Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• ICE arrests Mahmoud Khalil, Syrian-born Palestinian graduate student with green card — Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested Mahmoud Khalil, a Syrian-born Palestinian former graduate student at Columbia University who holds a green card, on March 20, 2025. Khalil had been vocal in support of Palestinians and participated in campus protests. The government is attempting to deport him under the 1952 Immigration and Nationality Act, which allows the Secretary of State to order removal of individuals whose presence is deemed to have "potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences." The arrest prompted legal challenges and became a focal point for concerns about targeting of pro-Palestinian speech on campuses.
• Trump administration arrests Mahmoud Khalil under obscure provision — Mahmoud Khalil, a former Columbia University student and leader of pro-Palestinian protests, was arrested by the Trump administration under a provision allowing deportation of foreign nationals deemed to have adverse foreign policy consequences. This arrest is part of a broader crackdown on university protests and is seen as a move to suppress dissent and control campus activism.

Supporting reports

• French scientist denied entry to US — The French government said a scientist had been denied entry to the US and was sent back to France after immigration officers found text messages critical of the Trump administration on his phone.
• French scientist denied entry to the US — A French scientist was denied entry to the United States after US immigration officers searched his phone and found messages in which he had expressed criticism of the Trump administration. This incident highlights ongoing issues at the US border where individuals are being scrutinized for their personal communications and political views, raising concerns about freedom of expression and privacy rights.

Supporting reports

• Canadian detained by ICE for two weeks — Jasmine Mooney, a Canadian citizen, was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for two weeks despite having a valid work visa. She was held in harsh conditions without clear explanation or access to legal counsel. Mooney's detention highlights systemic issues within ICE facilities, where detainees often face prolonged detention without due process. Her case gained media attention, which eventually led to her release. The incident underscores the challenges faced by immigrants and the potential for abuse within the immigration detention system.

Supporting reports

• Gaza protesters file lawsuit against UCLA for civil rights violations — Over 30 pro-Palestinian protesters have filed a lawsuit against UCLA and several law enforcement agencies, alleging civil rights violations, wrongful arrests, and excessive force during demonstrations from April to June 2024. The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles superior court, accuses UCLA of negligence during violent counterprotests and claims systemic anti-Palestinian bias. The plaintiffs include students, faculty, and community supporters who experienced significant injuries and arrests. The lawsuit seeks to expose the truth, protect free expression, and secure compensation for the plaintiffs.

Supporting reports

• ICE detention of Georgetown scholar Dr. Badar Khan Suri on visa revocation and social media posts — Immigration authorities detained Dr. Badar Khan Suri, a senior postdoctoral fellow at Georgetown University's Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, on March 17, 2025. Officials revoked his J-1 visa, citing alleged family connections to Hamas advisers and his social media posts supporting Palestine. He is held at an immigration prison in Alvarado, Texas, with a hearing scheduled for May 6. Georgetown officials stated they received no explanation for the detention. Over 370 alumni and 65 current students signed a letter opposing the detention as a violation of academic freedom and due process.
• Immigration agents detained Georgetown researcher — Masked immigration agents detained Badar Khan Suri, a Georgetown University postdoctoral researcher, saying his student visa was revoked. DHS accused Suri, who has not been charged with a crime, of "spreading Hamas propaganda" and having "close connections to a known or suspected terrorist."

Supporting reports

• Texas midwife arrested for allegedly providing abortions — Maria Margarita Rojas, a midwife in Texas, was arrested and charged with the illegal performance of an abortion and practicing medicine without a license. This arrest marks the first criminal arrest under Texas's near-total abortion ban. The charges are considered a second-degree felony, and if convicted, Rojas could face decades in prison. The Texas Attorney General, Ken Paxton, announced the arrest, emphasizing the state's commitment to enforcing its pro-life laws. Rojas operated a network of clinics in the Houston area, allegedly employing unlicensed individuals to provide medical treatment.

