Advocates Decry Migrant Targeting as Thousands of U.S. Citizens’ Families Caught in Crackdown
Immigrant rights advocates are raising alarm over the Trump administration’s ongoing immigration enforcement campaign, saying thousands of spouses and parents of U.S. citizens have been swept up in detention and deportation actions, according to an ABC News analysis.
Data reviewed by ABC News indicates that during the first 14 months of the administration’s current term, only 3% of individuals detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) had a violent felony conviction. The findings have intensified criticism from advocacy groups who argue that enforcement efforts are disproportionately affecting non-violent individuals and mixed-status families.
One case highlighted involves Maria Flores, who said she drove her husband to a Tennessee courthouse for a routine traffic-related matter when he was suddenly detained by ICE officers. She described realizing something was wrong only after hours of uncertainty and later seeing federal immigration agents at the scene.
Another case involves Orlin Carrasco, who entered the United States in 2013 as an unaccompanied minor from Honduras. According to his attorney, Carrasco has no criminal convictions or removal order but was detained after paying court fees alongside others. He is currently being held in a detention facility in Louisiana, and his legal team is challenging the detention as unlawful.
Carrasco, speaking in a video call, said he had repeatedly asked authorities for a reason for his detention but received no explanation.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), responding to ABC News, said the administration is enforcing immigration laws as written to enhance public safety. Officials stated that individuals detained have violated immigration law and emphasized that families are not forcibly separated, noting that parents may choose whether to leave with their children or designate caregivers.
However, ABC News’ analysis of ICE data shows that more than 400,000 individuals without violent criminal histories have been affected by enforcement actions during the same period. The data also indicates that approximately 14,450 parents of U.S.-born children were apprehended in the first eight months of 2025, with more than 9,700 children experiencing the detention of at least one parent. Of those detained parents, more than 7,000 were later deported.
In addition, ICE reportedly apprehended 4,843 spouses of U.S. citizens during the same period, with over 2,000 deportations recorded within the first seven months of the administration’s term.
Advocates say these figures highlight the broader impact of enforcement policies on families, particularly those in mixed-status households. Immigrant rights groups are calling for legislative reforms, including proposals that would provide greater protections for undocumented immigrants with close family ties to U.S. citizens.
One such effort is the bipartisan “Dignity Act,” currently under consideration in the U.S. House of Representatives, which aims to offer legal pathways or relief for certain undocumented immigrants.
Supporters of the bill, including Republican Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar and Democratic Rep. Veronica Escobar, argue that reform is needed to address long-term residents contributing to society while living under legal uncertainty.
As debate continues in Washington, immigration advocates say enforcement trends are leaving many families in fear and uncertainty, while government officials maintain that current actions are necessary to uphold immigration law.
