Over 4,000 arrested in Minneapolis surge as ICE violates court ordersOver 4,000 people were arrested in a Minneapolis immigration surge, with judges finding ICE violated court orders in at least 113 cases; most detained had no criminal record and many had lived in the U.S. for over a decade.Jan 2026·Minneapolis, MN·New York Times📦,Star Tribune+1📦,Fox 9📦,Bloomberg Law News📦
Gabriel E.D.: College student who lived in U.S. since age 4 deported by ICEGabriel Espinoza Diaz, 22, a community college student in the U.S. since age 4, was deported to Mexico after a disputed text message, though charges were dropped. He now lives in Tijuana.Jan 2026·Las Vegas, NV·Mexico·The Nevada Independent+1📦,Gambling News📦,CourtListener
Nawras M.: Syrian asylum seeker denied bond and held by ICE in Adelanto, CaliforniaA Syrian asylum seeker held at Adelanto Detention Center since entering the U.S. in 2022 was denied bond after a judge found him a flight risk. A request to block his continued detention was also denied.Jan 1, 2026·Adelanto, California·Syria·CourtListener📦
Gustavo: Santa Barbara cook arrested by ICE in jail lobby on releaseGustavo, a restaurant cook who had lived in Santa Barbara for seven years, was arrested by masked ICE agents in the county jail lobby as he was being released to await trial. The arrest may have violated California's sanctuary law.Jan 2026·Santa Barbara, CA·Mexico·News Press📦,KCBX📦
James M.: Kenyan priest with work permit held months by ICE, leaves United StatesRev. James Eliud Ngahu Mwangi, a Kenyan-born Episcopal priest and Texas correctional officer, was held for months despite a valid work permit before voluntarily leaving for Kenya in January 2026 to preserve future reentry.Jan 2026·Conroe, TX·Kenya·Newsweek📦,SA Current📦,Episcopal News Service📦,Epicenter📦,Word & Way📦,Christian Post📦,Tuko.co.ke📦,Prison Legal News📦,TPR📦,Houston Chronicle📦,Diaspora Messenger+1📦,Houston Public Media📦,Instagram+1📦,YouTube📦
Hanne D.: Diabetic Norwegian woman detained by ICE at green card interview, denied careHanne Daguman, a Norwegian student with Type 1 diabetes, was detained at her green card interview and held nine days at Otay Mesa without proper care. A judge closed her case, but she still wears an ankle monitor.Jan 2026·San Diego, CA·Norway·Newsweek+1📦,10News📦,Diabetech📦,KRQE,KITV📦,Instagram+1📦
Cesar R.A. and Marcelino T.L.: Two men arrested by ICE outside Minnetonka courtroomsCesar Ramos-Alcala, 48, and Marcelino Tapia-Lucas, 25, were arrested by ICE outside courtrooms at a Minnetonka service center. The arrests took place inside the secure courthouse environment.Jan 1, 2026·Minnetonka, MN·KARE 11+1📦,Audacy
Pedro G.: Durango father forcibly removed from car by ICE in front of daughterPedro Gutierrez, 43, a 22-year Durango resident and church music director, was pulled over and arrested near his home on New Year's Eve in front of his 16-year-old daughter.Jan 1, 2026·Durango, CO·Mexico·Durango Herald📦,KSUT📦
David F.: Houston man stopped by ICE despite being U.S. citizenDavid Flores, a third-generation U.S. citizen, was surrounded by eight ICE agents while driving to work in Houston on January 1. Agents left after he showed his passport and began recording.Jan 1, 2026·Houston, TX·Click2Houston+2📦,KHOU📦,Houston Chronicle📦
Isabel: Honduran mother's work permit and ID withheld by ICE despite judge's orderIsabel, a single mother of two from Honduras with a pending asylum case, was held four days before a judge ordered her release. ICE has not returned her work permit, ID, and her daughter's passport.Jan 2026·Bloomington, MN·Honduras·Mother Jones📦,NBC Chicago📦,ICE📦
Martín: Indigenous farmworker of 25 years deported over boss's broken tail lightMartín (a pseudonym), an Indigenous farmworker, lived 25 years in Morristown, Tennessee. Police stopped his boss's produce truck over a tail light, and he ended up signing to leave the country.2026·Morristown, TN·Mexico·HUMSI field interview
Abel: Texas stepfather adopting four U.S. citizen kids deported after panic attackAbel (a pseudonym) married a U.S. citizen and was adopting her four children. When he walked away during a panic attack, police charged him with resisting arrest, and ICE sent him to Mexico.2026·Conroe, TX·Mexico·HUMSI field interview
Elvin: Honduran barber seized in his underwear by ICE agents climbing through windowElvin (a pseudonym), a barber and rapper with an open asylum case, was taken from his Ohio home in his underwear. He gave up his case rather than spend another year detained without a lawyer.2026·Canton, OH·Honduras·HUMSI field interview📦
Sam R.: South Florida man held 9 months by ICE loses his businessSam Rivera, who ran a small home renovation business in South Florida, was held nine months starting in January. His business collapsed and his car was repossessed; he now faces $10,000 in legal fees.Fundraiser onlyJan 1, 2026·Palm Beach, FL·GoFundMe📦
Jorge P.: Guatemalan man deported by ICE says over $1,300 was never returnedJorge Paredes, who lived in the U.S. for more than 20 years, was deported after his January 2026 arrest. He says more than $1,300 he had when arrested was never returned to him.Jan 2026·Guatemala·Telemundo📦,Univision📦,Suncoast Searchlight📦,Instagram📦
Two dogs left a week without food after Oklahoma ICE arrestsTwo dogs were left without food or water for about a week in an Oklahoma apartment after their owners were detained in a January 2026 ICE operation. A neighbor alerted the property manager after noticing the animals.Jan 1, 2026·Oklahoma, OK·When in Your State📦,Dog Desk Animal Action📦,Instagram📦
Carlyn W. and Polyxenia P.: Maine couple who filmed ICE held an hour at border by CBPCarlyn Williams and Polyxenia Pantos, a Maine couple, were held for an hour at the border in March after Pantos filmed ICE agents, months after a caller warned of a terrorism watchlist.Jan 2026·South Portland, ME·Spectrum Local News📦,Protect Democracy📦,Press Herald
Zahra R.: Iranian Christian Houston teacher of 30 years held six months by ICEZahra Razavinik, 66, has taught preschoolers at a Houston church for nearly 30 years while caring for her husband's heart condition. She has been held at El Valle Detention Center for six months since a routine check-in.Social media onlyJan 1, 2026·Houston, TX·Iran·Instagram📦
Migrants in Oregon suburb detained after ICE agents posed as utility workersAt least three people in Gresham, Oregon were detained after federal agents posing as utility workers lured them from their homes. Local utilities have since issued guidance, one in seven languages, on how to identify real employees.Jan 2026·Gresham, OR·El País📦,OPB📦,The Oregonian,T&D World,Roundtable
Khadija: Bisexual Ghanaian woman granted protection shackled and deported to Cameroon by ICEKhadija, a bisexual Ghanaian woman granted protection from deportation, was shackled and deported to Cameroon anyway in January 2026. She now lives in a crowded room there, afraid to go outside, with only temporary permission to stay.Jan 2026·Eloy, AZ·Ghana·Immigration Equality📦,Third Country Deportation Watch📦
