Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• Trump DOJ appeals dismissal of charges against wrongfully deported Kilmar Ábrego García — The Trump administration's Department of Justice filed an appeal with the US Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals seeking to reinstate criminal human smuggling charges against Kilmar Ábrego García. A federal district judge had dismissed the charges in May, finding the prosecution "vindictive in nature" and tainted by statements from Attorney General Todd Blanche and other DOJ officials. The DOJ argues the charges were based on evidence and law, not retaliation, and claims the judge's dismissal represents an unwarranted intrusion into executive power.

Supporting reports

• Complaint filed: Knight First Amendment Institute v. Office of Management and Budget — The Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University filed a FOIA lawsuit in federal court challenging the Office of Management and Budget's failure to release records concerning decisions by the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs to approve or disapprove four proposed policies requiring foreign travelers and immigrants to disclose their social media identifiers to the government. The complaint alleges unlawful withholding of responsive records and failure to act on fee waiver requests, seeking an order compelling disclosure and barring assessment of search and review fees.

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• ICE agents conducting arrests in immigration courthouses despite prior judicial recognition of chilling effect — ICE agents have conducted high-profile mass arrests in immigration courthouses, stalking hallways and detaining immigrants. This practice reverses a shared understanding since at least 1996 between immigration judges and DHS that enforcement presence in courts creates a "chilling effect" on respondents' ability to present their cases. EOIR officials dismissed this concern as "contrary to logic." A federal judge has since blocked the policy, but the arrests have already created fear and distrust, causing many immigrants to avoid attending hearings.

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• DHS orders Haitian immigrants in Springfield to wear ankle monitors — DHS has begun ordering Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, who arrived legally under the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program to report to a DHS facility where they are fitted with ankle monitors. DHS declined to explain the purpose of the monitors, stating only that it conducts law enforcement activities to keep Americans safe. The action targets a specific immigrant population that has been the subject of false claims and political attacks.

Supporting reports

• ICE and TSA coordinate to arrest individuals with expired visas — Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has partnered with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to enable ICE officers to arrest individuals with expired visas at airports and transportation hubs. The policy targets people waiting for visa extensions or green cards who hold valid work permits. Historically, such individuals were detained only if they had committed crimes, but the Trump administration classifies all visa overstays as criminal. DHS aims to arrest approximately 2,000 immigrants daily under this expanded enforcement.

Supporting reports

• State Department cancels visas of parents seeking birthright citizenship for children — A US embassy in North Africa canceled more than 100 visas held by parents accused of traveling to the US primarily so their children would be born American citizens. The action aligns with Trump's separate executive order seeking to restrict birthright citizenship, which is being challenged in court following a Supreme Court setback.
• Secretary of State designates foreign nationals deportable on foreign policy grounds — Secretary of State Marco Rubio determined that a number of foreign nationals are deportable on foreign policy grounds, including a Cuban national linked to an influence campaign tied to Havana, Iranian nationals connected to Tehran's government, and a Kuwaiti national accused of voicing hostility toward the US president. The designations expand grounds for deportation beyond criminal conduct to include alleged foreign ties and political speech.
• State Department cancels 175,000 visas under Trump administration — The US Department of State announced it has revoked more than 175,000 visas since Trump returned to office, quadrupling the pace from Biden's final year. The department cited grounds including alleged visa violations, crimes, calls for violence, fraud, and national security concerns. However, revocations also targeted political speech, including a Turkish doctoral student whose visa was pulled after criticizing her university's Gaza stance, and foreign nationals who commented on a conservative activist's death. The department has not disclosed the categorical breakdown of revocations.
• State Department deports Laotian national despite gubernatorial pardon — Tou Lue Vang, a Laotian national, was deported last month despite having been pardoned weeks earlier by Minnesota Governor Tim Walz for a 2005 conviction for sexually abusing a child. The case illustrates the State Department's disregard for state-level clemency and its assertion of unilateral deportation authority.
• State Department revokes visa of Turkish student for political speech on Gaza — Rümeysa Öztürk, a Turkish doctoral student at Tufts University, had her visa revoked after co-writing an opinion piece criticizing the university's stance on the war in Gaza. She was detained by immigration authorities, though a judge later dismissed the case against her. She has since moved back to Turkey. The case exemplifies the State Department's targeting of political speech as grounds for visa cancellation.
• State Department revokes visas of foreign nationals for comments on activist's death — The State Department canceled the visas of multiple foreign nationals who commented on the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk in September 2025, including one who said Kirk had "died too late." The department characterized such speech as incompatible with US national interests and a serious national security concern warranting immediate reconsideration of visa eligibility.
• State Department targets visa applicants based on social media and political views — A March 2025 State Department cable, obtained by the Guardian, ordered consular officers to expand screening of student visa applicants by vetting their social media activity and barring anyone deemed engaged in "terrorist activity"—a category critics interpret as targeting Palestinian-cause supporters. The pattern has continued into 2026, with applicants now required to affirm they have not experienced harm or fear returning home; answering affirmatively or declining to answer sharply increases denial odds, potentially filtering out abuse survivors, threatened journalists, and persecuted minorities.

