“In immigrant-rich Greater Cincinnati, as 2025 began, local jails held around 100 people for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. By the end of the year – as federal agents ramped up efforts and local jails signed on to help – thousands had been arrested and detained.” So begins Cincinnati Enquirer’s “'Living in hell.' How 2025 became the year of ICE in Greater Cincinnati.”

The article is a lengthy retrospective on immigration storylines in Ohio in 2025, chronicling how the Trump administration’s rhetoric on immigration did not match reality.

Unless something changes, the civil immigration jail system is “on track to rival the entire federal criminal prison system by the end of President Trump’s second term in office,” according to a new American Immigration Council report. 

Said Lynn Tramonte, Executive Director of the Ohio Immigrant Alliance, “Instead of allowing this system to grow and kill more people, Congress should cut the ICE budget to force the Trump administration to focus its work. And state and local police should stop participating in the destruction of our families and communities. End these county-ICE jail contracts. We don’t need to participate in a system that harms people. Instead, we need Congress to update the immigration laws and make them work for today’s realities.”  

2025 was a long year. At the Ohio Immigrant Alliance, we’re really proud of the work we did. From launching the OhioIsHome.org resource website and Ohio Immigrant Hotline, to working with local leaders who are pushing back on immigration detention contracts; from organizing volunteers to keeping the public informed about what is happening in our communities, our work is energetic, committed, strategic, and effective.

We want to thank the many volunteers and activists who are showing up in support of Ohio immigrants in a million ways. You know that Ohio is home for those who choose to make it so, and you are making it a safer, more welcoming place.

The federal government claims 280 people were arrested, and cites a laundry list of criminal offenses to justify their capture. The Ohio Immigrant Alliance identified at least 214 people — likely more — who had been arrested during the Operation, through a variety of sources. Our analysis also documented the fact that the public cannot trust the government’s claims about immigrants’ criminal history. As we wrote in our analysis, “the administration has a documented record of lying about immigrants’ criminal histories and gang affiliations. It also refuses to answer questions from the media or provide transparent evidence of its claims.” ABC 6 also found major disparities in their accusations. 

Renee Good, a U.S. citizen in Minneapolis, was murdered in cold blood by a federal agent today. It’s unclear whether her family had even been notified before DHS Secretary Kristi Noem attacked her in a press conference. Video from every angle shows Good was attempting to leave a chaotic and dangerous scene. She did not drive her car toward anyone. Ohio native Tricia McLaughlin, a DHS spokesperson, claimed the ICE agent who murdered Good fired “defensive shots.”  

From December 13 to 14, Yeumbeul Nord — one of Senegal’s most vibrant yet underserved suburbs — became the epicenter of the largest technology gathering ever organized in the country’s banlieue (suburbs). Banlieue Smart Days, an initiative born from lived experience and a deep commitment to youth empowerment, brought together more than 1,000 participants over two days of learning, innovation, and inspiration.