170+ US citizens wrongfully detained

Summary

ProPublica documented 170+ US citizens detained in 2025, including children, cancer patients, and Native American and Latino community members. Children in ICE detention rose from approximately 25/day under Biden to approximately 170/day under Trump, with over 6,200 children booked into detention since January 2025 (as of April 2026) and more than 1,600 held beyond the court-ordered 20-day limit. The Biden-era prohibition on family detention was reversed and the Dilley (Texas) family detention center was reopened.

What happened

ICE's expanded at-large arrests and database-driven targeting led to documented detentions of US citizens due to database mismatches, biographical collisions, and outdated records. Congressional leaders (Goldman, Warren, Padilla) demanded investigations in August 2025. In separate incidents: a family seeking urgent care for their 7-year-old daughter was detained in a Portland hospital parking lot in January 2026; ICE deported multiple US citizen children abroad with their undocumented parents. The Marshall Project documented over 6,200 children booked into ICE detention since January 2025 (as of April 2026), with more than 1,600 held longer than the 20-day court-ordered limit, in conditions including moldy food and inadequate medical care.

Impact on the United States

Wrongful detention of US citizens violates Fourth and Fifth Amendment rights. Detaining US citizen children in immigration facilities - where they are not subject to removal - represents a direct constitutional harm. Children held beyond the 20-day Flores settlement limit exposes the government to contempt proceedings.

Documented effects

1. Aug 2025170+ US citizens documented detained in 2025 (ProPublica investigation, October 2025); congressional leaders demanded DHS/ICE investigation in August 2025.[4][1]
2. Apr 2026Children in ICE detention rose from ~25/day (Biden) to ~170/day (Trump), with 400+ on peak days; over 6,200 children booked since January 2025 (as of April 2026).[2][3]
3. More than 1,600 children held longer than the 20-day court-ordered limit (as of April 2026); conditions included moldy food, worm-infested meals, and inadequate medical care.[2][3]
4. Aug 5, 2026An AP investigation found more than 50 spouses and parents of active-duty service members had been detained in the second term; at least six were deported, and average processing times for military parole-in-place more than doubled to 12 months.[5]

Why this is rated severe

Documented detention of 170+ US citizens (ProPublica) and more than 6,200 children booked into ICE detention, over 1,600 of them held beyond the 20-day court-ordered limit, a direct realized harm to US nationals and children.

Corrections & updates [8]

Every change to a fact on this page after publication is logged here, newest first.

1. Sep 29, 2026UpdatedKey facts

   Updated: an August 2026 AP investigation found more than 50 spouses and parents of active-duty service members had been detained.[5]

2. Sep 29, 2026UpdatedFigure

   The "1,000+ children held beyond the 20-day limit" figure comes from the Marshall Project's January 2026 analysis, which covers data through mid-October 2025. Its April 2026 analysis, cited alongside the 6,200 figure, reports more than 1,600 children held longer than 20 days. Separately, the Portland incident had no source and was worded loosely: OPB reports that on January 16, 2026 immigration officers detained a family in the parking lot of Portland Adventist Health while the parents were seeking urgent care for their 7-year-old daughter.[2][3][6]

3. Sep 29, 2026CorrectedSource

   Source date corrected. The Goldman/Warren press release is dated August 8, 2025, not August 1.[1]

4. Sep 29, 2026UpdatedSummary

   The display summary said over 1,000 children were held beyond the 20-day limit, a figure based on data through October 2025. The Marshall Project's April 2026 analysis reports more than 1,600.[3]

   + Show previous and current text- Hide previous and current text

   Previously

   ProPublica documented US citizens detained due to database errors, including a toddler taken to an immigration facility. Over 1,000 children were held beyond the 20-day Flores settlement limit in inadequate conditions.

   Now

   ProPublica documented US citizens detained due to database errors, including a toddler taken to an immigration facility. More than 1,600 children were held beyond the 20-day Flores settlement limit in inadequate conditions.

5. Sep 29, 2026CorrectedWhat happened

   Removed an account of three Milwaukee residents (a toddler, mother and grandmother) taken to a detention center: no cited source reports it. The congressional press release is a single-member release (Tier 3 under this site's standard).[4][6]

6. Sep 29, 2026ClarifiedSeverity rationale

   The severity rationale stated a 'constitutional harm' as fact; it now describes the documented detentions. Severity unchanged.

   + Show previous and current text- Hide previous and current text

   Previously

   Documented wrongful detention of 170+ US citizens and thousands of children constitutes direct, realized constitutional harm to US nationals.

   Now

   Documented detention of 170+ US citizens (ProPublica) and more than 6,200 children booked into ICE detention, over 1,600 of them held beyond the 20-day court-ordered limit, a direct realized harm to US nationals and children.

7. Sep 29, 2026CorrectedDisplay copy

   The summary said ProPublica's report included 'a toddler taken to an immigration facility'; the cited ProPublica article does not describe that, so the phrase was removed.[4]

   + Show previous and current text- Hide previous and current text

   Previously

   ProPublica documented US citizens detained due to database errors, including a toddler taken to an immigration facility. More than 1,600 children were held beyond the 20-day Flores settlement limit in inadequate conditions.

   Now

   ProPublica documented more than 170 US citizens detained by immigration agents, some due to database errors. More than 1,600 children were held beyond the 20-day Flores settlement limit in inadequate conditions.

8. Sep 29, 2026CorrectedCost estimate

   The $35M booked figure and the 10- and 15-year projections were built from assumed rates, stay lengths and settlement amounts with no source; one input came from a law-firm marketing page. No published dollar figure exists, so nothing is booked. That is a floor, not a finding of no cost.

   Previously

   net $35M so far; 10yr $200M; 15yr $240M

   Now

   net $0; 10yr $0; 15yr $0

Sources [6]