Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• ICE arrest in Fitchburg, Massachusetts involving unconscious man and child — ICE agents conducted a traffic stop and attempted apprehension of Juliana Milena Ojeda-Montoya in Fitchburg, Massachusetts on Thursday morning. Video footage shows a man (later identified as Carlos Sebastian Zapata) falling unconscious while clutching a small child as officers attempted to remove passengers from the vehicle. DHS officials claimed the man faked a medical emergency, but Zapata told the Boston Globe he lost consciousness after agents pushed, hit, and pressed on his neck during the arrest. His wife was taken into custody on an assault warrant. The incident occurred amid Trump's intensified deportation campaign.

Supporting reports

• ICE agents arrest daycare worker at Rayito de Sol facility in Chicago with alleged excessive force — Armed ICE agents forcibly detained a daycare worker at Rayito de Sol daycare center on Chicago's North Side on Wednesday morning. Videos show agents dragging the woman from the facility, appearing to slam her face against glass doors, and pinning her against a car. The worker, who stated she had work authorization papers, was arrested without a warrant being presented to the facility. The incident occurred in front of children and staff, causing distress. ICE claimed the operation targeted a vehicle registered to an undocumented immigrant, not the daycare itself.

Supporting reports

• Armed immigration agents arrest US citizen father and drive away with his US citizen toddler from LA Home Depot parking lot — Masked, heavily armed federal immigration agents arrested a 32-year-old US citizen in a Los Angeles Home Depot parking lot on Tuesday morning, then entered his vehicle and drove away with his one-year-old US citizen daughter in the backseat. The child's grandmother was later called to pick up the toddler from an immigration office downtown after hours of waiting. The father remains in custody; DHS alleges he wielded a hammer and threw rocks at agents, and that a stolen firearm was found in his car. The incident was captured on video and has prompted alarm from immigrant advocacy groups.

Supporting reports

• ICE arrested Oregon shop owner Juanita Avila without warrant despite valid green card — On November 5, 2025, ICE agents in Cottage Grove, Oregon, pulled over and arrested Juanita Avila, a legal permanent resident carrying her green card, without a warrant or stated probable cause. Agents tackled her, handcuffed her, and detained her for approximately 30 minutes before releasing her without charges. Her arrest became part of a class-action lawsuit challenging ICE's "arrest first, justify later" tactics. On February 4, 2026, a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction blocking ICE from conducting warrantless arrests in Oregon, finding the agency's conduct "brutal and violent" and in systematic violation of constitutional rights.

Supporting reports

• DHS revokes temporary protected status for South Sudanese — The Department of Homeland Security announced it would revoke the temporary protected status of thousands of people from South Sudan, some of whom came to the US as early as 2011 when the country gained independence from Sudan, meaning they will have 60 days to leave the US or face deportation.

Supporting reports

• ICE detention and release of Bruna Ferreira, mother of White House press secretary's nephew — Bruna Ferreira, a 33-year-old Brazilian-born woman and mother of White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt's nephew, was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in November 2025 during a traffic stop in Massachusetts and held at a Louisiana detention center. An immigration judge ordered her release on a $1,500 bond in early December. Ferreira disputed White House characterizations of her as an absentee parent, stating she actively participates in her son's life. The DHS did not object to her release.

Supporting reports

• Women's March launches TV ad campaign targeting ICE agents' morality — Women's March, a non-partisan non-profit, began airing television advertisements in November 2025 in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Palm Beach, Florida, designed to appeal to ICE agents' moral conscience. The ads depict an ICE agent returning home to his daughter while images of immigrant brutalization play on a nearby television, with a voiceover stating "A mask can't hide you from your neighbors, your children and God." The campaign has since expanded to additional markets including El Paso, Miami, Atlanta, and New Jersey. The initiative reflects broader activist efforts to challenge ICE by appealing to agents' humanity and sense of shame.

Supporting reports

• ICE enforcement operations and detentions in Chicago, Los Angeles, and Washington DC on Halloween — Federal ICE agents conducted enforcement operations across multiple U.S. cities on Halloween 2025. In Chicago and suburbs, agents arrested multiple people and clashed with protesters; Evanston's mayor reported agents "assaulted" residents. In Los Angeles, ICE agents wore Halloween costume masks during enforcement. In Washington DC, national guard troops and federal officers dispersed a group of people, arresting five minors aged 14–18. Illinois Governor Pritzker had requested a pause in enforcement; Homeland Security Secretary Noem refused.
• ICE operations in Evanston with pepper spray and arrests of US citizens — On Friday (31 October 2025), ICE operations near Chute Middle School in Evanston, Chicago, escalated when federal agents used pepper spray and arrested three US citizens on allegations of "violence against law enforcement." The incident occurred during Halloween weekend celebrations despite the governor's request for a pause in enforcement operations.
• National Guard and federal officers disperse group and arrest five minors in Washington DC — On Halloween night in Washington DC, the Metropolitan Police Department and national guard troops dispersed a group of people they accused of being "disorderly" in the Navy Yard neighborhood. Five people were arrested, all aged 14–18. The incident reflects federal involvement in local law enforcement operations following the deployment of nearly 2,400 national guard troops to the city.

