Just have a minute? Here are the top stories you need to know about immigration. This summary was featured in Documented’s Early Arrival newsletter. You can subscribe to receive it in your inbox three times per week here.
Around the U.S.
Judges sound alarm on pregnant and nursing individuals in ICE facilities:
ICE has been unclear on whether a Biden-era policy barring their detention remains in effect. —POLITICO
Cambodian immigrant dies in ICE facility, at least seventh immigrant to die in detention this year:
Lorth Sim, 59, entered the U.S. as a refugee in 1983, and became a lawful permanent resident in 1986. —Indiana Capital Chronicle
Texas billionaire’s real estate firm rejects sale of warehouse to ICE:
Majestic Realty Co., owned by Edward Roski Jr., said in a social media post that it wants to find a buyer that will “help drive economic growth.” —Bloomberg, 💬@majesticrealtyco
Immigration raids rattle hospitality industry, workers say:
Unite Here, the largest hospitality workers’ union in the U.S., reports that 98,000 workers left the industry from December 2024 to December 2025. —The Guardian
Immigrant surge in Minnesota caused sizable drop in state’s consumer spending:
Spending fell by an estimated $626 million in January, according to an analysis of aggregated credit card transaction data. — North Star Policy Action
[Long read] Tennessee said yes to ICE — and turned into a deportation state:
Federal agents and state troopers have cooperated on immigration raids, targeting Nashville’s Latino communities. —Mother Jones
New York
Judge orders release of at least three Canal Street vendors:
Ten West African immigrants were arrested by ICE in the fall in what the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said were “targeted” raids against the sale of counterfeit goods. —Gothamist
DOJ admits to violating over 50 court orders related to habeas petitions in New Jersey:
A senior Justice Department official said the violations, spanning 547 cases, were “accidental” in an 11-page report filed last week. —New York Times
Mamdani administration issues executive order on migrant shelters:
The order directs the city to form a plan to close the last emergency asylum seeker shelter site and transition individuals into different housing facilities. —NYC.gov
ICE rents office on Long Island amid confused reports on warehouse purchase in Hudson Valley:
The agency has retracted an earlier claim that it bought a detention facility in Chester, while 40 ICE attorneys are moving into a building in Woodbury, according to its owner. —Newsday, Times Union, WAMC
ICE doubles presence in Metropolitan Detention Center:
U.S. Rep. Dan Goldman reported that 191 immigrants are being held across two cell blocks, with a combined 248-person capacity, following a visit to the facility on Wednesday. —THE CITY
[Long read] The Chaos of an ICE Detention:
Manuela, an undocumented immigrant from Ecuador, had to make an impossible decision after her husband Iván was arrested near their home in Queens. —The New Yorker
Washington D.C.
Judge throws out immigration board’s endorsement of Trump mass detention policy:
U.S. District Judge Sunshine Sykes called mandatory detention “shameless” and a “campaign of illegal action” in her ruling. —Reuters
New DHS memo requires indefinite detention of refugees for extra screening:
The memo was included in a court filing amid an ongoing lawsuit in Minnesota challenging the detention of thousands of refugees. —The Washington Post, CNN
ICE seeks budget office approval for purchase of $70 million “luxury jet”:
你知道吗？非公民办理驾照时的这个错误可能会导致选民欺诈
The jet will be used for immigrant deportations and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem’s travel needs, according to DHS officials. —NBC News
District court judges overwhelmingly reject Trump’s detention policy, new tracker shows:
A compiled list of decisions from July 2025 through mid-February 2026 shows judges appointed across different presidencies are taking a stand against the current administration. —POLITICO
