Dont ComplyProPublica published a searchable database of what it says are more than 500 cases, 519 citizens in all, in which immigration agents reportedly detained U.S. citizens from Inauguration Day through Oct. 21, 2026. The outlet says it included an incident only if it found at least two sources, and that the government does not track such cases, so the count is likely an undercount. ProPublica reports that more than a hundred citizens were held after agents questioned their citizenship, and that roughly 300 were arrested after being accused of assaulting or impeding officers, often without being charged. Among the cases it describes is a Bronx teenager who said masked agents tackled him. DHS said agents temporarily detained him to finish questioning. DHS has repeatedly said it is not arresting U.S. citizens, according to ProPublica.
Why it matters
ProPublica reports the government does not track detentions of citizens by immigration agents, leaving the scale of any wrongful detentions unmeasured. The cases it describes include citizens held without a lawyer or family contact and arrests that did not lead to charges.
These are unproven claims, and everyone named is presumed innocent unless proven guilty. Researched with AI assistance from the sources listed here and reviewed under our methodology.