Supporting reports

• Illinois advocates sue ICE over conditions at Broadview detention facility — The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Illinois and the MacArthur Justice Center filed a federal lawsuit on Friday against US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), US Customs and Border Protection, and the Department of Homeland Security, alleging "inhumane and torturous" conditions at the Broadview immigration processing facility near Chicago. The lawsuit claims ICE agents denied detainees private calls with attorneys, blocked members of Congress, faith leaders, and journalists from entering, coerced detainees to sign documents they did not understand, and denied food, medical care, and basic necessities. Attorneys argue these actions violate Fifth Amendment due process rights and First Amendment rights to legal counsel, and seek court orders to improve facility conditions.

Supporting reports

• Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau calls for visa revocations under "El Quitavisas" campaign — Christopher Landau, deputy secretary of state and ally of Stephen Miller, has called on Twitter followers to identify targets for visa revocation under the tagline "El Quitavisas" (The Visa Taker). Landau regularly attends Miller's daily immigration calls and serves as the enforcement mechanism to ensure Miller's directives are implemented, representing a politicization of the deputy secretary role.

Supporting reports

• Miller directs visa revocations targeting pro-Palestinian academics and Gaza war critics — John Armstrong, senior bureau official for consular affairs, testified in court that Stephen Miller personally held "at least a dozen" conversations directing visa revocations for pro-Palestinian academics, often identified by the website Canary Mission. Miller also lobbied for visa revocations targeting critics of Israel's Gaza war and conservative pundit Charlie Kirk. These actions use visa authority as a tool for political retaliation and suppression of dissent.

Supporting reports

• State Department revokes thousands of visas and establishes country-based immigration bans — The Trump administration has revoked thousands of visas, many targeting students; established full or partial bans on immigrants from 19 countries; announced acceptance of only 7,500 refugees for the next year with priority given to white South Africans; and deported tens of thousands of people, sometimes to third countries in harsh conditions. These actions represent a systematic shift in State Department operations from facilitating legal migration to deterring it.

Supporting reports

• Illinois governor urges Trump administration to suspend ICE raids during Halloween weekend — Illinois Governor JB Pritzker sent a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and ICE/CBP leadership requesting a suspension of immigration enforcement operations from Friday to Sunday to allow children to celebrate Halloween without fear. Pritzker cited reports that border patrol agents used tear gas during a Halloween parade in Chicago the previous weekend, injuring and arresting people including U.S. citizens. A federal appeals court simultaneously blocked a judge's order requiring daily briefings on immigration sweeps.
• Homeland Security Secretary Noem refuses to pause immigration enforcement over Halloween weekend — Illinois Governor JB Pritzker requested that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem pause immigration enforcement activities over the Halloween weekend to protect children from fear and intimidation. Noem refused at a news conference, stating the department was "absolutely not willing to put on pause any work that we will do to keep communities safe." Pritzker subsequently criticized Noem's refusal on social media.

Supporting reports

• ICE officer shoots at vehicle during enforcement stop in Phoenix — An ICE officer in Phoenix on Wednesday shot at a vehicle that federal agents had attempted to stop. The driver began to drive away, and officials stated the officer was in the vehicle's path. This incident is part of a pattern of shootings during expanded deportation operations.
• ICE agents shoot at vehicle during enforcement stop in Ontario, California — US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers conducted a vehicle stop in Ontario, California on Thursday when an uninvolved driver approached. Officers ordered the driver to leave; as the driver pulled away and reversed toward officers, an ICE officer fired defensive shots at the vehicle. The driver fled and abandoned the car. This was the second shooting involving ICE agents in the Los Angeles area within a week, amid expanded Trump administration deportation operations.
• ICE agents shoot TikTok creator documenting immigration enforcement in Los Angeles — Federal agents shot Carlitos Ricardo Parias, a TikTok creator with a large following who livestreams US immigration enforcement operations, after he allegedly attempted to ram federal agents' vehicles. Officers had surrounded and boxed in his car. Parias was shot in the elbow; a ricochet bullet struck a deputy US marshal in the hand. This incident occurred within the same week as the Ontario shooting.