Supporting reports

• Brown University professor deported despite judge’s order — Rasha Alawieh, a Brown University professor, was deported to Lebanon despite a US district court judge's order blocking her removal. The deportation occurred after federal prosecutors alleged she had "sympathetic photos and videos" related to Hezbollah figures. The deportation defied Judge Leo Sorokin's order, which required 48 hours' notice before her removal. The US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) proceeded with the deportation, leading to a legal response demand from the judge. The incident is part of a broader escalation of immigration policies under the Trump administration.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration deported alleged gang members to El Salvador — On March 15, 2025, President Trump signed a proclamation invoking the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to deport alleged members of the Tren de Aragua gang to El Salvador without due process. Approximately 200 individuals were flown from Texas to San Salvador, despite a federal judge's order to halt the flights. The deportees were sent to a notorious prison in El Salvador. Reports indicate that many of those deported may not be gang members, with tattoos being used as the primary evidence of gang affiliation. The legality of the deportation under the Alien Enemies Act is disputed.
• Deportation of Kilmar Ábrego García to El Salvador without due process and defiance of Supreme Court order — Kilmar Ábrego García, a Salvadoran man with protected status against deportation to El Salvador, was removed to El Salvador by mistake without a hearing. The Trump administration admitted the error but is defying a US Supreme Court order to facilitate his return to his home and family in Maryland. He was flown to a brutal mega-prison in El Salvador, then transferred to another facility. The administration accused him of being a violent gangster and abandoned him, infuriating a federal judge and prompting warnings of a constitutional crisis. In June, the US flew him back but kept him in custody and charged him with migrant smuggling conspiracy. His lawyer stated the administration was "playing games with the court all along."
• U.S. District Judge blocks deportation of alleged Venezuelan gang members — U.S. District Judge James Boasberg issued an order temporarily blocking the Trump administration's deportation of alleged Venezuelan gang members. The ruling was based on the lack of hearings for the individuals to present evidence against their alleged gang affiliation. The administration had invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to justify the deportations without due process.
• Trump administration deports Venezuelan immigrants to El Salvador — The Trump administration deported over 200 Venezuelan immigrants to El Salvador, including individuals accused of being part of the Tren de Aragua gang. The deportees, some of whom appeared in a video by El Salvador's president, face at least a year in a Salvadorian jail. A lawyer for one deportee, an LGBTQ+ artist, claims the accusations are baseless and part of a psychological warfare campaign against asylum seekers. The deportations are seen as an effort to deter asylum claims in the U.S.

