Human Impact Project

A Mexican national living in Maryland, whose testimony for the Justice Department against drug cartels led an immigration judge to bar his deportation to Mexico under the Convention Against Torture in July 2024, was released from custody that November but re-detained during a routine ICE check-in in January 2026 and held for six months in a Louisiana detention facility. In July 2026 he was deported three times in two weeks: first to Guatemala, which refused him and handed him to Mexican consular officials who also declined to take him; then directly to Mexico twice more after officials there initially refused him, and again after the administration terminated his CAT protection based on diplomatic assurances it said were provided by the Mexican government and deemed reliable by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and acting ICE Director David Venturella. He has been in hiding in Mexico since Aug. 1 fearing retaliation from the cartels he testified against, and U.S. District Judge Stephanie Gallagher found the government likely violated his due process rights, ordering it to take immediate steps to facilitate his return within 200 miles of Baltimore.

A Mexican man in his late 40s, identified in court filings only as "John Doe" and a father of two, had cooperated with U.S. prosecutors in cases against Mexican drug cartel members and was granted deferral of removal under the Convention Against Torture in July 2024. While living in Maryland, he was detained by ICE in January 2026 at a routine check-in and held for six months at a facility in Louisiana. Authorities attempted to deport him multiple times, first to Guatemala on July 10, which refused him and turned him over to Mexican officials, and then to Mexico, most recently on August 1 to a region with active cartel activity. He has since gone into hiding without money, belongings, or his phone, fearing the cartels he testified against will find and kill him. U.S. District Judge Stephanie Gallagher in Baltimore ruled that the termination of his CAT protections likely violated due process and placed him in imminent danger, ordering the government to facilitate his return within 14 days and to hold him near Baltimore with attorney access if detained again.

Martin Martinez-Ballinas, 38, a Mexican national, was transferred to ICE custody on July 22, 2026, after completing a federal prison sentence for illegal reentry at Fort Dix, New Jersey, and now faces deportation proceedings for the third time. He was previously deported in 2020 following a 2017 felony hit-and-run conviction in Maryland that killed 21-year-old U.S. Marine James Ray Walden III, who had worked as a cryptology analyst for the National Security Agency. After illegally reentering, he was apprehended by Border Patrol in Texas in 2021, sentenced to 15 months for unlawful reentry, and deported again in October 2022. He reentered again in 2023, was apprehended in Maryland, sentenced to 37 months in federal prison followed by a year of supervised release, and is now in ICE custody pending deportation.

Ariel, a skilled mason who worked on homes throughout the Petworth neighborhood, was taken into ICE custody and deported to El Salvador, a country where he no longer has family. His wife Diana remains in Petworth with their two young children, now the sole provider for the family. Described by neighbors as incredibly hardworking and an amazing father, Ariel's deportation has left Diana facing heavy financial responsibilities while neighbors provide logistical support.

Mohamed Barry, 52, a truck driver from Guinea who had lived in the U.S. for 25 years and held a withholding of removal order protecting him from deportation to his home country, was captured by Border Patrol outside his home in Brownsburg, Indiana on July 1 and later placed on a July 31 ICE charter flight to Africa carrying an estimated 71 detainees. Barry, who has five U.S. citizen children including a nine-year-old daughter, said ICE-contracted GEO Group guards drank alcohol, refused to let shackled passengers use the lavatory, and placed at least two people in restraint devices during the 26-hour flight to Sierra Leone, the Central African Republic, and Ghana. After being held under armed guard in a Ghana hotel for three days, Barry agreed to return to Guinea despite his protection order, then fled across a border into a neighboring country where he is now in hiding without identification and with a dwindling supply of heart medication. "I can't tell you how heartbroken I am leaving my younger girls," Barry said. "I'm the one who takes them to the bus stop."

Zena Gebrgzabher, a 39-year-old Eritrean truck driver who lived in Maryland, was deported by the Trump administration to the Central African Republic after being arrested during a routine ICE check-in appointment. He had won protection under the Convention Against Torture in 2017 barring his deportation to Eritrea, after fleeing forced military conscription and imprisonment there, but that protection did not prevent officials from sending him to a third country. His wife and 5-year-old son, both U.S. citizens, live in Maryland; his wife, Yrgalem Gehrehiwet, called the deportation "unfair and inhumane" and said their son has been deeply affected by his father's absence. CBS News found no criminal record for Gebrgzabher beyond traffic and immigration violations, and he is now stranded in Bangui without documents.

