Not all harm is illegal — but that doesn’t mean it isn’t criminal. The ICE List tracks violations that would be considered crimes if committed by anyone other than the government or its contractors. We treat abuses of power as actionable, traceable, and worth documenting. This page defines what we consider a crime in the context of immigration enforcement.

Crimes Against Humanity

• Systematic targeting of migrants through detention and deportation
• Family separation used as deterrence
• Forced labor under coercive conditions
• Patterns of inhumane treatment repeated across facilities

These fall under international law. The Rome Statute defines crimes against humanity as attacks on civilian populations when committed as part of a state policy. We consider ICE’s conduct — and the agencies and companies that support it — to meet that threshold in multiple instances.

Torture and Inhumane Treatment

• Solitary confinement of children, disabled individuals, or those with mental illness
• Denial of critical medical care
• Use of threats, sexual abuse, or physical violence to coerce compliance

These are violations of both U.S. constitutional protections and international human rights law. The UN Convention Against Torture applies to all U.S. actors, including ICE.

Criminal Negligence

• Letting detainees die from preventable illness
• Ignoring repeated medical requests
• Failing to act on known risks, including suicide warnings

Negligence becomes criminal when it results in death or serious injury. In many ICE facilities, it’s routine — and deadly.

Sexual Abuse and Assault

• Abuse by guards, contractors, or other staff
• Failure to investigate or report known violations
• Retaliation against survivors who speak out

These are crimes under U.S. federal and state law. ICE and its contractors have been sued repeatedly for sexual abuse but rarely face charges.

Due Process Violations

• Deporting asylum seekers without hearings
• Holding people without charge or access to legal counsel
• Using secret evidence or language barriers to block defense

These are constitutional violations and, in some cases, federal crimes. They erode the foundations of the legal system.

Racial Profiling and Targeted Enforcement

• Arrests and raids based solely on race, ethnicity, or nationality
• Disproportionate targeting of Latino, Black, Middle Eastern, and African communities

Profiling is a violation of civil rights law and contributes to a broader pattern of discriminatory enforcement.

A Note on Documentation

We do not claim to prosecute. We document. Every crime listed on this site is connected to a name, an institution, and a set of facts. If the legal system won’t act, history still can. Naming these crimes publicly is the first step toward accountability.

No more hiding behind policy. No more treating crimes as paperwork.