Supporting reports

• House Democrats delegation visits El Salvador to challenge Trump administration's refusal to facilitate return of deported immigrant — Four House Democrats (Ansari, Dexter, Frost, Garcia) traveled to El Salvador to advocate for the release of Kilmar Ábrego García, a man with protected legal status who was wrongly deported on March 15 following an "administrative error." The Trump administration has refused to comply with a Supreme Court order directing it to facilitate Ábrego García's return to the US, despite acknowledging the deportation was unlawful. The delegation met with US embassy officials and demanded proof of life and access to counsel.
• ICE deports Maryland man with protected legal status to El Salvador, blames administrative error — Immigration and Customs Enforcement deported Kilmer Armado Ábrego Garcia, a Salvadoran national residing in Maryland with his wife and five-year-old child, to El Salvador on 15 March 2025, despite his having been granted "withholding of removal" status by an immigration judge in October 2019—a protected status preventing return to his home country. ICE acknowledged the deportation as an "administrative error" in court documents filed Monday, stating Garcia was placed on a deportation flight as an alternate when other detainees were removed. The Trump administration claimed it lacks jurisdiction to return him now that he is in Salvadoran custody. Garcia is currently detained at Cecot, El Salvador's notorious mega-prison.
• ICE detains and deports Kilmar Ábrego García without hearing despite withholding of removal order — On March 12, 2025, ICE officers detained Kilmar Ábrego García and informed him his immigration status had changed. Three days later, on March 15, 2025, he was deported to El Salvador without a hearing and sent to a maximum-security prison, despite holding a "withholding of removal" order granted by an immigration judge in 2019 that explicitly prevented deportation to El Salvador due to credible fear of persecution.
• Kilmar Ábrego García removed to El Salvador's Terrorism Confinement Center without due process; returned and charged with human trafficking — Kilmar Ábrego García, 29, was removed from the United States on March 15, 2025, and transported to El Salvador's Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT), a facility known for severe human rights abuses. He was returned to the United States on June 6, 2025, and now faces human trafficking charges. His attorneys maintain that García is innocent and characterize the charges as an "abuse of power." García's case is one of over 200 people removed to CECOT without due process.
• Trump administration admits then reverses course on unlawful deportation of Ábrego García — Shortly after deporting Kilmar Ábrego García to El Salvador in March 2025, the Trump administration admitted in a court filing that the deportation resulted from an "administrative error." Subsequently, administration officials reversed course and insisted that Ábrego García was not wrongly deported, despite a 2019 court order explicitly prohibiting his deportation to El Salvador and his prior grant of "withholding of removal" status.
• Government rendered legal U.S. resident Kilmar Abrego Garcia to El Salvador despite court order — On March 15, the government rendered Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a legal U.S. resident, to prison in El Salvador despite a court order prohibiting his deportation to that country, where his life was in danger. The government later admitted the arrest and rendition occurred because of "administrative error" but now claims without evidence that Abrego Garcia is a member of the MS-13 gang and that his return would threaten public safety. Abrego Garcia denies gang membership and has never been charged with a crime.
• ICE arrests and renders Kilmar Abrego Garcia to El Salvador prison — On March 12, 2025, ICE agents pulled over Kilmar Abrego Garcia's car, told his wife to retrieve their disabled son, and incarcerated him. On March 15, the government rendered Abrego Garcia to CECOT prison in El Salvador, a facility alleged to be the site of human rights abuses, torture, and extrajudicial killings. Abrego Garcia had been living lawfully in Maryland with his wife and three children, working as a sheet metal apprentice with a union, and had never been charged with any crime. He had checked in annually with ICE as directed. The U.S. government pays El Salvador $6 million annually to incarcerate individuals it sends there.
• Trump administration rendered U.S. citizen to El Salvador prison without due process — On March 15, 2025, the Trump administration rendered Maryland resident Kilmar Abrego Garcia to CECOT, a notorious terrorist prison in El Salvador, initially claiming it was an "administrative error." When Abrego Garcia's family filed a lawsuit for his return, lawyers at the Departments of State, Justice, and Homeland Security quietly worked to secure his safety and return. However, White House officials treated the case as an opportunity to challenge judicial restraint on presidential power. The administration publicly insisted, without evidence, that Abrego Garcia was a gang member, drug dealer, terrorist, and human trafficker, and despite court orders up to the Supreme Court mandating his return, White House officials have publicly stated he will never return to the United States.
