Migrants Trapped for Months in US Immigration Detention Under Trump's Policies
Thousands of migrants remain in long-term US immigration detention, with many held for months or even years. New figures from January 2025 show over 22,000 people had spent at least six months in custody. Two men, Felipe Hernandez Espinosa and Yashael Almonte Mejia, are among those caught in prolonged detention under stricter policies in President Donald Trump's second term.
Felipe Hernandez Espinosa entered US custody in late July 2024. He first spent 45 days in a Florida holding centre with poor conditions. Since then, he has been transferred to Fort Bliss Army base in El Paso, Texas, where he has remained for five months.
Hernandez repeatedly requested to be sent back to Nicaragua or Mexico, signing forms at least five times. His wife, detained alongside him, was later released and allowed to return to Nicaragua without a deportation order. Meanwhile, Hernandez's immigration hearing was finally set for February 26ânearly seven months after his detention began.
Yashael Almonte Mejia has been held for eight months, even after the government moved to dismiss his asylum case. During his detention, Almonte became a father to a daughter he has never met in person.
The latest ICE data from mid-January 2025 reveals 46,269 people in custody. Of these, 7,252 had been detained for at least six months, including 79 held for over two years. The Trump administration has also introduced financial incentives, offering plane fare and US$2,600 to migrants who agree to leave voluntarily.
Both Hernandez and Almonte remain in detention as their cases drag on. The number of long-term detainees has risen under current policies, with thousands still waiting for resolution. For many, the process has stretched into months or years, leaving families separated and futures uncertain.
