immigration18.15 min read
Birthright Citizenship Case Echoes an ACLU Lawyer’s Immigrant Family History
13 days ago•Source: The Washington Post
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8.86 min•16 days ago
New Jersey Outlaws Local ICE Partnerships, Expands Immigrant Protections
New Jersey became the 10th state to ban local law enforcement from partnering with federal immigration authorities, codifying the Immigrant Trust Directive into law and prohibiting participation in ICE’s 287(g) program while tightening restrictions on detention, immigration-data sharing, and requiring ICE to show identification; exceptions exist for final removal orders or crimes. The bill aligns with broader Democratic-led immigration protections and faces potential federal legal challenges as courts have previously upheld the directive.
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ICE Detention at SFO Tests California Sanctuary Protections
Mission Local•18 days ago
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ICE agents deployed to U.S. airports as TSA shortages strain security
The Washington Post•19 days ago
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ACLU Opposes Trump's Plan to Put ICE at Airports During DHS Shutdown
ACLU condemns Trump’s plan to deploy armed ICE agents to airports during the DHS partial shutdown, warning it would replace trained security with a hostile, untrained policing presence and citing past abuses, while urging funding for TSA only with enforceable ICE reforms to protect civil liberties and immigrants’ rights.
Trump’s border-wall expansion moves through public lands, alarming environmentalists
Washington Post reporters document hundreds of miles of border wall being built through ecologically sensitive lands along the Rio Grande in West Texas, funded by $46.5 billion from the One Big Beautiful Bill and aided by a 2005 law waiving environmental rules; advocates warn the expansion would destroy pristine habitat, threaten endangered species, and sever access to sacred Indigenous and archaeological sites.
Nashville Immigrant Reporter Freed on Bond After ICE Detention
Estefany Rodríguez, a Nashville Noticias reporter who covers immigration, was released from ICE custody on a $10,000 bond after detention in Nashville earlier this month. Her lawyers say ICE mistreated her and are seeking protections going forward; ICE had claimed she had no lawful status and had missed appointments, a claim disputed by her lawyers who cited winter travel disruptions. Rodríguez fled Colombia in 2021 and has a pending green card and work permit.
Bronx Teen Reunited With Family After 10 Months in ICE Custody
After about 10 months in ICE detention, Dylan Lopez Contreras, a Bronx high school student who came to the U.S. from Venezuela, was released before dawn on Wednesday on his own recognizance, wearing an ankle monitor and subject to routine immigration check-ins. His release followed advocacy from his family, ROCC NYC, and allies including Senator Chuck Schumer, and comes amid a broader wave of releases of detained school-age migrants; he was arrested at a Lower Manhattan courthouse last May, had turned 21 in custody, and is back home to finish his education while the case proceeds.
Minneapolis Boy's Detention Highlights Push for Expedited Deportations
The Trump administration continues to pursue the deportation of Liam Conejos Ramos, a 5-year-old detained in Minneapolis during a January sweep, by pressuring to end his family's asylum case without a full hearing. After Liam and his father were released from a Texas family detention center, federal authorities moved to end the asylum proceedings, with the Board of Immigration Appeals now weighing the case. If denied, the family could be deported to Ecuador. Advocates argue they deserve a proper hearing, noting that the government is leveraging expedited removal—expanded to cover inside-the-country arrivals within two years—to speed up deportations despite public backlash over Liam’s detention.
Mullin’s overseas 'special assignments' cited as DHS nomination draws scrutiny
Sen. Markwayne Mullin, President Trump’s pick to head the Department of Homeland Security, has highlighted overseas “special assignments” and Afghanistan experiences to justify his qualifications, but offered few concrete details ahead of his confirmation hearing; his spokeswoman says he was doing mission work and joining congressional trips, leaving lawmakers to scrutinize his national-security credentials and overseas background.
Bond Granted, Nashville Journalist Remains Detained as ICE Considers Appeal
Estefany Rodríguez, a Nashville Spanish-language journalist for Nashville Noticias, was arrested by ICE in March and granted a $10,000 bond but remains detained in Louisiana as government lawyers reserve the right to appeal. Her lawyers allege mistreatment and say the arrest may have been retaliation for her reporting on ICE, while officials say she overstayed a tourist visa and missed appointments. A federal hearing is planned as she pursues asylum and a green-card application, and she has a seven-year-old daughter.
Afghan Veteran Dies in ICE Custody After Brief Detention
An Afghan man who served with U.S. special forces and had sought asylum in the United States died in ICE custody in Dallas less than 24 hours after his arrest outside his apartment. Mohommad Nazeer Paktyawal, 41, reportedly had no known health conditions and had been granted humanitarian parole that expired last August. He complained of shortness of breath and chest pains during a medical intake, was taken to a Dallas hospital, and died after CPR was performed; the Dallas County Medical Examiner had not yet listed a cause of death. Paktyawal’s death is the 12th detainee death in ICE custody this year and has sparked grief in the Afghan diaspora in Texas. Advocates say he served alongside U.S. forces; AfghanEvac provided a certificate of service, though DHS says he did not report military service upon entry.
Afghan national dies in ICE custody in Dallas; investigation underway
An Afghan national, Mohammad Nazeer Paktiawal, 41, died at Parkland Hospital in Dallas after about a day in ICE custody following a March 13 arrest; the death is under active investigation. He had prior SNAP fraud and theft arrests in 2025, entered the U.S. in 2021, and his parole expired in August 2025. ICE says detainees receive medical care and will coordinate appropriate notifications to next of kin and consulates.
Detained Egyptian Family at Dilley Describes Moldy Food and Medical Neglect
The El Gamal family of six, held for nine months at Texas' Dilley ICE detention center, describes moldy, inedible food, deteriorating medical care, and violations of religious rights in letters to lawyers, highlighting ongoing concerns about prolonged detention and asylum proceedings.