Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• "Prevention through deterrence" border policy pushes migrants into remote desert terrain — Veteran borderlands volunteers describe a long-standing federal border enforcement strategy known as "prevention through deterrence," which deliberately makes border crossing extremely difficult by forcing migrants away from ports of entry into remote, dangerous desert regions. Volunteers call this policy "deterrence through death." The strategy has intensified with deployment of concertina wire and other barriers, pushing migrants into wilder terrain where heat exposure and dehydration are more likely to be fatal.

Supporting reports

• Border Patrol agents instructed to vandalize water stations left for migrants in desert — Former border patrol agent Jenn Budd, now an immigrant rights activist, alleges that border patrol agents are trained in the field to vandalize water jugs left in the desert by humanitarian organizations like Humane Borders. Budd claims this policy is framed as preventing illegal border crossing. Border Patrol responded by stating agents carry water and supplies to assist people in distress, and reiterated that "the border is closed."

Supporting reports

• Six deaths from heat exposure in sealed railway car near Laredo, Texas — Six people, aged 14 to 56 from Mexico and Honduras, were found dead inside a sealed Union Pacific railway car near Laredo, Texas. Medical examination indicates at least one died from hyperthermia (extreme heat exposure); the same cause is likely for all six. Investigators believe the group boarded the train near Del Rio and became trapped during transit. The deaths occur as immigration advocates warn of an approaching dangerous summer season for border crossers facing lethal temperatures.

Supporting reports

• HSI raids homes of immigration activists in Ventura County, California — Federal agents with Homeland Security Investigations executed pre-dawn raids on May 13 at the homes and business of three immigration activists affiliated with VC Defensa, a volunteer-led group that organizes ICE-watch patrols and community support for immigrants in Ventura County. More than 100 agents were deployed across four locations. No arrests were made. The group's lawyer alleges the raids are "fishing expeditions" and constitutional violations; a coalition of lawyers is preparing a civil lawsuit. The raids follow a pattern of federal targeting of VC Defensa members over the past year, including arrests, car rammings, and harassment.
• VC Defensa announces civil lawsuit for constitutional violations — On May 14, the day after the raids, VC Defensa's lawyer Reem Yassin held a press conference at the federal building in Los Angeles announcing that a coalition of lawyers is preparing a civil lawsuit alleging violations of the volunteers' constitutional rights. Yassin characterized the raids as "fishing expeditions" built on "baseless" search warrants and described them as intimidation tactics to suppress free speech. The group vowed to continue organizing and fighting back.

Supporting reports

• Six people found dead in boxcar at Laredo rail yard near Texas-Mexico border — A Union Pacific employee discovered six deceased individuals inside a boxcar at a rail yard in Laredo, Texas on Sunday afternoon (May 11). The discovery occurred during a routine inspection of a stopped train before it continued northward. Authorities were working to establish cause of death; temperatures exceeded 90°F at the time. Ages and immigration status of the deceased remained unknown at the preliminary investigation stage. US Customs and Border Protection and Texas Rangers were notified and cooperating with local police.

Supporting reports

• Tom Homan inflates undocumented immigrant population estimate — Trump border advisor Tom Homan told Fox News Channel that there are "well over 20 million" undocumented immigrants in the U.S., a figure significantly higher than expert estimates of approximately 14 million in 2025. Homan stated the administration would "do everything we can to arrest as many people as we can."

Supporting reports

• Department of Justice closes San Francisco immigration court, relocates cases to Concord — The Department of Justice shuttered the major immigration court at 100 Montgomery Street in San Francisco, effective January 2027, relocating the majority of its caseload 35 miles away to Concord. The EOIR justified the closure as "cost effective." The decision follows the Trump administration's removal of 20 of the court's 22 judges over the past year. Legal experts warn the Concord facility, which recently lost six judges, lacks capacity to absorb San Francisco's 120,000 pending cases, potentially extending case resolution timelines by years and creating administrative chaos.

