LOS ANGELES — Families across the United States are describing major disruptions to their households as immigration enforcement operations by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) continue to separate parents, spouses and children, according to interviews with affected families, court filings and advocacy groups.
Recent arrests have left some children in the care of relatives, interrupted employment and prompted families to avoid schools, workplaces and public spaces, while immigration attorneys report growing demand for emergency legal assistance. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has said its enforcement efforts are focused on people in the country unlawfully and individuals who pose public safety or national security threats, while critics argue the operations have swept in many people with no criminal record.
In California, Milenko Faria has spoken publicly about caring for his young daughter after his wife, physician Rubeliz Bolivar, was taken into immigration custody while the family's legal proceedings continued. Court records and interviews reviewed by news organizations describe similar cases in which relatives have assumed caregiving responsibilities following arrests.
Government data analyzed by researchers and the Associated Press indicate ICE arrests declined by nearly 12% after a leadership shake-up within DHS earlier this year, but enforcement activity has remained substantially higher than during the previous administration. The analysis also found that about 41% of those arrested during a recent five-week period had no criminal history, down from roughly 46% in the preceding weeks. DHS has maintained that the majority of those arrested are individuals with criminal convictions or pending charges.
In Minnesota, school officials and state leaders previously reported that immigration operations had affected students whose parents were detained, with some districts saying children missed classes or required additional counseling and support. Governor Tim Walz urged federal authorities to avoid conducting enforcement actions involving schools, while local educators said uncertainty over parents' immigration status had increased absenteeism and anxiety among students.
The White House has continued to press for increased immigration enforcement, with recent reports indicating officials have sought higher daily arrest totals as part of broader deportation efforts. DHS has said immigration laws will continue to be enforced nationwide.
Immigration advocates say the continuing operations are reshaping family life well beyond those directly detained, while federal officials maintain that enforcement remains a central component of the administration's immigration policy. As of Wednesday, no change in the government's overall enforcement strategy had been officially announced.