• Trump administration rendition of men to CECOT prison in El Salvador without due process — Beginning March 15, 2025, the Trump administration transported more than 250 men from the United States to CECOT, a notorious terrorist prison in El Salvador, claiming they were dangerous gang members without providing names or evidence. Subsequent investigations by Bloomberg and other outlets found that approximately 90% of the men had no U.S. criminal record. The administration provided false information about the men's criminal status to justify the renditions, violating due process rights guaranteed by the Constitution.
• Trump administration deported Salvadoran national despite valid legal protection from removal — Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran citizen with a valid 2019 immigration court order granting "withholding of removal" to El Salvador (based on credible evidence of gang persecution), was arrested by ICE on March 12, 2025, and deported to El Salvador on March 15, 2025, despite the Trump administration's own legal filing acknowledging the deportation occurred "because of an administrative error" while ICE was aware of his protection. The administration later defended the deportation and made false public claims about Garcia's criminal history.
• Deportation of Venezuelan Migrants to El Salvador Raises Concerns — Reports emerged detailing the deportation of Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador, where families are concerned for their safety. Despite no criminal records, these individuals were deported under claims of gang affiliation. Family members have launched a WhatsApp helpline to seek information about their loved ones.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration deports Venezuelan immigrants to El Salvador — The Trump administration deported over 200 Venezuelan immigrants to El Salvador, including individuals accused of being part of the Tren de Aragua gang. The deportees, some of whom appeared in a video by El Salvador's president, face at least a year in a Salvadorian jail. A lawyer for one deportee, an LGBTQ+ artist, claims the accusations are baseless and part of a psychological warfare campaign against asylum seekers. The deportations are seen as an effort to deter asylum claims in the U.S.
• US deports Venezuelan makeup artist to El Salvador prison based on crown tattoos misidentified as gang symbols — Andry José Hernández Romero, a 31-year-old Venezuelan gay makeup artist and hairdresser, was detained after crossing the US border in August 2024 to attend an asylum appointment. He claimed persecution based on sexual orientation and political views. US immigration officers at Otay Mesa detention centre classified his two wrist crown tattoos—a religious and cultural tradition commemorating Three Kings Day celebrations in his hometown of Capacho—as evidence of membership in the Tren de Aragua gang. On 15 March 2025, Hernández was deported to a maximum-security prison in El Salvador as part of Trump's mass deportation campaign, despite having no criminal record and community attestations of innocence.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration detains and attempts to deport Maryland teenager under Alien Enemies Act — Javier Salazar, a 19-year-old Venezuelan who arrived in the US as an unaccompanied minor in 2022 and was attending school with no criminal record, was arrested by ICE agents in Maryland in mid-March 2025 based on alleged gang affiliation determined from social media images (reportedly a toy water pistol). He was transferred to detention facilities in Virginia and Texas, then loaded onto a deportation bus headed to El Salvador on April 30, 2025. A last-minute Supreme Court emergency order blocked the removal, but the administration claims it will continue deportations if courts deny emergency stays, allowing only 12–24 hours for detainees to contest removal.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration expelled second MS-13 Ranfla leader to El Salvador in March — In mid-March 2025, the Trump administration dismissed federal charges against Cesar Humberto López-Larios, another top MS-13 Ranfla Nacional member facing similar racketeering and terrorism charges in New York, and expelled him to El Salvador to be detained at Cecot prison. López-Larios, like Arevalo-Chavez, reportedly possessed knowledge of Bukele's 2019 secret pact with MS-13. The expulsion follows a pattern of the administration facilitating the removal of MS-13 leaders who could testify about the Bukele-gang negotiations.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration revokes visas and terminates legal status of 1,000+ international students — The Trump administration's Department of Homeland Security has revoked visas or terminated legal status for at least 901 students across 128 colleges and universities since mid-March 2025, with some sources citing over 1,300 affected students. Students report being targeted for minor infractions such as traffic violations or for unclear reasons. International students have filed lawsuits against DHS arguing lack of due process. A federal judge in New Hampshire issued a restraining order in one case. The administration has cited pro-Palestinian activism in some high-profile cases but colleges report no protest involvement in the vast majority of revocations.