Supporting reports

• Tom Homan announced mass deportations and increased ICE deployment — At the Border Security Expo in Phoenix, Arizona, Trump's White House advisor on border security Tom Homan told Republicans that mass deportations are imminent and that the administration will deploy additional immigration officers to jurisdictions that are not cooperative. Homan stated: "You ain't seen sh*t yet. This year will be a good year. Mass deportations are coming" and promised more ICE agents than ever before.

Supporting reports

• Complaint filed — Espinoza v. Blanche (N.D. Ill.) — Carla Espinoza, a former immigration judge in the Department of Justice's Executive Office for Immigration Review, filed suit in the Northern District of Illinois alleging that the DOJ terminated her employment in July 2025 without cause after declining to convert her probationary appointment to permanent status. Espinoza claims the termination violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act by targeting her on the basis of sex, race, national origin, and association with Latin American and Hispanic immigrants, and violated the First Amendment by punishing her prior association with organizations whose ideologies conflicted with the current administration. She seeks back pay, reinstatement, compensatory damages, and declaratory relief.

Supporting reports

• Senate budget bill appropriated $72 billion for ICE and CBP through 2029 — The Senate's proposed budget reconciliation bill appropriates $72 billion to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection through 2029. This extended funding eliminates the ability of Democrats to use annual appropriations as leverage to demand reforms to ICE and Border Patrol following documented abuses, including the shooting deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti.

Supporting reports

• Andrea Pedro-Francisco denied adequate medical care for ovarian cyst while in ICE detention — Andrea Pedro-Francisco, an asylum seeker from Guatemala, was detained by ICE on February 5, 2026, and sent to El Paso Service Processing Center. According to Amnesty International, she had a large ovarian cyst and was scheduled for surgery on February 11, but since being placed in detention "she has not received adequate medical care." There are indications that the cyst has grown considerably and Pedro-Francisco "is experiencing severe abdominal and lower back pain." Her case documents denial of necessary surgical care during the medical reimbursement freeze.
• Detainee death rate in ICE custody increased more than fivefold after medical reimbursement termination — From 2018 to 2024, the average annual death rate in ICE custody was 8.9 people. In 2025, 33 people died in ICE custody, including 12 after medical reimbursements stopped on October 3. In the first four months of 2026, 18 people died in ICE custody. Since the reimbursement termination, the annualized death rate is 51.7 people—more than five times the historical average. While the detainee population increased from 40,000 to 60,000 under Trump, even adjusting for population growth, the current death rate far exceeds historical norms. Most deaths were attributable to medical conditions rather than violent incidents.
• ICE detainee denied CT scan for chest lump despite court filing alleging systematic denial of care — Hayam El Gamal, detained at Dilly Immigration Processing Center in Texas, was refused a CT scan by center officials for a lump in her chest. According to an April 15, 2026, federal court filing, El Gamal, a mother of five, "has been pleading for medical attention for the abnormal growth, which has caused severe pain, since February 15." The court filing alleges that ICE is "systematically denying Ms. El Gamal medical care" and that the denial "poses an urgent threat to Ms. El Gamal's health and potentially her life." Her case exemplifies the pattern of medical care denial during the reimbursement freeze.
• ICE detainee with appendicitis told to take Tylenol and return in three days — On January 27, 2026, attorney Eric Lee reported that at Dilly Immigration Processing Center in Texas, one of his clients with appendicitis "collapsed in the hallway, was vomiting from pain, and the officials told him, take a Tylenol and come back in three days." The case documents ICE staff's failure to provide appropriate emergency medical care for a serious surgical condition during the period when medical reimbursements had been terminated.
• North Lake Processing Center detainees denied necessary medical care for chronic conditions — An April 13, 2026, report in The Detroit News documented that detainees at North Lake Processing Center in Michigan, which holds approximately 1,500 people, are not receiving necessary medical care. Ruth Pujols Beltre, a detainee with a history of cardiovascular issues, reported having swollen legs, tingling in her hands, and trouble breathing, but was only offered over-the-counter pain relievers. Ruby Robinson, managing attorney at the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center, reported that one client detained at the facility "wasn't receiving any care for a festering wound that remained after an amputation as a result of diabetes." These cases document systematic denial of care for serious chronic conditions.