Supporting reports

• Border patrol agents deploy tear gas at Chicago Halloween parade — Border patrol agents converged on a children's Halloween parade in Irving Park, Chicago, on October 26, deploying tear gas and tackling and arresting several people, including U.S. citizens, outside homes decorated for Halloween. Video footage reviewed by ABC News documented the incident. The action prompted judicial criticism and the governor's intervention.
• ICE agents deployed tear gas against Halloween parade protesters in Chicago — Federal ICE agents deployed chemical agents against protesters in Chicago's Old Irving Park neighborhood as parents and children were heading to a Halloween parade. Agents tackled an undocumented immigrant who had been working on a nearby home. As angry neighbors protested, agents began lobbing tear gas minutes before the scheduled start of the parade. Resident Brian Kolp, an attorney with law enforcement experience, stated he saw no weapons or physical contact that justified the use of force, including against his 70-year-old neighbor who was taken to the ground.

Supporting reports

• ICE detains British journalist Sami Hamdi for pro-Palestinian speech during US tour — British journalist Sami Hamdi was detained by ICE at San Francisco International Airport on Sunday morning while on a speaking tour in the US. The Council on American-Islamic Relations characterized the detention as retaliation for Hamdi's criticism of Israel's military campaign in Gaza. DHS Press Secretary Tricia McLaughlin stated Hamdi's visa was revoked and he faces removal. Trump ally Laura Loomer publicly claimed credit for pressuring federal agencies to take action against Hamdi's visa status. A federal judge had ruled days earlier that the administration's policy of detaining and deporting foreign scholars over pro-Palestinian views violates the Constitution.
• ICE detention and deportation of British commentator Sami Hamdi for pro-Palestinian speech — Sami Hamdi, a British political commentator, was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents at San Francisco International Airport on 26 October 2025 while on a US speaking tour. The Trump administration justified his detention by labeling him a "terrorist sympathizer" based on an edited video montage released by pro-Israel group Memri, without providing evidence or alleging specific crimes. Hamdi's visa was abruptly cancelled without notification. After three weeks in detention, he agreed to voluntary departure and returned to the UK on 14 November, though he retains the right to apply for a new visa.
• UK commentator Sami Hamdi's visa revoked and detained by ICE; agreed to voluntary departure — British political commentator Sami Hamdi was detained by ICE on 26 October at San Francisco International Airport while on a US speaking tour. The Department of Homeland Security revoked his visa without prior notice, citing alleged support for terrorism. CAIR stated the detention appeared retaliatory for Hamdi's criticism of Israel. On 10 November, Hamdi accepted an offer of voluntary departure. The charging document alleged only visa overstay; CAIR noted the government identified no criminal conduct or security grounds, and the agreement implicitly establishes he poses no danger to national security.
• ICE detained British Muslim journalist Sami Hamdi at San Francisco airport — British Muslim journalist Sami Hamdi was detained by ICE agents at San Francisco International Airport, apparently at the urging of pro-Israel, anti-Muslim extremists Laura Loomer and Amy Mekelburg. The detention raised concerns about the use of immigration enforcement for political and religious targeting.
• ICE detention of British commentator Sami Hamdi over pro-Palestinian advocacy — Sami Hamdi, a British political commentator and editor-in-chief of International Interest, was detained by ICE at San Francisco International Airport while on a US speaking tour. He was taken to an immigration detention center in McFarland, California, pending deportation proceedings scheduled for November. The detention followed his public remarks about the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks, which the Trump administration characterized as support for terrorism. His wife reported minimal contact since his arrest and stated the family was "being kept in the dark" about his status.

Supporting reports

• ICE pepper spray deployment at Old Irving Park Halloween parade, Chicago — On 25 October 2025, federal ICE agents deployed pepper spray at a Halloween event in Old Irving Park, Chicago, leading to the cancellation of a scheduled Halloween parade. The incident occurred despite Illinois Governor JB Pritzker's request that the Trump administration pause immigration enforcement operations during the Halloween weekend. The deployment disrupted community celebrations and heightened fear among residents in predominantly Latino neighborhoods.

