Explore

A quiet channel between ICE and Iran shaped deportation flights, newly released emails show

A quiet channel between ICE and Iran shaped deportation flights, newly released emails show

Emails reveal that Iranian officials had significant influence over which Iranian immigrants in the U.S. were sent back to their home country in 2025, despite tensions between the countries

Senator Mark Kelly Intervenes to Prevent Deportation of Soldier's Wife

Senator Mark Kelly Intervenes to Prevent Deportation of Soldier's Wife

Arizona Senator Mark Kelly directly intervened with the Department of Homeland Security to prevent the deportation of Maisa Lopes Eliaser, the wife of Army Staff Sergeant Alexis Jaramillo. Eliaser, who had gone to Montgomery, Alabama, to finalize her green card, was detained after missing a biometrics appointment and subsequently placed on a deportation flight to Brazil on August 12. Her deportation was halted during a layover in Colombia following Senator Kelly's intervention. Eliaser has since been reunited with her husband and five-year-old son in Leesville, Louisiana. The family reports that Eliaser experienced significant weight loss and sleep disturbances during her detention, describing the conditions as 'precarious.' Despite her return, the family remains fearful, and Eliaser's appeal is still pending with the Board of Immigration Appeals, meaning she remains at risk for deportation.

Senator Warnock Visits Stewart Detention Center, Demands Answers on Medical Care and Overcrowding

Senator Warnock Visits Stewart Detention Center, Demands Answers on Medical Care and Overcrowding

U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) recently visited the Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin, Georgia, to investigate reports of inadequate basic medical care and overcrowding within the facility. During his visit, Senator Warnock spoke with several detainees, including a pregnant woman, who shared concerning accounts regarding access to medical services. He also engaged with immigration officials to address the rising number of 911 calls originating from the center. Since January 2025, multiple individuals have reportedly died inside the Stewart Detention Center, during transport, or shortly after being medically released. Records indicate that 15 detainees have died since the facility's opening in 2006. Senator Warnock emphasized the importance of human dignity and accountability, stating his commitment to continue questioning and holding officials responsible for conditions at the facility. He also visited El Refugio, a nonprofit supporting immigrant families, where he met with staff and the fa...

Reps. Torres and Latimer Demand Independent Investigation into Medical Staffing at Delaney Hall Following Three Detainee Deaths

Reps. Torres and Latimer Demand Independent Investigation into Medical Staffing at Delaney Hall Following Three Detainee Deaths

Representatives Ritchie Torres and George Latimer have called for an independent investigation into the medical staffing and care practices at Delaney Hall, an immigration detention facility in Newark. This demand follows the deaths of three individuals at the facility in less than a year. The congressmen sent a letter on August 14 to Department of Homeland Security Inspector General Joseph Cuffari, urging an immediate probe into whether Delaney Hall's medical staffing adheres to federal detention standards and if shortages contributed to these fatalities. Their request stems from a July 31 oversight visit where they observed concerning conditions, including a single on-site physician responsible for 893 detainees. They are specifically asking the Department of Homeland Security to examine the facility's compliance with requirements for after-hours physician coverage, response times for sick calls, 24-hour triage of healthcare requests, and medical screenings for new detainees. The lawmakers emphasized tha...

Boston Mayor Wu Warns Property Owners Against Leasing to ICE for 'Surge Parking'

Boston Mayor Wu Warns Property Owners Against Leasing to ICE for 'Surge Parking'

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu has formally warned private property owners in the city against leasing parking facilities to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). This warning comes after ICE issued a public notice seeking 'Surge Parking' facilities in 14 cities, including Boston. Mayor Wu, in a letter to property owners, stated that such an arrangement would constitute an 'unprovoked and unwarranted escalation' of federal immigration enforcement, potentially posing significant risks to public safety and economic activity in the region. She also announced that her office would file public records requests to identify any property owners interested in working with ICE, with the intention of informing them of the city's opposition. This move follows previous actions by Mayor Wu, including signing executive orders prohibiting ICE from staging operations on municipal property and parking lots, in response to controversial ICE 'surge operations' in other cities.

Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries Demands Closure of Newark ICE Detention Facility After Third Detainee Death

Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries Demands Closure of Newark ICE Detention Facility After Third Detainee Death

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries has joined immigration advocates and other elected officials, including Representatives Analilia Mejia and Rob Menendez, in demanding the closure of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility in Newark, New Jersey, known as Delaney Hall. This demand follows the third reported death at the facility, that of Edwin Lopez-Cornejo, a 41-year-old Salvadoran national, who died on August 1. Jeffries, who represents New York’s 8th Congressional District, spoke at a press conference after a roundtable discussion on the conditions at Delaney Hall. He criticized the use of taxpayer dollars for what he described as a 'violent mass deportation machine' and accused the Trump administration of targeting law-abiding immigrant families. Concerns raised during the visit and by former detainees include inadequate medical treatment, poor care for pregnant women, and unsanitary food and living conditions. Jeffries stated that 55 deaths have occurred in ICE custo...

