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ProPublica: Over 500 U.S. citizens detained in immigration crackdown

newsOct 6, 2026162,817

ProPublica documented more than 500 U.S. citizens detained by immigration agents during the Trump administration, including cases in which people were handcuffed, held at gunpoint, or detained for days without contact with counsel or family. The investigation found more than 100 Americans held after agents questioned their citizenship, nearly all people of color, and at least 70 children and teens among those detained, some handcuffed. More than 300 Americans were tracked as held for allegedly assaulting or obstructing agents; fewer than half of those were charged in federal court and many charges were dropped or dismissed. ProPublica identified 36 Americans held at least a day without access to a lawyer or family and cataloged individual incidents: in January 2025 a 21-year-old in Philadelphia was held at gunpoint and handcuffed during a carwash raid; in April a 20-year-old in Florida spent more than 24 hours in jail despite proof of citizenship; in June a U.S.-Mexico dual citizen in California was detained four days without lawyer or family contact. During last fall’s enforcement surge known as Operation Midway Blitz, DHS said there were no administrative arrests of citizens, yet ProPublica found more than 120 citizens detained in Illinois during the surge. The outlet shared footage and case files with former immigration officials, who reacted with anger and disbelief, and ProPublica published its full tally and documentation to show a pattern the administration has denied.

Robert Reich
@rbreich.bsky.social

More than 500 U.S. citizens have been detained by ICE, according to ProPublica. 70% of ICE detainees have no criminal conviction. Trump’s promise to go after the “worst of the worst” was always a lie. It was always a pretext to terrorize Black and brown communities. Remember this.

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