HUMSI — Human Security Initiative

Human Impact Project

A living database documenting reported immigration enforcement incidents and their human impact.

Ruse or deception

Lured by a ruse: fake appointments, agents posing as police

Reported cases describe people lured into ICE custody through deception: agents posing as electricians cutting power in Mesa, as day laborers at a Phoenix Home Depot, as a Facebook Marketplace buyer in Sacramento, and impersonators demanding money from a Miami food truck owner. Arrests followed at homes, workplaces, and during errands across states including Washington, Arizona, Florida, and California. These ruse-based detentions were first documented in January 2025, became recurring by February 2025, and have held a roughly steady share of reported cases since.}

First documented Jan 2025, recurring since Feb 2025.

Share of each month's well-documented stories, Jan 2025 to Oct 2026. Volume is not shown: coverage grew over the record, shares did not have to.

82 stories in 24 states. What accompanies this practice →

“I am in complete shock over what happened … I need a little bit of time to process everything I will come back soon. But please don’t worry,”

— Ellie Aghayeva. After her release from ICE custody, Aghayeva described her reaction to being detained that morning. read the story →

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