizona student detained by immigration officials

Oct 21, 2024Tucson, AZ
Disappearance/DetentionVisa/Legal Status

Yassine Halhoul, an Aerospace Engineering student at the University of Arizona who arrived in the U.S. in 2021, was detained by immigration officials on October 21. He described the detention conditions as 'horrible.' The incident disrupted his student life on campus.

Orange County photographer detained at airport, held in poor conditions

Oct 18, 2024Santa Ana, CA
Disappearance/DetentionDetention Conditions

Adan Caceres, a 26-year-old Orange County photographer, was detained while going through security at John Wayne Airport on October 18 while heading to Texas to photograph a wedding. He reported being held in chains for hours in conditions without air conditioning, with detainees becoming dehydrated and fainting.

Pittsburgh ICE detaining hundreds in inadequate holding cells

Oct 15, 2024Pittsburgh, PAHonduras, Ecuador
Disappearance/DetentionDetention ConditionsMinor/Family

According to records obtained by the Deportation Data Project, at least 810 people were held at the ICE Field Office on Pittsburgh's South Side from the beginning of 2024 through October 15. The average detention period has increased from about two hours to more than six hours, with some detainees held for much longer periods, including children held beyond ICE policy limits.

Permanent Resident Detained by ICE Agents, Found Days Later

Oct 15, 2024Chicago, IL
Disappearance/DetentionOfficer MisconductLPR/Greencard Holder

Omar Huerta Cisneros, a 54-year-old permanent U.S. resident with schizophrenia, was detained by two masked immigration agents on October 15 while walking in his Southwest Side Chicago neighborhood. His family was unable to locate him for two weeks despite contacting authorities and elected officials. He was eventually found on the streets of suburban Franklin Park, with family members believing ICE agents dropped him off there without notifying his family of his location or condition.

Hillsboro man released from ICE custody after mistaken detainment

Oct 14, 2024Hillsboro, OR
Disappearance/DetentionOfficer MisconductDetention ConditionsVisa/Legal StatusCourt Process Issue

Victor Cruz, a Hillsboro man with legal work authorization, was detained by ICE on October 14 after agents allegedly confused him with another person named Victor Cruz. Despite presenting valid work documents and being identified as the wrong person, Cruz was transferred to an ICE facility in Tacoma where he reported inhumane conditions. He was released on Friday after his family obtained a temporary restraining order, but remains under federal supervision with an ankle monitor and faces ongoing deportation proceedings.

Unmarked ICE agents chase teenage boys through Chicago streets

Oct 12, 2024Chicago, IL
Officer MisconductMinor/family

Two teenage boys were chased through Chicago neighborhoods by unmarked vehicles with men in ski masks who asked for their IDs and immigration status. The incident occurred on a holiday when the boys were not skipping school. According to the post, this represents an increasing pattern of such encounters happening across Chicago and the country.

Mexican immigrant missing seven weeks after ICE detention in LA

Oct 7, 2024Los Angeles, CAMexico
Disappearance/DetentionDetention ConditionsOfficer MisconductCourt Process Issue

Vicente Ventura Aguilar, a 44-year-old Mexican immigrant, has been missing for seven weeks after ICE agents detained him in South Los Angeles on October 7. According to a friend detained with him, Aguilar collapsed while shackled on October 8 after shaking and losing consciousness, was taken by ambulance, and has not been seen since. Despite the family's extensive search and their lawyer's inquiries to DHS, the agency claims no one matching his information was among 73 Mexican nationals arrested during that period, leaving his whereabouts unknown.

Brazilian immigrant with work authorization detained during traffic stop

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Man Dies After ICE Detention and Mistaken Identity Arrest

Adelanto, CAMexico
Disappearance/DetentionDeathOfficer Misconduct

Irvin Cruz Nape, a Mexican-born resident of the U.S. for 24 years, was detained by ICE in fall after being mistaken for someone else. He was granted bond in late February and released. This week, he suffered a health crisis and died, leaving behind his wife and four children.

Officer threatens unarmed 17-year-old at Minnesota anti-ICE protest

Minnesota
Officer Use of ForceOfficer MisconductProtest/InterventionMinor/Family

An officer allegedly yelled threats at an unarmed 17-year-old who was leaving a Minnesota anti-ICE protest after asking why he had to exit his car. The officer then reportedly made a false statement to other officers claiming the teenager had reached down to justify grabbing him. The incident raises concerns about officer accountability and use of force.

Free Estefany Rodriguez ICE Detention Case

Disappearance/Detention

An Instagram post by Nick Valencia News calls for the release of Estefany Rodriguez, who appears to be detained by ICE. The post uses the hashtag #SiSePuede (Yes We Can), suggesting advocacy for immigration rights.

Family transferred from Dilley detention to unknown warehouse

Dilley, TX
Disappearance/DetentionDetention ConditionsMinor/Family

An Instagram post by @eachstephome reports that a family they had supported at Dilley ICE detention facility was transferred to an unknown warehouse. The family includes 12-year-old Anyeli who has a hearing disability and her 3-year-old brother. The post calls for action and public awareness regarding the transfer.

Deaf child from Hayward deported to Colombia after ICE detention

Hayward, CAColombia
Disappearance/DetentionDeportationOfficer MisconductMinor/FamilyDisability Rights

A deaf child from Hayward was detained with his mother and younger brother during a routine ICE check-in. ICE denied the child access to his assistive communication device. Within two days, the family was deported to Colombia without access to legal counsel, with ICE providing misleading information about their whereabouts.

ICE observers cited at San Diego federal building

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.

Man dies after release from Adelanto ICE detention center

Adelanto, CA
DeathDetention Conditions

Irvin Cruz Nape, a father and husband, died days after being released from the Adelanto ICE Processing Center. An advocacy account reports his death was due to inhumane treatment experienced during his detention and is seeking support for his family.

Bay Area Mother and Children Deported to Colombia After ICE Detention

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.

ICE remotely disables community watcher's vehicle in Santa Ana

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.

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