Supporting reports

• USAID dismantled; 16,000 employees fired and operations folded into State Department — The Trump administration completed the dismantling of USAID by firing nearly all 16,000 employees and folding remaining operations into the State Department. The action triggered an estimated 280,000 job losses among contractors, partners, and local hires worldwide. Oxfam America estimates the closure will result in 23 million children losing education access, 95 million people losing healthcare access, and over 3 million preventable deaths annually.

Supporting reports

• Senate Republicans advance $72 billion reconciliation package for immigration enforcement and White House security — Senate Republicans released text of a $72 billion reconciliation package on May 4, 2026, that includes $30.7 billion for ICE, $3.5 billion for CBP immigration enforcement, and $32.5 billion for additional DHS programs. The package also includes $1 billion for Secret Service "security adjustments and upgrades" connected to the White House ballroom modernization project. Committee markups are scheduled for the week of May 19. Republicans are using reconciliation to bypass the 60-vote threshold, allowing passage with 51 votes, after Democrats refused to fund ICE and CBP without reforms.
• Senate Republicans released budget reconciliation bill including $1 billion for White House ballroom — Senate Republicans released their funding request for a budget reconciliation bill that includes $1 billion in taxpayer money for a secure ballroom at the White House. Trump had begun demolishing the East Wing on October 20, 2025, initially claiming he and private donors would fund the ballroom entirely. The measure uses budget reconciliation, which cannot be filibustered and requires no Democratic votes to pass the Senate.
• Senate Republicans included $1 billion for Trump's ballroom in DHS funding bill — Senate Republicans released the text of a bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security that included $1 billion in taxpayer money designated for the "East Wing Modernization Project, including above-ground and below-ground security features" at Trump's property. The bill also allocated $3.4 billion for CBP through 2029 and $30 billion for ICE. Senate GOP leaders planned to bring the reconciliation bill to the floor the week of May 18.
• Senate Republicans propose $1bn funding package for White House security tied to Trump ballroom project — Senator Chuck Grassley released a Republican-led immigration enforcement funding bill that includes $1bn in proposed appropriations for "security adjustments and upgrades" within the White House compound perimeter, explicitly tied to the "East Wing Modernization Project"—the Trump administration's plan to rebuild the East Wing as a ballroom. The measure restricts funds to security elements only, though Democrats argue it effectively subsidizes the ballroom construction. The proposal comes after an armed man attempted to storm the White House Correspondents' Association dinner in April.
• Senate Republicans propose $1 billion for Trump's ballroom — Senate Republicans released a funding request for a budget reconciliation bill that includes $1 billion for White House security, specifically for a ballroom proposed by former President Donald Trump. This funding is being advanced through budget reconciliation, allowing it to pass without Democratic votes. The proposal follows Trump's earlier claims that he would fund the ballroom himself, raising concerns about the use of taxpayer money for personal projects.
• House and Senate Republicans raised concerns about $1 billion ballroom funding — Multiple House and Senate Republicans privately raised alarms about a $1 billion allocation in the GOP's reconciliation bill designated for ballroom-related construction. Republican members expressed concern about the political vulnerability of the vote, with one House member stating "A first-year political science major would know not to ask members to take this vote" and another declaring "There is no way in hell that this will get 218 votes on the floor." Senate Democrats prepared to use the vote-a-rama process to highlight the funding as an example of GOP priorities misaligned with cost-of-living concerns.

Supporting reports

• ICE seeking to expand detention warehouse infrastructure — Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced plans to build hundreds of warehouses to hold thousands of people indefinitely, with for-profit prison corporations receiving substantial taxpayer funding for each detained person. Community resistance has prevented any of these warehouses from becoming operational so far.

