Immigration Raids Intensify Across the Country

A young woman clings to a tree as masked agents try to pull her away. They grab her arms, force her into an unmarked vehicle while bystanders record and shout. She was selling food outside a Home Depot in West Los Angeles when federal agents approached and detained her.

Videos capturing these aggressive immigration raids have become increasingly common under the current administration, which aims to deport millions of people over the next few years. ICE agents are arresting individuals in front of their children at school drop-offs, church, and routine appointments at immigration offices. These actions are provoking community backlash, protests, and clashes with law enforcement, fundamentally altering the social fabric of many neighborhoods.

“Being forced apart like this is tearing through the heart of our community,” says Cecelia Lizotte, whose brother, a Nigerian man, remains in ICE detention.

In a recent episode of Reveal, journalists Katie Mingle, Steven Rascón, and Julia Lurie share personal stories about those caught in President Donald Trump’s mass deportation efforts—and the families enduring the aftermath of these actions.