Supporting reports

• US deports Venezuelan makeup artist to El Salvador prison based on crown tattoos misidentified as gang symbols — Andry José Hernández Romero, a 31-year-old Venezuelan gay makeup artist and hairdresser, was detained after crossing the US border in August 2024 to attend an asylum appointment. He claimed persecution based on sexual orientation and political views. US immigration officers at Otay Mesa detention centre classified his two wrist crown tattoos—a religious and cultural tradition commemorating Three Kings Day celebrations in his hometown of Capacho—as evidence of membership in the Tren de Aragua gang. On 15 March 2025, Hernández was deported to a maximum-security prison in El Salvador as part of Trump's mass deportation campaign, despite having no criminal record and community attestations of innocence.

Supporting reports

• ICE deports Maryland man with protected legal status to El Salvador, blames administrative error — Immigration and Customs Enforcement deported Kilmer Armado Ábrego Garcia, a Salvadoran national residing in Maryland with his wife and five-year-old child, to El Salvador on 15 March 2025, despite his having been granted "withholding of removal" status by an immigration judge in October 2019—a protected status preventing return to his home country. ICE acknowledged the deportation as an "administrative error" in court documents filed Monday, stating Garcia was placed on a deportation flight as an alternate when other detainees were removed. The Trump administration claimed it lacks jurisdiction to return him now that he is in Salvadoran custody. Garcia is currently detained at Cecot, El Salvador's notorious mega-prison.
• ICE detains and deports Kilmar Ábrego García without hearing despite withholding of removal order — On March 12, 2025, ICE officers detained Kilmar Ábrego García and informed him his immigration status had changed. Three days later, on March 15, 2025, he was deported to El Salvador without a hearing and sent to a maximum-security prison, despite holding a "withholding of removal" order granted by an immigration judge in 2019 that explicitly prevented deportation to El Salvador due to credible fear of persecution.

Supporting reports

• House Democrats delegation visits El Salvador to challenge Trump administration's refusal to facilitate return of deported immigrant — Four House Democrats (Ansari, Dexter, Frost, Garcia) traveled to El Salvador to advocate for the release of Kilmar Ábrego García, a man with protected legal status who was wrongly deported on March 15 following an "administrative error." The Trump administration has refused to comply with a Supreme Court order directing it to facilitate Ábrego García's return to the US, despite acknowledging the deportation was unlawful. The delegation met with US embassy officials and demanded proof of life and access to counsel.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration revokes visas and terminates legal status of 1,000+ international students — The Trump administration's Department of Homeland Security has revoked visas or terminated legal status for at least 901 students across 128 colleges and universities since mid-March 2025, with some sources citing over 1,300 affected students. Students report being targeted for minor infractions such as traffic violations or for unclear reasons. International students have filed lawsuits against DHS arguing lack of due process. A federal judge in New Hampshire issued a restraining order in one case. The administration has cited pro-Palestinian activism in some high-profile cases but colleges report no protest involvement in the vast majority of revocations.

Supporting reports

• White House removes references to California national monuments — A White House fact sheet dated March 14, 2025, removed references to the Chuckwalla and Sáttítla national monuments in California, which were established by former President Joe Biden. This omission has sparked speculation about plans to eliminate these monuments, which are considered sacred by Native American tribes and were protected from industrial activities. The fact sheet initially included a statement about terminating proclamations for these monuments, but this line was later removed. The legal authority to revoke such proclamations remains unclear under the Antiquities Act of 1906.

Supporting reports

• Invocation of the Alien Enemies Act against Tren de Aragua — President Donald J. Trump issued a proclamation invoking the Alien Enemies Act to address the threat posed by Tren de Aragua (TdA), a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization. The proclamation directs the apprehension, detention, and removal of TdA members within the United States who are not naturalized or lawful permanent residents. The Attorney General and Secretary of Homeland Security are tasked with executing these actions, utilizing federal and state resources to ensure public safety.
• Trump ended birthright citizenship — President Donald Trump ended birthright citizenship, a significant change to immigration policy that affects the status of children born in the United States to non-citizen parents. This move challenges the interpretation of the 14th Amendment of the US Constitution.
• Trump invokes Alien Enemies Act against Tren de Aragua members — President Trump issued a proclamation on March 15, 2025, invoking the Alien Enemies Act (50 U.S.C. 21 et seq.) to declare members of Tren de Aragua (TdA), designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization on February 20, 2025, as alien enemies subject to apprehension and removal. The proclamation directs the Attorney General and Secretary of Homeland Security to apprehend, detain, and remove all Venezuelan citizens aged 14 or older who are TdA members and present in the United States without lawful permanent resident or naturalized status. The order authorizes summary apprehension, detention pending removal, property seizure, and mandates all federal agencies and state/local officials to collaborate in enforcement.