Supporting reports

• ICE agents injured José Mejía Hernández during arrest in Arlington, Virginia — José Mejía Hernández, 45, was arrested by ICE agents on August 11 in Arlington, Virginia while walking to a bus stop. According to his lawyers and medical records, he suffered a brain bleed, traumatic brain injury, and severe bruising to his face and body. DHS claimed he "attempted to flee" and that agents used "necessary force," but did not specify what force was used. After hospitalization, he was transferred to ICE custody, fitted with an ankle monitor, and placed in removal proceedings. His lawyers allege the force was unjustified and excessive.

Supporting reports

• Detainees at Mississippi ICE facility report gas leak exposure and denied medical care amid power outage — People detained at Adams County Detention Center in Natchez, Mississippi, an ICE facility operated by CoreCivic, reported exposure to a mystery gas leak on August 10, followed by denial of medical care when they developed symptoms. A subsequent power outage on August 12 left the facility without air conditioning for two days during extreme heat, forcing detainees into near-100°F conditions outside or into locked cells. Inspectors had previously found 23 use-of-force violations at the facility in May 2026, downgrading its rating from superior to acceptable/adequate.

Supporting reports

• DHS posts procurement forecast for ICE electric-shock glove contract — The Department of Homeland Security published a procurement forecast on August 10, 2026, announcing that Immigration and Customs Enforcement intends to purchase the CTG-5 G.L.O.V.E. (Generated Low Output Voltage Emitter), an electric-shock device manufactured by Compliant Technologies. The contract is estimated at $10 million to $20 million and could involve thousands of devices. The gloves deliver 324–362 volts through direct skin contact and are designed for use by ICE agents in Homeland Security Investigations and Enforcement and Removal Operations.
• ICE announces procurement of shock gloves for detainee control — On August 10, ICE published a notice announcing plans to spend up to $20 million on shock gloves that deliver electrical charges to subdue individuals. The manufacturer's warnings specify the device should subdue someone in three seconds or less, must not be used longer than 15 seconds, should not be used simultaneously on one person, must avoid the head, face, throat, chest, and groin, and must not be used on the elderly, children, pregnant women, people with severe disabilities, or as punishment or torture. The procurement represents a significant expansion of potentially harmful restraint technology.
• ICE procurement of electric shock gloves for immigration enforcement — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced plans to spend up to $20 million to purchase thousands of Glove (Generated Low Output Voltage Emitter) devices—gloves capable of delivering painful electric shocks—for use by officers and agents by March 2027. The manufacturer claims the devices induce compliance within three seconds without leaving marks. Civil rights advocates, including the ACLU, expressed alarm, citing ICE's existing pattern of force with minimal oversight and the risk of abuse in immigration enforcement contexts.
• DHS plans to equip ICE agents with electric shock gloves — The Department of Homeland Security announced plans to equip ICE agents with "Generated Low Output Voltage Emitter" (G.L.O.V.E.) gloves capable of delivering painful electric shocks to detainees. The devices, which have been used by some jails and police departments, are intended to be deployed by March 2027. DHS plans to spend up to $20 million to purchase thousands of the gloves. Tom Homan, on Fox News, characterized the devices as an alternative to lethal force for gaining compliance.
• ICE announced plan to purchase shock gloves — DHS published an acquisition forecast stating that ICE has a new requirement to purchase shock gloves, officially named "Generated Low Output Voltage Emitter." The gloves function as tactical gloves until an officer activates electric-shock mode, delivering a painful electrical stimulus intended to gain compliance through direct skin-to-skin contact. DHS estimates the contract at $10 million to $20 million, with ICE intending to issue the devices to officers and agents in Homeland Security Investigations and Enforcement and Removal Operations. The manufacturer's manual warns against use against vulnerable groups including children, pregnant people, the elderly, and those with severe disabilities, and recommends a maximum activation of 15 seconds. A pending lawsuit alleges a 43-year-old died when Kentucky jail officers shocked him 27 times with shock gloves and 13 times with a Taser in 2024.
• ICE plans to spend $20 million on electric shock gloves for agents — The Associated Press reported that ICE is planning to spend up to $20 million to give its agents electric shock gloves to use as part of enforcement operations. The manufacturer states the gloves should not be used on children, pregnant people, or elderly or disabled people. The gloves represent an expansion of force capabilities for an agency already known for excessive force.

