You're asking whether ICE has been kidnapping people in 2025. The short answer: No, ICE is not legally kidnapping people. However, numerous reports, lawsuits, and personal accounts describe enforcement actions that feel or look like kidnappings—and even some U.S. citizens have been mistakenly detained. Let’s break it down with concrete examples from this year:
Real-World Cases and Allegations in 2025
1. Connecticut: “State-Sanctioned Kidnappings”
In mid-August 2025, advocates in Danbury, Connecticut described ICE apprehensions—some conducted at a courthouse—as “state-sanctioned kidnappings.” In one case, an 18-year-old stopped for a noise complaint was picked up by ICE and vanished into the system, with no contact for days ctmirror.org.
2. Los Angeles: Mistaken or Surprise Arrests
- Andrea Velez, a U.S. citizen, was arrested in downtown L.A. during an ICE raid in June 2025. Her family labeled it a "kidnapping," saying she was seized forcefully with little explanation. Attempts to locate her after the arrest took over a day www.theguardian.com.
- Similarly, LAPD responded to multiple 911 calls reporting kidnappings—calls that turned out to be ICE operations www.latimes.comabcnews.go.com.
- A lawsuit filed by civil rights groups described the raids in L.A. as “brazen, midday kidnappings,” alleging detentions based on appearance rather than due process calmatters.org.
3. Mass Arrests Without Clear Grounds
In January 2025, ICE conducted raids in multiple major cities—Atlanta, Boston, Miami, NYC, Newark, Philadelphia, Seattle, D.C.—detaining 538 people. In Newark, the mayor claimed ICE detained not only undocumented immigrants but also a U.S. citizen veteran—with no warrant en.wikipedia.org.
4. High-Profile Detentions with Disputed Circumstances
- Rümeysa Öztürk, a Turkish PhD student studying at Tufts, was arrested by masked ICE agents and flown 1,500 miles away. She later filed a legal complaint, calling the arrest improper and lacking due process. Her case gained attention and is ongoing en.wikipedia.org.
- Human Rights Watch reported that ICE’s detentions in May 2025 more than doubled compared to January, fueling concerns of sweeping enforcement without transparency or reasonable procedures www.hrw.org.
Summary Table: ICE in 2025
| Action by ICE (2025) | Description |
|---|---|
| ICE arrests and detentions | Increased dramatically across states, sometimes sweeping up individuals with no criminal records or immigration charges. |
| Use of force & surprise operations | Described by critics as “kidnapping”—many arrests occurred unexpectedly, including at home, workplaces, and public settings. |
| Mistaken detentions (including U.S. citizens) | Several cases reported where citizens or those without criminal records were detained. |
| Legal challenges & public outcry | Lawsuits and protests—particularly in LA—claim unconstitutional treatment, racial profiling, and abuse of enforcement power. |