Supporting reports

• May Day 2026 actions planned with "No School. No Work. No Shopping" demand — May Day 2026 is scheduled for May 1, 2026, with actions centered on the demand for a country that prioritizes workers over billionaires. Many participants are planning to refuse business as usual through a "No School. No Work. No Shopping" action. May Day actions are growing with more events being added regularly, positioning the day as a focal point for labor and anti-oligarchy mobilization.
• May Day Strong coalition announces nationwide Workers Over Billionaires day of action — May Day Strong, a coalition including 50501, No Kings, Indivisible, the NEA, National Nurses United, and dozens of other organizations, announced a nationwide "Workers Over Billionaires" day of action for May 1, 2026. The action calls for marches, rallies, and, for those able, a refusal of business as usual through No School, No Work, No Shopping. An event map is live, and the NEA has released a toolkit with planning guidance, downloadable materials, and messaging. Actions are planned in hundreds of cities.
• May Day Strong nationwide action: Workers Over Billionaires — On Friday, May 1, more than 3,500 May Day Strong actions are planned across the country under the banner "Workers Over Billionaires." The coalition's demands include taxing the rich, ending ICE operations and private armies serving authoritarian power, and expanding democracy. Participants are encouraged to engage in No Work, No School, No Shopping, with multiple forms of participation available including rallies, marches, teach-ins, labor actions, and social-media amplification. The NEA, Indivisible, and other organizations have released organizing toolkits and resources.
• May Day Strong nationwide coalition organized labor and community actions — May Day Strong, a nationwide coalition of over 500 labor and community organizations including 50501, No Kings, Indivisible, the NEA, and National Nurses United, organized rallies, marches, teach-ins, labor actions, and community events taking place in more than 3,000 locations across the country on May 1, 2026. The coalition called for "No Work, No School, No Shopping" as part of the action day, framed around workers' rights and opposition to billionaire wealth concentration.
• May Day Strong organizes nationwide day of action for May 1, 2026 — The 50501 Movement announces May Day Strong, a coordinated nationwide day of action scheduled for May 1, 2026, centered on the demand "Workers Over Billionaires." The campaign includes rallies, marches, walkouts, and community actions across multiple cities, with the National Education Association mobilizing educators in hundreds of cities and the Chicago Teachers Union passing a resolution supporting May 1 as a Day of Civic Action. A national organizing call is scheduled for April 9, 2026, and a map of local events is available at maydaystrong.org.
• May Day Rallies Protest Iran War's Economic Impact — May Day rallies have erupted worldwide as workers protest the economic toll of the Iran war. The protests highlight global discontent with the economic consequences of military conflicts.

Supporting reports

• Cuban immigrant dies by suspected suicide in ICE detention at Stewart facility in Georgia — Denny Adán González, a 33-year-old Cuban immigrant, died inside the privately operated Stewart detention center in Lumpkin, Georgia on Tuesday, May 1, 2026. His death is being investigated as a suicide. ICE notified Congress of the death on Friday. González is the 18th person to die in ICE custody in 2026 and the fourth suicide at Stewart. Reports indicate he was placed in solitary confinement following an altercation with a guard. The facility, operated by CoreCivic, has a history of allegations regarding medical misconduct and inappropriate solitary confinement use.

Supporting reports

• DOJ hired 140 new immigration judges with minimal experience and reduced training — The Department of Justice has fired over 100 immigration judges during Trump's second term and appointed over 140 replacements. Many of the new judges lack stated experience in immigration law and are receiving less training than previously offered, raising concerns about judicial competence and due process in immigration proceedings.
• DOJ hires inexperienced deportation judges — The Department of Justice, under the Trump administration, has fired over 100 immigration judges and appointed over 140 new judges, many of whom lack experience in immigration law. These new judges are reportedly receiving less training than previously offered. This hiring practice raises concerns about the fairness and effectiveness of immigration proceedings, potentially impacting the rights of immigrants.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration diverted FBI personnel to immigration enforcement — The Intercept reported that the Trump administration diverted nearly 9,200 FBI personnel—almost 25% of the agency's entire workforce—to civil immigration enforcement during the first nine months of the second Trump administration. This represents a staggering increase from the 279 employees assigned to immigration before Trump took office. The diversion pulled personnel away from criminal investigations and public safety work, fundamentally altering the FBI's mission and capacity.