Supporting reports

• Department of Justice files complaints against New York, Connecticut, and Vermont over in-state tuition for undocumented immigrants — The Department of Justice announced the filing of lawsuits against New York, Connecticut, and Vermont, challenging state laws that provide in-state tuition rates and financial assistance to undocumented immigrants. The DOJ alleges these laws discriminate against U.S. citizens, create incentives for illegal immigration, and conflict with federal law. The complaints seek to enjoin enforcement of the tuition and scholarship provisions. This marks the 17th such lawsuit; five prior cases in Texas, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Nebraska, and Illinois have resulted in favorable orders for the federal government.

Supporting reports

• Trump DOJ announces $300m "Model Cities" policing grants with ideological conditions — The Trump administration's Department of Justice announced a "Model Cities Initiative" offering up to $300 million in federal policing grants to two to four cities with populations exceeding 100,000 residents. In exchange for funding, recipient cities must comply with federal immigration enforcement, adopt conservative anti-homelessness policies, and agree to reimburse the federal government for costs of future federal law enforcement interventions or national guard deployments. The initiative cites Memphis and Washington DC as models, despite documented officer-involved deaths in Memphis. Several Democratic-led cities have declined to apply.

Supporting reports

• ICE attaches ankle monitors to Haitian immigrants in Blue Ash, Ohio — On 9 August 2026, ICE fitted multiple Haitian nationals with ankle monitors at its Blue Ash, Ohio facility after summoning them via Department of Homeland Security letters. Individuals including Monsanto Maler, who had fled gang violence in Haiti in June 2023, were given no advance notice that monitoring devices would be attached. The ankle monitors restrict movement to 75 miles from home without immigration judge approval. Approximately 700 protesters, including clergy and community members, gathered outside the facility to oppose the enforcement action.

Supporting reports

• ICE arrests reach 43,000 in July 2026; 238,000 detained in first seven months of year — ICE arrested and sent over 43,000 people into detention in July 2026, the highest monthly total of Trump's second term, according to agency detention data provided to Congress and reviewed by the Washington Post. ICE averaged approximately 1,432 arrests per day through July 12 and 1,450 per day from July 13 through month's end. The pace did not slow after the Houston shooting on July 7 or the Maine shooting on July 13. More than 238,000 people were sent into detention in the first seven months of 2026. CBS News reported more than 46,000 July book-ins using a broader measure that includes people first arrested by other agencies.

