ICE Detains Over 170 U.S. Citizens Amid Broad Enforcement Across Multiple States

Recent immigration enforcement actions by ICE under President Donald Trump's administration have led to numerous instances where U.S. citizens were detained, mistreated, and denied legal access, sparking widespread fear and protests. ProPublica found over 170 cases of citizens, including children, held by immigration agents in the first nine months of Trump's second term, highlighting serious abuses such as physical violence and prolonged detentions without counsel. In Oregon’s Willamette Valley, hundreds of immigrants, many of whom are essential workers, were arrested in raids condemned by local leaders for being racially motivated and disruptive to communities. Similarly, in Utah, high-profile ICE arrests at places like airports have instilled fear within Latino communities, deterring people from seeking legal help due to fear of deportation. Legal challenges have emerged, such as in Wisconsin where asylum seekers are being arrested during routine check-ins despite pending cases, reflecting a shift in ICE's enforcement approach that threatens those awaiting asylum decisions. Cases like that of Leo Garcia Venegas, a U.S. citizen wrongfully detained twice during workplace raids, underscore the problematic nature of current immigration policies which focus more on increasing deportation numbers than targeting criminals, risking more botched arrests and civil rights violations.