Supporting reports

• Trump signs bipartisan DHS funding bill, ending 75-day shutdown — President Trump signed bipartisan legislation on Thursday ending a 75-day shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security, the longest agency shutdown in U.S. history. The Republican-controlled House approved the measure in a swift voice vote, funding much of DHS including the Secret Service and TSA, but explicitly excluding immigration enforcement agencies (ICE and CBP). The White House had warned that emergency funds were nearly exhausted and that staffing shortages threatened airport operations. A separate $70 billion immigration enforcement budget was advanced through a Republican-only reconciliation process.
• Became Law: Homeland Security and Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Act, 2026 — Congress passed and the President signed H.R. 7147, a continuing appropriations measure funding the Department of Homeland Security and related agencies through fiscal 2026. The bill became Public Law 119-86 on April 30, 2026. Continuing resolutions maintain federal operations when regular appropriations bills are not enacted, preserving agency funding and preventing government shutdowns.
• US Congress passes 45-day extension of FISA Section 702 warrantless surveillance authority — The US House of Representatives voted to extend Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act for 45 days, avoiding a statutory lapse at midnight on April 30. The extension follows a 10-day stopgap passed earlier in April. Republican Speaker Mike Johnson refused to include substantive reforms demanded by progressive Democrats and hardline Republicans, particularly a warrant requirement for surveilling Americans' communications. Privacy advocates and reform-minded lawmakers criticized the decision as circumventing democratic process and constitutional protections.
• House Republicans ended 76-day Department of Homeland Security shutdown — After a 76-day shutdown, House Republicans passed a Senate measure to fund the Department of Homeland Security while withholding funds from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection. The Senate had passed the bill unanimously on March 27, but Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) refused to take it up until April 30 because it aligned with Democratic priorities.
• House Passes Partial DHS Funding Bill — The U.S. House of Representatives passed a partial funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), likely ending the longest partial government shutdown in U.S. history. This legislative action aims to restore funding and operations for DHS, impacting national security and federal employees.

Supporting reports

• Supreme Court hears TPS protections case — The Supreme Court is set to hear arguments on April 29 in cases challenging the Trump administration's attempt to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians and Syrians. The outcome could impact the broader TPS program and other immigrant communities. TPS holders have lived in the U.S. lawfully due to dangerous conditions in their home countries. The cases focus on due process and existing legal protections for these immigrants.
• Supreme Court oral arguments on Temporary Protected Status termination — The Supreme Court hears oral arguments in Mullin v. Doe and Trump v. Miot, consolidated cases challenging the Trump administration's termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Syria and Haiti. The ruling could affect approximately 350,000 Haitian and 6,000 Syrian TPS holders, as well as the future of TPS protections for 1.3 million people from all 17 TPS-designated countries. The administration is asking the Court to make TPS decision-making entirely unreviewable by the judicial system.
• US Supreme Court hears oral arguments on Trump administration's bid to strip TPS for Haitians and Syrians — The US Supreme Court heard oral arguments on whether the Trump administration can terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for approximately 350,000 Haitians and 6,100 Syrians. The conservative-leaning majority appeared sympathetic to the administration's position that the executive branch has discretionary authority to strip TPS without judicial review. The case challenges DHS Secretary Kristi Noem's termination decisions; liberal justices raised concerns about potential racial animus, citing Trump's derogatory statements about Haiti. A ruling is expected in late June or early July.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration resumes family detention at Dilley immigration processing center in Texas — The Trump administration resumed family detention operations at the Dilley immigration processing center in Texas, where over 5,200 parents and children have been detained since the facility reopened last year. The facility has been documented as housing families in inhumane conditions, including inadequate medical care, unsuitable food, substandard education, and psychological harm to children. A family of four from India, including an 11-year-old who celebrated her birthday in detention, exemplifies the documented harms: weight loss, untreated medical conditions, developmental regression, and educational disruption.