Supporting reports

• At least 52 military family members detained since Trump took office — An Associated Press investigation identified 52 parents and spouses of active-duty service members detained since Trump returned to office in 2025. At least 6 were deported, 1 self-deported, and 8 remained in federal custody at publication. A policy implemented in April 2025 eliminated the longstanding bipartisan exemption shielding military families from deportation. DHS does not track these cases; AP compiled the count from federal court records, existing coverage, and direct family verification, noting the actual number is likely much higher. The average wait for military parole-in-place has more than than doubled under Trump.
• More than 50 military family members detained by immigration agents; at least 6 deported — The Associated Press reported that more than 50 parents and spouses of active-duty military members have been detained by immigration agents since Trump returned to office in 2025. At least six of these family members were deported, while another eight remain in federal custody.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration demands TANF recipient data from 24 states for immigration enforcement — Twenty-four states sued to block the Trump administration from obtaining personal records of families enrolled in Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), a $16 billion annual program providing food, rent, and child care assistance. The administration seeks citizenship and immigration status verification data; California Attorney General Rob Bonta characterized the effort as exploiting a child-welfare program to fuel government surveillance. The administration argues the data collection is necessary to verify program eligibility.

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• FBI declines to conduct civil rights probe into ICE officer's fatal shooting — CBS News reported that the FBI is not conducting a civil rights investigation into the death of Joan Sebastián Durán Guerrero, who was killed by an ICE officer in Maine in July 2026. Such fatal shootings by law enforcement are typically investigated by the FBI's civil rights division.

Supporting reports

• ICE purchased private immigration detention centers for $1.5 billion — Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is spending billions of dollars acquiring private immigration detention centers. In July, CoreCivic announced the government purchased two of its facilities for $1.5 billion. According to sources cited by TIME, the plan is for ICE to take over private detention facilities while building new ones alongside them.

Supporting reports

• Federal judge approves Trump administration termination of South Sudan TPS protections — U.S. District Judge Patti Saris of Massachusetts ruled on August 7, 2026, that the Trump administration may proceed with stripping Temporary Protected Status (TPS) from South Sudanese nationals in the United States. The decision rejected arguments by immigrant rights organizations including African Communities Together. Saris concluded that the Department of Homeland Security possessed authority to terminate TPS designations, following a June 2026 Supreme Court ruling (6-3) that had already allowed termination of TPS for Haitians and Syrians. Approximately 232 South Sudanese TPS holders and 73 with pending applications face loss of legal work and residency protections.
• Motion denied — African Communities Together v. Noem (D. Mass.) 1:25-cv-13939 — Judge Saris denied Plaintiffs' motion to amend their complaint to add two additional claims and their renewed motion to postpone the termination of South Sudan's TPS designation, concluding that Plaintiffs' two proposed claims - that only the Attorney General, not the Secretary of Homeland Security, may terminate a TPS designation, and that the termination violated procedural due process - “would be futile” and are unlikely to succeed on the merits.

Supporting reports

• ICE and TSA expand airport immigration enforcement targeting visa overstayers and asylum seekers — Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) have dramatically expanded collaboration at US airports, conducting as many as three dozen daily arrests in July with a stated goal of 2,000 daily immigration arrests. Targets include people with pending visa, asylum, and green card applications, former au pairs, and asylum seekers with serious medical conditions. Airline workers have reportedly declined to assist federal agents, and Southwest Airlines gate agents refused to allow an ICE officer to board a plane without a judicial warrant. The airline industry has expressed workplace safety and legal concerns.

