ICE Arrests, Raids, Racial Profiling: Immigration News Today
What if the agency meant to protect migrant children was quietly helping ICE arrest them — and their families? Internal documents obtained by Reuters show that is exactly what happened. The Office of Refugee Resettlement shared over 460,000 leads with immigration enforcement since January 2025, resulting in more than 12,000 arrests.
Child migrant agency gave ICE data on thousands of kids and sponsors
The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) — the federal agency responsible for sheltering unaccompanied migrant children — shared over 460,000 leads with ICE since January 2025, according to internal documents reviewed by Reuters. Those tips led to more than 12,000 arrests of children and the adults who sponsored them. For many families, the agency they trusted to keep children safe became the source that exposed them to deportation.
In California, a first-of-its-kind investigation of the California City Detention Facility in Kern County — part of an ongoing class-action lawsuit — found that the facility failed to meet eight basic requirements for an adequate healthcare system. The San Francisco Chronicle described conditions as "nightmarish." Separately, court records in the case Vasquez Perdomo v. Noem revealed that ICE agents used racial slurs — including the words "wet" and "tonks" — in text messages while targeting people during immigration sweeps in Los Angeles last year, according to reporting by Cal Matters and the Los Angeles Times.
Deportation Defense Checklist — Free
Immigrant rights, appeals and protective measures
Airports, farms, and state laws: enforcement is everywhere
Bay Area immigrant advocates are warning noncitizens to avoid air travel after rapid response networks reported that over a dozen people were arrested at regional airports since late June. In upstate New York, immigration agents have been targeting workers at a Sungrow tomato greenhouse and packing plant near Rochester, prompting some workers to leave their jobs and go into hiding, according to New York Focus. Meanwhile, new Maine laws limiting ICE activity in the state took effect, banning 287(g) agreements — which allow local police to act as immigration agents — and placing protections around sensitive locations like schools and hospitals. In New York, some county sheriffs are pushing back against a similar ban, with Madison County's sheriff saying publicly, "I'm still going to work with ICE."
What to do
- Know your rights at airports: You have the right to remain silent with ICE agents. You do not have to answer questions about your immigration status. Carry a know-your-rights card and the phone number of an immigration lawyer.
- If you sponsored an unaccompanied child through ORR: Talk to an immigration attorney immediately. Your information may have been shared with ICE. An attorney can help you understand your current risk and options.
- Avoid air travel if you are undocumented or have an open immigration case: Bay Area advocates are urging noncitizens to stay away from airports until further notice. Domestic flights still carry real arrest risk right now.
- If you work at a farm or food processing plant: Know that ICE has been targeting workplaces. Lawyers recommend keeping a written record of any suspicious activity near your workplace and contacting a local immigrant advocacy organization immediately.
A full breakdown of this topic — in our guide “Deportation Defense”.
Fishkin Law Firm, New York
The ORR data-sharing revelation is a serious red flag for anyone who interacted with that agency as a sponsor — your name, address, and relationship to a child may now be in ICE's hands. If you are in removal proceedings or have a pending green card application, an ICE arrest can derail everything, so do not wait for a knock on the door. Contact an immigration attorney now to assess your exposure and, if needed, file for any available relief before enforcement reaches you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can ICE arrest me at an airport even if I'm flying domestically?
Yes. ICE has authority to make arrests at domestic airports. Bay Area rapid response networks reported over a dozen such arrests since late June 2026. If you are undocumented or have an open immigration case, immigration advocates are currently urging noncitizens to avoid air travel.
I sponsored a migrant child through ORR. Am I at risk?
Possibly. Internal documents show ORR shared over 460,000 leads with ICE since January 2025, leading to more than 12,000 arrests of children and sponsors. Talk to an immigration attorney right away to understand your specific risk.
What is a 287(g) agreement and why does it matter?
A 287(g) agreement lets local police act as immigration enforcement agents. Maine banned these agreements as of today. In New York, some sheriffs are refusing to follow a similar ban. If your county sheriff cooperates with ICE under 287(g), a routine traffic stop could lead to an immigration arrest.
What should I do if ICE agents come to my workplace?
You have the right to remain silent. Do not sign any documents without speaking to a lawyer first. Ask if you are free to leave. If agents have a warrant, ask to see it — a judicial warrant (signed by a judge) is different from an administrative ICE warrant, which does not give agents the right to enter a private space without consent.