‘The streets are empty:’ How Miami’s Little Haiti is reacting to TPS loss

‘The streets are empty:’ How Miami’s Little Haiti is reacting to TPS loss

In Little Haiti, the largest community of Haitians living in the U.S., the end of TPS has disrupted life at every level.

Congressman Dwight Evans and Colleagues Introduce Oversight Access Act of 2026 to Enhance ICE Facility Scrutiny

Congressman Dwight Evans and Colleagues Introduce Oversight Access Act of 2026 to Enhance ICE Facility Scrutiny

Congressman Dwight Evans (PA-03), alongside Representatives Chris Deluzio (PA-17), Madeleine Dean (PA-04), Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05), and Summer Lee (PA-12), has introduced the Oversight Access Act of 2026. This bipartisan, bicameral legislation aims to expand congressional oversight at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities. The bill specifically seeks to allow members of Congress to bring one staff member, such as an interpreter or policy expert, into ICE facilities during unannounced oversight visits. This initiative comes in response to concerns about inhumane and potentially deadly conditions reported in ICE detention centers, and instances where congressional staff were denied entry during previous oversight visits, limiting effective communication with detainees. The proposed act would remove the requirement for prior notice for a Member or employee to enter facilities operated by or for the Department of Homeland Security, prohibit temporary modifications to facilities that could alter...

Pennsylvania Lawmakers Introduce Bill to Expand Congressional Oversight at ICE Facilities

Pennsylvania Lawmakers Introduce Bill to Expand Congressional Oversight at ICE Facilities

A group of Pennsylvania representatives, led by Congressman Chris Deluzio (PA-17), has introduced the 'Oversight Access Act of 2026'. This proposed legislation aims to enhance congressional oversight at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities nationwide. The bill would permit members of Congress to bring one staff member, such as an interpreter, legal advisor, or policy expert, into ICE facilities during unannounced oversight visits without requiring prior approval. Currently, while members of Congress can enter these facilities without warning, their staff members must obtain prior authorization. The impetus for this bill arose after Congressman Deluzio and Congresswoman Summer Lee (PA-12) were prevented from bringing their staff, who were immigration policy experts and translators, into the Moshannon Valley Detention Center during an unannounced visit in May. This restriction, according to Deluzio, limited their ability to communicate effectively with detainees. The bill also seeks to p...

Pennsylvania Lawmakers Introduce 'Oversight Access Act' to Strengthen ICE Facility Scrutiny

Pennsylvania Lawmakers Introduce 'Oversight Access Act' to Strengthen ICE Facility Scrutiny

A group of Pennsylvania Democrats, including Congresswoman Madeleine Dean, Congressman Chris Deluzio, Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon, Congresswoman Summer L. Lee, and Congressman Dwight Evans, introduced the 'Oversight Access Act of 2026' on Monday, August 17. This proposed legislation aims to allow members of Congress and their staff to visit Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities unannounced and without prior approval for staff members. Currently, lawmakers can conduct unannounced visits, but staff, including interpreters or policy experts, require pre-approval. The bill seeks to remove this requirement, prohibit temporary modifications to facilities that would alter observations during oversight visits, and prevent the Secretary of Homeland Security from obstructing congressional members or their accompanying staff from entering facilities for oversight purposes. This initiative follows incidents where lawmakers reported being blocked from bringing staff or speaking with detainees during v...

Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove Raises Alarm Over Inhumane Conditions in ICE Detention Center

Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove Raises Alarm Over Inhumane Conditions in ICE Detention Center

Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove, a Democrat from California, has expressed serious concerns regarding the inhumane conditions at an ICE detention center, specifically highlighting the case of Mexican journalist Carlitos Ricardo Parias. Parias, known for documenting ICE operations on TikTok, has been detained for 300 days following an arrest in October 2025 where he was shot in the elbow by ICE agents. During a visit to the Adelanto ICE Processing Center in California, Congresswoman Kamlager-Dove observed that Parias's arm showed such severe deterioration that it appeared 'close to amputation.' Parias has also reported contaminated drinking water containing fly larvae, a cockro infestation in cells, and inadequate medical attention for his gunshot wound, receiving only vitamin supplements and topical analgesics. Human rights organizations filed a class-action lawsuit in January against federal agencies and officials, citing similar inhumane conditions at Adelanto, including moldy towels, medical negligen...

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu Seeks Information on Property Owners Leasing Parking to ICE Amid Opposition to Expansion

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu Seeks Information on Property Owners Leasing Parking to ICE Amid Opposition to Expansion

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu is actively working to identify private property owners who may have responded to a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) notice seeking to lease parking spaces in the city. In late July, ICE published a notice on a government procurement website indicating a need for 249 parking spaces in Boston, stating it was for 'market research and information-gathering purposes' to identify sources near existing or planned ICE facilities. Mayor Wu has expressed strong opposition to any potential expansion or relocation of ICE's regional field office into Boston, which is currently located in Burlington. The Wu administration plans to submit a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to ICE to obtain details about any responses from the Boston area. Additionally, the city intends to contact private property owners to inform them of the administration's stance on the potential dangers of such leases for residents and community safety. This action follows earlier measures taken by Wu t...