Supporting reports

• Trump signs Executive Order 14418 restricting birthright citizenship based on parental status and commercial surrogacy. — President Trump signed Executive Order 14418 on August 6, 2026, implementing restrictions on birthright citizenship following the Supreme Court's June 30, 2026 decision in Trump v. Barbara. The order directs federal agencies to deny citizenship recognition to children born in the U.S. when neither parent is a citizen and one or more conditions apply: a parent is designated a terrorist or foreign government employee, parents engaged in commercial surrogacy or citizenship-purchase transactions, or the child was born in U.S. territories where federal statute does not confer citizenship. The Secretary of State, Attorney General, Secretary of Homeland Security, and Commissioner of Social Security must ensure agency compliance within 30 days.
• Trump signs executive order restricting birth tourism and citizenship acquisition via childbirth on U.S. soil — President Trump signed Executive Order 14419 on August 6, 2026, establishing policy to prevent "birth tourism"—entry of foreign nationals on nonimmigrant visas for the purpose of giving birth in the United States. The order delegates authority to the Secretaries of State and Homeland Security to deny visas, revoke travel authorization, bar entry, and remove aliens engaged in or facilitating birth tourism. The order defines birth tourism as entry via nonimmigrant visa for childbirth purposes or efforts to facilitate such entry. Secretaries may grant exemptions on humanitarian grounds or national interest.
• Trump issues executive order restricting birth tourism via nonimmigrant visas — President Donald Trump signed an executive order on August 6, 2026, directing the Secretaries of State and Homeland Security to prevent foreign nationals from entering the United States on nonimmigrant visas for the purpose of giving birth. The order authorizes visa denial, revocation, permanent entry bars, and removal of individuals engaged in birth tourism, and permits sanctions against entities facilitating such schemes. The order defines birth tourism as entry via nonimmigrant visa to give birth or efforts to facilitate such entry, and allows exemptions on humanitarian or national-interest grounds.
• Trump issues executive order restricting birthright citizenship based on Supreme Court ruling — President Trump issued an executive order on August 6, 2026, implementing restrictions on birthright citizenship following the Supreme Court's June 30, 2026 decision in Trump v. Barbara. The order directs federal agencies to deny citizenship recognition to children born in the U.S. whose parents fall into specified categories: designated foreign terrorists, foreign government employees, those engaged in commercial transactions to obtain birthright citizenship, or those born in U.S. territories where citizenship is not conferred by statute. The order requires State Department, DOJ, DHS, and Social Security Administration to enforce compliance within 30 days.
• Trump signed Executive Order 14418 restricting birthright citizenship based on parental status — President Trump signed Executive Order 14418 on August 6, 2026, directing federal agencies to deny citizenship recognition to children born in the United States whose parents do not include a U.S. citizen, in four specified categories: when either parent is designated a terrorist or foreign government employee; when parents engaged in commercial transactions to secure birthright citizenship; or when birth occurs in U.S. territories where citizenship is not conferred by statute. The order cites the Supreme Court's June 2026 decision in Trump v. Barbara as legal foundation and directs State, Homeland Security, Justice, and Social Security to issue implementation guidance within 30 days.
• Trump signed Executive Order 14419 restricting entry and visa authorization for foreign nationals engaging in birth tourism — President Trump signed Executive Order 14419 on August 6, 2026, directing the Secretaries of State and Homeland Security to prevent entry, deny visas, revoke travel authorization, and permanently bar foreign nationals who enter or attempt to enter the United States for the purpose of giving birth. The order defines birth tourism as entry via nonimmigrant visa for childbirth purposes and authorizes removal of those who previously engaged in or plan to engage in such activity. The order states it aims to protect immigration system integrity and prevent exploitation of nonimmigrant visa categories.
• White House issues fact sheet on executive orders restricting birthright citizenship and birth tourism — The White House published a fact sheet on August 6, 2026, announcing that President Trump signed two executive orders. The first identifies categories of children of aliens ineligible for birthright citizenship consistent with the Supreme Court's June 30, 2026 decision in Trump v. Barbara. The second delegates authority to the Secretary of State and Secretary of Homeland Security to halt birth tourism. The fact sheet claims the administration has deported over 3 million individuals, filed denaturalization claims against 88 people, and purged tens of thousands of individuals from voter rolls.
• Trump signs executive orders further restricting birthright citizenship — Trump signed two executive orders designed to further restrict eligibility for birthright citizenship and to prevent people from entering the U.S. to give birth. The orders target four groups of children and are likely to face legal challenges. They come just over a month after the Supreme Court upheld birthright citizenship as constitutionally protected.
• Trump signed two new executive orders targeting birthright citizenship — Trump signed two executive orders targeting birthright citizenship 37 days after the Supreme Court ruled 6–3 in Trump v. Barbara that his first-day 2025 order was unlawful and violated the Fourteenth Amendment. One new order expands categories of people deemed ineligible for birthright citizenship; the other targets "birth tourism." Trump called the Supreme Court decision "very unfortunate" and stated the administration is "making adjustments."
• Trump signs executive orders targeting birthright citizenship after Supreme Court rejection — On Thursday, August 7, 2026, President Trump signed two executive orders seeking to restrict birthright citizenship protections under the 14th Amendment. The first order expands categories of children ineligible for automatic US citizenship to include children of members of "foreign terrorist organizations" and certain foreign government employees, and denies citizenship to children whose parents engaged in fraudulent activity. The second order targets "birth tourism" by directing federal agencies to prosecute operators arranging such travel. Both orders face expected legal challenges, coming weeks after the Supreme Court rejected Trump's initial, broader attempt to deny citizenship to children of undocumented immigrants and temporary visa holders.
• Trump signs new birthright citizenship order — Former President Donald Trump signed a new executive order aimed at altering the interpretation of birthright citizenship in the United States. This order challenges the current understanding of the 14th Amendment, which grants citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the U.S. The order is expected to face legal challenges and could potentially reach the Supreme Court for a final decision on its constitutionality.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration removes Temporary Protected Status for Haitian nationals; ICE enforces deportations with ankle monitors in Ohio — Following a Supreme Court decision backing the Trump administration on 5 August 2026, federal judge Ana Reyes lifted her stay on the removal of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for approximately 350,000 Haitian nationals. ICE subsequently began summoning Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio to a facility in Blue Ash, where they were fitted with ankle monitors restricting travel to 75 miles from their homes. The action affects thousands of Haitians who had legally resided in the US under TPS protections and worked in local manufacturing and food-packaging jobs.
• Trump administration terminates TPS protections for Haitians; DHS begins enforcement and deportations — The Trump administration officially ended Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti after a June Supreme Court ruling eliminated judicial review of the program. DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin announced "We're going after them right now," directing over 300,000 Haitians to self-deport or face arrest and deportation. A federal judge confirmed the termination on Wednesday. Removal orders for Haitians surged 96% between March and June, and immigration officials have begun fitting Haitians with ankle monitors for tracking and detention, despite Haiti being on the State Department's "do not travel" advisory list due to gang violence and political collapse.

