Nineteen-year-old Ximena Arias-Cristobal, a Georgia college student, faces deportation after a traffic stop led to her arrest and detention at the Stewart Detention Center. Her undocumented parents brought her to the U.S. as a toddler, and she doesn’t qualify for DACA. Now, she and her father are jailed together, awaiting immigration court proceedings, despite widespread public support for legal protections for young immigrants. Local officials and a state representative are advocating for her release, highlighting the harsh impact of current immigration policies.
Read More
Marlon Parris, a U.S. Iraq War veteran and long-term legal resident, faces deportation following a May 9th immigration judge ruling. Despite possessing a Green Card for decades and a prior ICE determination allowing him to remain, his Green Card was confiscated in 2023, leading to his January 2024 detention. The judge, while sympathetic, ruled that sufficient evidence existed for deportation, a decision his attorney is appealing. Parris’s wife attributes his detention to a change in presidential administration and the subsequent stricter immigration policies.
Read More
The Trump administration launched a voluntary self-deportation program offering undocumented immigrants a $1,000 stipend and travel assistance in exchange for their return to their home countries. This initiative, utilizing the CBP “Home” app for tracking, aims to reduce the average $17,121 cost of arrest and deportation per individual. Participants are de-prioritized for detention and removal while actively pursuing departure, potentially preserving future legal immigration options. One individual has already successfully completed the program’s requirements.
Read More
Cliona Ward, a 54-year-old Irish woman and legal US resident for over 30 years, was detained by ICE upon her return from visiting her ailing father in Ireland. Her detention stems from decades-old, expunged drug convictions that, while erased under state law, remain on her federal record. Currently held in a Tacoma, Washington ICE facility, Ward’s case has garnered attention from her family, who have launched a GoFundMe campaign, and her representative, US Representative Jimmy Panetta, who deemed her detention unacceptable. Ward awaits a court date on May 7th.
Read More
Heidy Sánchez, a Cuban woman married to a U.S. citizen, was unexpectedly deported to Cuba, leaving behind her one-year-old daughter and husband in Tampa. Despite last-minute legal efforts and pleas from her husband and representatives, Sánchez was deported as part of a larger group of Cubans. Her deportation occurred despite lacking a criminal record and possessing an I-220B immigration document, leaving her family facing separation and hardship in Cuba. The family’s attorney plans to continue fighting for Sánchez’s return to the U.S.
Read More
A judge has expressed serious concerns about the apparent deportation of a two-year-old US citizen, stating that the process lacked any meaningful due process. The child, whose birth certificate clearly indicates she was born in New Orleans, was detained along with her mother and sister during a routine immigration check-in at a New Orleans ICE office.
The government’s claim that the mother wished to take the child to Honduras is, according to the judge, unsubstantiated. While a handwritten note purportedly from the mother expressing this desire was presented, the judge stated a need for verification before accepting this as sufficient justification for deportation.… Continue reading
Despite claiming U.S. citizenship and presenting a birth certificate, Hermosillo, who has learning disabilities and limited literacy, was detained for ten days at Florence Correctional Center based on a DHS report containing inaccurate location details. His detention was prolonged due to a rescheduled hearing, and his requests for medical attention while suffering from the flu were ignored. The initial DHS report, which Hermosillo claims he never properly reviewed, ultimately proved to be flawed.
Read More
Aditya Wahyu Harsono, a Minnesota hospital worker and father of an infant with special needs, was arrested and detained by ICE agents after his student visa was retroactively revoked without notice. His subsequent motion to dismiss was denied, despite his wife being a US citizen and his having a pending green card application. The revocation was based on a past misdemeanor conviction and allegedly linked to his pro-Palestinian activism, prompting concerns about weaponization of the immigration system. Harsono remains in custody, facing potential deportation and financial ruin for his family, with his attorney planning further legal action.
Read More
Following a community outcry and protests, a mother and her three children—ages 9, 15, and 18—were released from ICE custody. The family was detained during a March 27th raid in Sackets Harbor, New York, despite having no criminal ties and actively participating in the legal immigration process. Their detention sparked widespread condemnation from local officials, school administrators, and advocacy groups like the ACLU. Governor Hochul confirmed their release and return to Jefferson County. The family’s detention, thousands of miles from their home, highlighted the human cost of immigration enforcement policies.
Read More
Evenezer Cortez-Martinez, a 39-year-old DACA recipient, was deported to Mexico City after a brief trip to visit his grandfather’s grave. Despite possessing Advance Parole, allowing for temporary travel outside the U.S., he was detained upon his return and deported based on an allegedly erroneous removal order issued in June 2024, of which he was unaware. A lawsuit has been filed against the Department of Homeland Security and CBP, arguing his deportation violated DACA regulations and his right to a formal removal hearing. The lawsuit contends that Cortez-Martinez’s deportation is an anomaly and sets a concerning precedent for other DACA recipients.
Read More
John Q. Hosedrinker 
Matt Underwood