Investigation Finds Hundreds of U.S. Citizens Detained by ICE

Investigation Finds Hundreds of U.S. Citizens Detained by ICE

A 21-Month Database of American Citizens Held

An investigation by ProPublica published October 6, 2026 documented 506 cases in which U.S. citizens were held against their will by federal immigration officers between January 2025 and September 2026. The outlet defined "detained" broadly: anyone held for any period of time, whether handcuffed, held at gunpoint, or otherwise prevented from leaving by immigration agents — the standard the courts themselves use. PBS NewsHour devoted a segment on October 21 to the same findings.

Two Categories Dominate the Tally

The detained Americans fall into two broad groups, Investigative Post reports. More than 100 were held after agents questioned their citizenship; the rest — roughly 300 — were arrested after being accused of assaulting or obstructing officers, either at protests or during immigration arrests of others. About 130 of that second group were arrested in connection with protests. The New Republic reports that those questioned about their citizenship were almost entirely people of color.

Children and Bystanders Among the Detained

Latino Times, summarizing the database, counted at least 70 children and teenagers, 63 citizens detained while recording enforcement activity, and 36 held for at least a day without access to lawyers or relatives — categories that overlap. Visa Verge reports that around 20 people were handcuffed or restrained with zip ties.

Nearly Half of Federal Charges Fell Away

ProPublica searched federal district court dockets through PACER for every named adult on its list and found 137 citizens charged with federal crimes, most for assaulting or obstructing federal agents. In nearly half of those instances, charges were dropped or dismissed. As of September 15, three dozen people had been sentenced to prison or probation, and another three dozen cases remained pending. Mediaite reports that roughly a dozen citizens have been deported.

DHS promised safeguards, but detentions happened anyway

During Operation Midway Blitz in September 2025, the Department of Homeland Security pledged that ICE had "significant protections in place to ensure U.S. citizens are not arrested, detained, or mistakenly removed," noting there would be "no administrative arrests of U.S. citizens." Mediaite and The New Republic both report that ProPublica found more than 120 citizens detained across Illinois alone during that operation. CTN reports that DHS has not released a count of its own and did not respond to questions about each incident in the database.

Minnesota and Illinois Stand Out

Minnesota accounts for about 15% of the 506 cases, ProPublica reporter Liliana Michelena told MPR News, with most occurring during the "Operation Metro Surge." ProPublica also notes that witnesses estimated more than 200 citizens were detained in an Idaho raid last fall, though only 30 could be identified. The outlet stresses that 506 is likely an undercount, since the government does not track how often agents detain citizens.

A Citizen Injured in Long Beach

A confrontation on October 17 in Long Beach, California, left Ricardo Gonzalez handcuffed and face down in a gutter with ICE officers kneeling on his back, according to The Guardian. ABC News and CNN report that Long Beach police responded to what they called a "large group disturbance," found a bleeding handcuffed man, removed his restraints at a fire station and transported him to a hospital. Representative Robert Garcia, a Democrat whose district includes Long Beach, said there was no public reporting of any wrongdoing by Gonzalez and called for an investigation. Mayor Rex Richardson's formal complaint to DHS says Gonzalez was "subjected to repeated Taser use, forcibly restrained, and sustained significant injuries." WBAL reports DHS denied striking a person on a bicycle, saying the man smashed the mirror of a government vehicle and that the department is investigating potential charges for the damage.

A Bill Seeks to Attach Real Cost

Newsweek and Visa Verge report that New Mexico Democrat Teresa Leger Fernández introduced the Justice for Citizens Wrongfully Detained by ICE Act (H.R. 10826) on October 15. The bill would bar officers from claiming absolute or qualified immunity, waive the federal government's sovereign immunity for such suits, award $500,000 to successful plaintiffs plus $100,000 for each day of detention beyond the first, and give citizens five years to bring a claim.

Two Pressure Points, One Moment

ProPublica shared its findings and case-by-case information with DHS, and CTN reports the department has published no independent tally. In the same window, the Justice Department announced on October 5 that it had filed civil cases to strip 40 naturalized citizens of citizenship, calling it the largest single-period denaturalization effort in modern history, as The Guardian and The Hill report.