Supporting reports

• ICE accelerated hiring bypasses vetting standards, admits 200+ unqualified recruits — NBC News reported that Immigration and Customs Enforcement, rushing to fill 10,000 new deportation officer positions funded by the July 2025 budget reconciliation act, has admitted more than 200 recruits with disqualifying criminal backgrounds, failed drug tests, or unmet academic and physical requirements. ICE shortened its training program from 13 weeks to 6 weeks, removed age limits, and offered $50,000 signing bonuses. Nearly half of those dismissed in the past three months failed an open-book exam; others could not meet basic fitness standards.
• ICE Recruitment Policy Changes — Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has accelerated its recruitment process, allowing over 200 individuals with disqualifying criminal backgrounds or who fail drug tests to enter its training program. This change is part of a broader budget reconciliation measure that significantly increases ICE's funding and aims to hire 10,000 deportation officers. Critics warn that this could lead to higher corruption rates within the agency.

Supporting reports

• Honduran immigrant dies while fleeing ICE agents in Virginia — José Castro Rivera, 24, a Honduran national, died Thursday morning after running onto Interstate 264 in Norfolk, Virginia, while attempting to flee ICE agents during a targeted immigration enforcement operation. He was struck by a vehicle and fatally injured; an ICE agent administered CPR but he died at the scene. This marks the third known death among immigrants fleeing ICE raids under the Trump administration's mass deportation crackdown.

Supporting reports

• ICE raid at South Korean battery plant in Georgia detains approximately 300 workers — US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents conducted a raid at a South Korean-owned electric battery plant under construction in Georgia, detaining approximately 300 South Korean nationals on allegations of illegal work. The incident sparked widespread anger in Seoul and has strained US–South Korean relations ahead of Trump's meeting with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung. Lee is expected to raise the incident and press for resolution of a stalled $350 billion US investment agreement.

Supporting reports

• Shooting at ICE facility in Dallas kills two detainees; widow questions role of political violence — On an unspecified date in August 2025, gunman Joshua Jahn opened fire on an ICE detention facility exterior in Dallas, Texas. A government van holding shackled immigrants awaiting detention was struck; three detainees were shot. Miguel García-Hernández, an undocumented Mexican national, died from his wounds; Norlan Guzman-Fuentes also died; José Andres Bordones-Molina survived. Jahn wrote "ANTI-ICE" on a bullet casing before shooting himself. García-Hernández's widow, Stephany Gauffeny, questioned whether anti-immigrant political rhetoric under the Trump administration contributed to the violence.

Supporting reports

• Democratic senators send letter demanding education department pressure DHS on school-area ICE enforcement — Eight Democratic senators sent a formal letter to Education Secretary Linda McMahon demanding she pressure DHS Secretary Kristi Noem to reinstate restrictions on federal immigration enforcement operations near schools. The letter cited multiple incidents of violent ICE enforcement near Chicago schools, including teargas deployment near a school during recess and the arrest of a 16-year-old U.S. citizen student. The senators argued that ICE enforcement near schools violates common-sense policing guidelines and poses direct threats to student safety and wellbeing.

Supporting reports

• Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued proclamation declaring Tren de Aragua a terrorist organization based on false intelligence — In September 2024, Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued an official proclamation declaring Tren de Aragua a "terrorist organization" and condemning President Biden's "open-border policies," citing the unverified "green light" warning to attack law enforcement. Abbott's public safety director called TdA members "cockroaches." The proclamation weaponized the false intelligence claim for political purposes.
• Department of Homeland Security deported Venezuelans using unsubstantiated TdA claims without due process — The Department of Homeland Security used unsubstantiated claims of Tren de Aragua affiliation to deport Venezuelan nationals to El Salvador without due process protections. DHS also moved to revoke the legal status of approximately 600,000 Venezuelan immigrants, actions justified in part by the false "green light" narrative and inflated threat claims.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration deploys federal agents to San Francisco Bay Area for immigration enforcement — The Trump administration prepared to deploy more than 100 federal agents to the San Francisco Bay Area, reportedly using the US Coast Guard base in Alameda as a staging ground for a major immigration enforcement operation. The deployment follows weeks of threats by Trump targeting the Democratic-run city. California Governor Gavin Newsom and local officials condemned the move, with Newsom calling it "right out of the dictator's handbook" and comparing it to an arsonist putting out fires. San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie announced executive actions to support immigrant communities ahead of the deployment.

Supporting reports

• New York Attorney General launches Federal Action Reporting Portal for ICE raid documentation — New York Attorney General Letitia James unveiled a "Federal Action Reporting Portal" form inviting residents to submit photos and videos of federal immigration enforcement actions, following a high-profile ICE raid in Manhattan's Chinatown on October 22. The raid involved over 50 federal agents, an armored vehicle, and resulted in the arrest and detention of four U.S. citizens for nearly 24 hours with no charges filed. James stated the portal aims to document potential violations of law and protect New Yorkers from fear and intimidation.