Supporting reports

• Complaint filed — State of Arizona v. Mullin (D. Ariz. 2:26-cv-02857) — The State of Arizona filed a complaint challenging the Department of Homeland Security's purchase of a 418,400-square-foot warehouse in Surprise, Arizona for approximately $70 million and a subsequent $704 million contract to renovate and operate it as a mass immigration detention facility with capacity for up to 1,500 detainees. Arizona alleges DHS violated the National Environmental Policy Act by conducting no environmental review before purchasing the facility, violated the Immigration and Nationality Act by failing to demonstrate the warehouse is an "appropriate" place of detention and by not considering existing detention alternatives, and acted arbitrarily and capriciously. Arizona seeks declaratory judgments, vacatur of the detention facility decision, and preliminary and permanent injunctions barring operation and further construction.

Supporting reports

• More than 200 demonstrations held against ICE detention expansion — More than 200 demonstrations took place on Saturday, April 26, targeting the Trump administration's expansion of warehouse-style ICE detention facilities. Communities gathered outside proposed and converted detention sites, including a roughly 261,000-square-foot warehouse near Detroit Metro Airport and a proposed 640,000-square-foot facility in San Antonio. The protests were part of broader organizing leading into May Day Strong, a nationwide coalition calling for rallies, marches, teach-ins, labor actions, and refusal of business as usual.
• More than 200 demonstrations held nationwide against ICE warehouse detention expansion — On Saturday, April 26, more than 200 demonstrations occurred across at least 33 states organized by coalitions including Disappeared in America, Detention Watch Network, Indivisible, MoveOn, and Public Citizen to protest the Trump administration's expansion of warehouse-style ICE detention facilities. Hundreds gathered in Romulus, Michigan to march to a 261,000-square-foot warehouse near Detroit Metro Airport; over 100 gathered in San Antonio against a proposed 640,000-square-foot facility. The actions targeted the conversion of cargo warehouses into detention centers.

Supporting reports

• ICE planning detention facility for children and families on PFAS-contaminated military site in Louisiana — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is planning a detention facility for migrant children and families at England Airpark, a former military base in Louisiana with extreme PFAS contamination—groundwater levels at least 41 million parts per trillion, roughly 575,000 times federal drinking water limits. The facility would convert military barracks into short-term housing (3–5 days) adjacent to a runway used for deportations. Project officials indicated the lease was being finalized with potential operation within 60–90 days. The site is also contaminated with TCE, volatile organic compounds, and asbestos, posing documented health risks to children.

Supporting reports

• ICE re-arrests El Gamal family hours after federal judge's release order — An Egyptian mother and five children were released from ICE detention in Dilley, Texas on April 23 following a federal judge's order, but were re-arrested on April 25 hours after arriving home in Colorado. The Trump administration accused them of being "associates" to the father's alleged hate crime attack. ICE placed them on a deportation flight to Michigan, but a Colorado federal judge ordered the plane to turn around. The family was released again on April 29. Their attorney characterized the re-arrest as "kidnapping" in violation of the Texas judge's order.
• Egyptian family of six re-detained by ICE days after court-ordered release — Hayam El Gamal and her five children were released from ICE custody at the Dilley detention center in Texas on Thursday, April 24, 2026, but were taken back into custody on Saturday, April 26, and placed on a private jet to Egypt. Their attorney Eric Lee stated the re-detention violated a court order and constituted "an absolutely brazen violation of separation of powers." US District Judge Fred Biery granted an emergency motion to block the deportation on Saturday. The family had been detained for 10 months; El Gamal's husband was arrested in June 2025 in connection with a firebombing attack that injured over a dozen people and killed an 82-year-old woman.