October 6, 2026 · Immigration, Detention & Civil Rights
· Investigative report
Well supported
ICE Agents Detained More Than 500 U.S. Citizens Since 2025, ProPublica Finds
ICE and other immigration agents detained at least 506 U.S. citizens against their will from January 2025 through September 2026, ProPublica found in an investigation published Oct. 6, calling the total an undercount after requiring at least two independent sources per incident. More than 100 citizens were detained after agents questioned their citizenship, nearly all of them people of color, and at least 70 citizen children were held. At least 36 citizens were detained for a day or more without access to a lawyer or family.
The findings document a citizen-specific toll from the broader immigration crackdown, including cases where agents swept up people with no violation at all. At least 63 of the citizens counted were detained while recording agents, a pattern advocates say chills lawful conduct such as filming police activity.
DHS said its operations are "highly targeted" and that people who obstruct agents "will of course face consequences." It disputes some individual citizenship claims and has moved to dismiss a lawsuit over warrantless home entries.
The findings document a citizen-specific toll from the broader immigration crackdown, including cases where agents swept up people with no violation at all. At least 63 of the citizens counted were detained while recording agents, a pattern advocates say chills lawful conduct such as filming police activity.
DHS said its operations are "highly targeted" and that people who obstruct agents "will of course face consequences." It disputes some individual citizenship claims and has moved to dismiss a lawsuit over warrantless home entries.