Elton Purvis, a 55-year-old lawful permanent resident, Rastafarian priest, and father of nine U.S. citizen children from Trinidad and Tobago, was detained by ICE at Boston Logan Airport on May 13, 2025, while returning to attend his sons' graduations. A community fixture for more than 30 years, Purvis had malaria and Type 1 diabetes when detained; he said ICE officers confiscated his insulin and malaria medication, and he was hospitalized about a week into detention before receiving malaria treatment. During roughly seven months in multiple facilities, including the Geo Group-run South Texas ICE Processing Center in Pearsall, Texas, Purvis filed over 100 grievances, suffered hypoglycemic crashes, dehydration and malnutrition, and became unresponsive in his cell at least three times due to low blood sugar. Staff also refused to accommodate his strict vegetarian diet required by his religion and medical condition. He was deported to Trinidad and Tobago on December 6, 2025. The ACLU filed a federal tort claim on his behalf seeking $10 million in damages, part of a nationwide effort that filed more than 50 claims across 17 states and Washington, D.C., alleging neglect of detained immigrants' medical and food needs.

Jacob Zapeta-Castro, a Guatemalan national and owner of El Quetzal Bakery in Lake Worth Beach, was detained by ICE agents on July 9, 2026. According to his family and advocates, Zapeta-Castro locked himself and his coworkers inside the business to protect undocumented employees from detention. ICE characterized his actions as fleeing agents. At the time of arrest, Zapeta-Castro held a valid work permit, Social Security number, and driver's license, and had filed for asylum in June 2024 and a withholding of removal petition. Multi-agency law enforcement—including ICE, Florida Highway Patrol, and Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office—surrounded the business with approximately 50 officers while roughly 50 community members protested outside. The standoff lasted hours in extreme heat. He was charged with re-entering the country after deportation and held in ICE detention in Stuart, with his arraignment scheduled for July 29 in federal court in West Palm Beach. His arrest occurred during a four-day ICE operation in Palm Beach County that resulted in 309 total arrests.

A father has been detained by ICE and is facing deportation to Laos after spending most of his life in the United States. He is the primary financial provider for his family, leaving his wife to care for their younger son and manage household expenses alone. His daughter organized a GoFundMe to help cover legal and immigration expenses, travel and communication costs to stay connected with him, and basic living expenses while the family adjusts to losing his income.

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.

A man was pulled over while driving to work and subsequently detained by ICE on an immigration hold, leading to his deportation. He is described as a devoted husband, father of three, and caregiver to his nephew whom he helped raise. He spent decades building his life in the United States and worked to support his family. His family is raising funds to cover immigration attorney costs, household expenses, and other urgent needs during this crisis.

Nixon Giovanni Pérez Paz, 43, and his wife Glendy Marisol González de la Cruz, 25, were found bound and shot dead in a sugarcane field in Guatemala weeks after González de la Cruz self-deported to rejoin her husband. Pérez Paz was arrested by ICE agents in an unmarked vehicle near his home in Overland, Missouri in March 2025 while driving to work with his brother; he and his brother were undocumented immigrants who had fled violence and poverty from Central America. González de la Cruz had an active asylum case but worked two manual labor jobs while raising their three young daughters, including a newborn born in June 2025. Fearing detention and separation from her children, she chose to self-deport to be with Pérez Paz in Guatemala. Their 14-month-old daughter was found crying beside her mother's body and showed signs of dehydration; she was taken to a medical center and is recovering. Her brother-in-law is now caring for the three orphaned children.

ICE officers placed a Nigerian man and other detainees in full-body WRAP restraint devices during a September deportation flight to Ghana, despite the detainees being shackled and asking to speak with attorneys. The AP documented at least 12 cases in the past decade where local law enforcement's use of the WRAP contributed to deaths, and identified ICE's use of the device in multiple deportations since 2020. A 2023 DHS civil rights report raised internal concerns about the device's use, citing reports of deaths, yet ICE continues deploying it despite the manufacturer's guidance for lower-threshold situations.

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."

A man was arrested by federal agents in the parking lot of a Walmart in Yakima, Washington. A witness recorded video of the arrest, capturing agents subduing the man as he repeated "Estoy sangrando" (I am bleeding). The incident occurred amid growing concern over deaths during immigration enforcement operations. A man was detained by ICE agents in a Home Depot parking lot in Yakima, Washington. According to Jamie Angel, who recorded the detention, agents blocked the man's vehicle from multiple sides before removing him from the car. Angel reported seeing several ICE vehicles parked and concealed in various points of the parking lot when he arrived at the store. Home Depot stated it is aware of agent presence at some of its locations and said it seeks to maintain a welcoming environment while complying with applicable laws.