Supporting reports

• US Border Patrol issues statement on border crossing deaths — The US Border Patrol issued a statement following the deaths of three individuals attempting to cross the US-Mexico border near San Diego, California. The individuals died in the Otay Mountain wilderness due to harsh terrain and cold weather conditions. The statement highlighted the dangers of crossing the border illegally, emphasizing the extreme conditions and risks involved. The statement was made by Jeffrey D Stalnaker, the acting chief patrol agent of the San Diego sector, who warned against illegal crossings due to the unpredictable and unforgiving nature of the terrain.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration arrests and detains foreign students and academics for pro-Palestinian activism — Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested and detained multiple foreign-born students and academics on visas or green cards, citing their roles in pro-Palestinian campus protests. Cases include Mahmoud Khalil (Palestinian green-card holder detained in Louisiana for three months), Rümeysa Öztürk (Turkish Fulbright scholar detained in Louisiana despite court order), Mohsen Mahdawi (Palestinian green-card holder arrested during citizenship interview), Yunseo Chung (South Korean student arrested and targeted for deportation), Alireza Doroudi (Iranian student denied bond), and Badar Khan Suri (Indian postdoctoral fellow detained in Louisiana and Texas). The government invoked obscure immigration law to justify detaining and deporting people for constitutionally protected free speech deemed adverse to US foreign policy. Some were released on bail or court order; others faced ongoing deportation proceedings.

Supporting reports

• Democratic Party plans "People’s Town Halls" in Republican districts — The Democratic Party announced plans to conduct a series of "People’s Town Halls" in key battleground districts currently held by Republicans. This initiative aims to engage with constituents in districts where Republican representatives have been reluctant to hold town halls. The first round will take place in nine swing districts, with plans to expand to all 50 states.

Supporting reports

• Nearly 100 Protesters Arrested at Trump Tower — On March 13, 2025, nearly 100 protesters were arrested at Trump Tower in New York City. The demonstration, organized by Jewish Voice for Peace, aimed to demand the release of Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist and Columbia University student detained by U.S. immigration authorities. Protesters occupied the lobby of the building, chanting slogans and wearing T-shirts with messages opposing U.S. support for Israel. The New York police charged the arrested individuals with trespassing, obstruction, and resisting arrest. The protest highlighted concerns over Khalil's detention under a rarely used immigration law provision.

Supporting reports

• Venezuelan man files lawsuit against Trump administration for illegal deportation — A Venezuelan man, Neiyerver Rengel, filed a federal civil lawsuit against the Trump administration, claiming he was wrongly identified as a gang member, repeatedly denied due process, falsely imprisoned, intentionally deceived, and illegally sent to CECOT in El Salvador. Rengel was in the U.S. awaiting a scheduled immigration hearing set for 2028 when he was caught in the administration's scheme on March 13, 2025. He is seeking $1.3 million in damages. The lawsuit alleges the administration's objective was not solely deportation but also to punish the entire population of Venezuelans pursuing immigration in the United States.

Supporting reports

• Mass detention and covert deportation of Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador without notification or due process — Federal immigration agents detained scores of Venezuelan migrants in the US without informing families of their whereabouts or charges. At least 252 Venezuelans, including Neiyerver Rengel (detained March 13 in Irving, Texas) and Ricardo Prada Vásquez (detained January in Detroit), were secretly flown to El Salvador's "terrorism confinement" prison on allegations of gang affiliation, with no public registry of names, charges, or conditions. Families learned of detainees' locations only through news reports weeks later. The Department of Homeland Security has refused to publish a register of prisoners' names or provide due-process information.