Supporting reports

• Maine man "inadvertently" deported to Guatemala despite federal judge's order — A Maine man was deported to Guatemala by ICE despite lacking a deportation order and despite a federal judge having ordered ICE not to remove him one day before his deportation. ICE claimed they had mistaken him for someone else. His lawyer stated he will be returned to the U.S. the following week.

Supporting reports

• Complaint filed — Rahman Petit v. Blanche (D.D.C. 1:26-cv-02765) — Anam Rahman Petit, a former immigration judge at DOJ's Executive Office for Immigration Review, filed suit in D.D.C. challenging her termination effective September 9, 2025, which occurred days before her conversion to permanent status. Petit alleges DOJ violated Title VII by removing her based on sex, race, and national origin, and violated the First Amendment by terminating her based on Democratic affiliation and prior association with immigrants' rights organizations. She seeks reinstatement, back pay, front pay, compensatory damages, and declaratory relief. DOJ's EEO office had dismissed her administrative complaint on May 11, 2026, asserting the Attorney General's Article II removal power placed the matter beyond Title VII's scope.

Supporting reports

• ICE detains and releases Johns Hopkins researcher Fatima Ameaka at Baltimore/Washington airport — In July 2026, ICE detained Fatima Ameaka, a Cameroonian citizen with a doctorate in pharmacy working at Johns Hopkins University's Bloomberg School of Public Health, at Baltimore/Washington International Airport. The DHS initially claimed she overstayed her visa, though documents showed her work authorization was valid through 2029 and she had a pending asylum case. Ameaka was later released from ICE custody. Johns Hopkins described her as a "respected member" of the community and stated the university was providing legal support.

Supporting reports

• ICE detains University of Maryland pharmacy instructor Berhanu Kibret at Dallas-Fort Worth airport — Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), under the Trump administration, detained Berhanu Kibret, a pharmacy instructor at the University of Maryland, Baltimore, at Dallas-Fort Worth airport in Texas. The Department of Homeland Security cited an expired visa, claiming Kibret overstayed after his visa expired on 31 May 2024. Kibret had just received a "teacher of the year" award from the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy. The university stated he holds valid work authorization and expressed concern about his detention.