Luis Andrade-Garcia, 20, a Texas Christian University student from El Salvador who arrived in the U.S. at age 3, was arrested on June 28 in Arlington after police spotted his parked vehicle near Meadowbrook Park and he drove away. He was charged with disorderly conduct and fleeing from a police officer, later pleaded down to a class C misdemeanor, and paid approximately $200 in fines. An immigration hold was placed on him while in custody at Tarrant County Jail. ICE took him into custody on July 10 and deported him to El Salvador on July 22. Andrade-Garcia was a double major in accounting and business information systems at TCU, graduated as valedictorian from Sam Houston High School in 2024, ran cross country, received multiple scholarships, and mentored young Latino students in the community. Members of his fraternity, Lambda Theta Phi, described him as 'genuine, hardworking, selfless, honest, dependable and humble.' According to ICE, Andrade-Garcia had entered the U.S. in 2009 and was ordered removed by an immigration judge in March 2010 but remained in the country. His fraternity chapter launched a 'Lambda Week of Action' and created a GoFundMe that raised over $11,000 to assist him and his family.

Airida Gould, a Lithuanian national and licensed massage therapist who has lived in the United States for 26 years, was detained by ICE on May 16, 2026, during a green card interview at which USCIS had just approved her marriage petition. Gould is married to U.S. Army veteran Mark Gould and has three U.S.-born adult children. ICE officers handcuffed and detained her based on a 2009 removal order issued after she missed a court hearing due to road construction; DHS says she entered the U.S. in June 2000 on a visa valid until December 2009 and was ordered removed after overstaying it, adding that approval of a marriage-based petition does not confer immigration status. During her 66 days in ICE custody, Gould was held at multiple facilities including Broadview, Illinois, Brazil, Indiana, and Kentucky, and described conditions at the Brazil facility as extremely poor. Her legal team, led by former immigration court Judge Carla Espinoza Grcic, filed an Emergency Motion to Reopen with the Board of Immigration Appeals, but Gould was deported on July 21, 2026, flying from Chicago O'Hare to Warsaw, Poland; Mark Gould said ICE allowed him to drop off cash, cards and a bag for her but denied his request to see her or say goodbye.

An Indian national who entered the U.S. in September 2022 was arrested by ICE on July 21, 2026, immediately after an Immigration Judge ordered his removal at a scheduled hearing in Sacramento Immigration Court. He had been released on recognizance and enrolled in an Alternatives to Detention program, where he maintained lawful employment and complied with all requirements. On July 22, 2026, he timely appealed his removal order to the Board of Immigration Appeals, making it not administratively final. The court granted his habeas corpus petition, finding his re-detention without a pre-deprivation hearing violated the Fifth Amendment Due Process Clause, and ordered his immediate release.

Agustin Morales-Renteria, a 24-year-old, was deported to Mexico on July 21, 2026, where he is wanted for aggravated homicide. Morales-Renteria first entered the U.S. without authorization in September 2021 and was expelled under COVID-19 protocols, but reentered without authorization in October 2021 to evade prosecution after Mexican authorities issued a warrant for his arrest. In December 2024, ICE encountered him at a sheriff's office in Jackson County, Missouri, following his arrest for tampering with a motor vehicle and felony drug possession, though no immigration action was taken at that time. In November 2025, he was convicted of being a noncitizen in possession of a firearm and sentenced to 18 months in federal prison. After his release from federal custody in May 2026, ICE took custody of him, and an immigration judge ordered his removal on July 2, 2026. He was deported from the Montgomery Processing Center in Conroe, Texas, to Mexican authorities at the Juarez-Lincoln Bridge in Laredo, Texas. Juan Becerra Ruiz, 24, was deported to Mexico on July 21, 2026, after an immigration judge ordered his removal. Becerra Ruiz is wanted in Mexico for intentional homicide on a warrant issued in Querétaro on October 21, 2022. He entered the U.S. without authorization at an unknown date and location. In May 2026, U.S. Border Patrol received notice of the warrant and his location in the Houston area. On June 4, 2026, Border Patrol agents detained him during a traffic stop in Spring, Texas, and transferred custody to ICE. An immigration judge ordered his removal on June 30, and ICE completed the deportation on July 21, transferring him to Mexican authorities at the Juarez-Lincoln Bridge in Laredo, Texas.

Clayton Herman, a 54-year-old Canadian citizen who immigrated to the U.S. legally in 2002, was detained by ICE in October 2025 following a routine check-in at an ICE field office in Camarillo. During his initial eight-month detention at Adelanto ICE Processing Centre in California's Mojave Desert, Herman reported inhumane conditions including mold, inadequate medical care, poor food quality, and irregular schedules. Four detainees died at the facility during his detention. A federal magistrate judge ruled in June 2026 that his detention violated his rights and ordered his release. Herman was freed but re-arrested on July 21, 2026, after missing a July 10 deadline to file an appeal to his removal order; he stated his priority mail appeal was delayed in transit between Santa Barbara and Virginia. He was returned to Adelanto ICE Processing Centre and is now facing deportation to Canada, having refused to sign expedited deportation papers due to concerns about being separated from his cats and the life he built in the Ojai Valley.