Adam Isacson

@adamisacson

He/Him. I work on security, borders, and migration at the Washington Office on Latin America (my views, not necessarily theirs). I'm also at wola.org, adamisacson.com, borderoversight.org, Mastodon elefanti.co/@adam

424 Siguiendo9163 Seguidores3252 Publicaciones

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Adam Isacson@adamisacson· 24d

Hold them accountable.

Deaths Since the Beginning of the Trump Administration
During interactions with immigration personnel
Ruben Ray Martinez 3/15/25
Silverio Villegas Gonzalez 9/12/25
Jose Castro-Rivera 10/23/25
Sanchez Barboza 12/11/25
Renee Good 1/7/26
Alex Pretti 1/24/26
Lorenzo Salgado Araujo 7/7/26
Joan Sebastián Durán Guerrero 7/13/26
In ICE Custody
Genry Donaldo Ruiz-Guillen 1/23/25
Serawit Gezahegn Dejene 1/29/25
Maksym Chernyak 2/20/25
Juan Alexis Tineo-Martinez 2/23/25
Brayan Rayo-Garzon 4/8/25
Nhon Ngoc Nguyen 4/16/25
Marie Ange Blaise 4/25/25
Abelardo Avelleneda-Delgado 5/5/25
Jesus Molina-Veya 6/7/25
Johnny Noviello 6/23/25
Isidro Perez 6/26/25
Tien Xuan Phan 7/19/25
Chaofeng Ge 8/5/25
Lorenzo Antonio Batrez Vargas 8/31/25
Oscar Rascon Duarte 9/8/25
Santos Banegas Reyes 9/18/25
Ismael Ayala-Uribe 9/22/25
Huabing Xie 9/29/25
Leo Cruz-Silva 10/4/25
Hasan Ali Moh'D Saleh 10/11/25
Gabriel Garcia-Aviles 10/23/25
Kai Yin Wong 10/25/25
Francisco Gaspar Andres 12/3/25
Pete Sumalo Montejo 12/5/25
Shiraz Fatehali Sachwani 12/6/25
Jean Wilson Brutus 12/12/25
Delvin Francisco Rodriguez 12/14/25
Fouad Saeed Abdulkadir 12/14/25
Nenko Stanev Gantchev 12/15/25
Geraldo Lunas Campos 1/3/26
Luis Gustavo Nunez Caceres 1/5/26
Luis Beltran Yanez–Cruz 1/6/26
Parady La 1/9/26
Victor Manuel Diaz 1/14/26
Heber Sanchez Domínguez 1/14/26
Jairo Garcia-Hernandez 2/16/26
Lorth Sim 2/16/26
Alberto Gutierrez-Reyes 2/27/26
Pejman Karshenas Najafabadi 3/1/26
Emmanuel Damas 3/3/26
Mohammad Nazeer Paktiawal 3/14/26
Royer Perez-Jimenez 3/16/26
Jose Guadalupe Ramos-Solano 3/27/26
Tuan Van Bui 4/1/26
Aled Damien Carbonell-Betancourt 4/12/26
Denny Adan Gonzalez 4/28/26
Mamuka Artmeladze 6/4/26
Felix Alcorta-Rodriguez 6/19/26
Adrian Andreas Florian 6/24/26
Jesus Manuel Arenas Silva 7/13/26

Adam Isacson@adamisacson· 25d

In the 10 full months since the "boat strikes" policy began—killing >=221 people so far—CBP has seized 2% *more* cocaine at US borders than it did in the 10 months prior to the boat strikes. Somehow, traffickers have found a way through the administration's lethal gauntlet.

Oct-23 Nov-23 Dec-23 Jan-24 Feb-24 Mar-24 Apr-24 May-24 Jun-24 Jul-24 Aug-24 Sep-24 Oct-24 Nov-24 Dec-24 Jan-25 Feb-25 Mar-25 Apr-25 May-25 Jun-25 Jul-25 Aug-25 Sep-25 Oct-25 Nov-25 Dec-25 Jan-26 Feb-26 Mar-26 Apr-26 May-26 Jun-26
Southwest Border 4258 3640 2330 2396 3586 1275 1799 1993 1534 1464 2605 3503 2799 2143 2822 3042 3065 3887 4110 2713 4411 4615 3973 3369 3507 5283 1805 2489 2954 3829 2901 3323 4447
Coastal/Interior 330 399 609 2401 7825 2884 5761 5174 1528 1273 3035 4263 3193 557 6719 2122 741 1335 288 2595 1942 673 1106 3043 2383 2106 1995 3059 4756 1723 1058 333 1404
Northern Border 9 0 5 319 642 7 5 1 0 460 898 0 0 1 1156 8 246 117 535 564 354 516 273 1053 0 395 45 0 26 14 0 0 388

Adam Isacson@adamisacson· 25d

Once again pitying all the kids who signed up to serve their states’ National Guards, only to find themselves roaming Washington's streets doing nothing. Hoping their commanding officers had enough brains rattling around their heads to have issued them N95 masks today.

The fine particles in wildfire smoke can travel deep into the lungs and even enter the bloodstream. According to the EPA, exposure can trigger asthma attacks and increase the risk of heart attacks, strokes and premature death. Young children, older adults, and people with heart or lung disease are especially vulnerable.

Limit time outdoors or consider wearing an N95 mask if you must be outside. Indoors, keep windows closed and run your air conditioning with a MERV-13 or higher-rated filter, if possible.

Adam Isacson@adamisacson· 25d

It’s normal for migration at the U.S.-Mexico border to decline from May to June, as the heat intensifies. It’s a bit surprising, though, that Border Patrol apprehensions only dropped by 2%: June was the 2nd-highest month of the Trump administration (9,848, from 10,006 in May).

Feb-25 Mar-25 Apr-25 May-25 Jun-25 Jul-25 Aug-25 Sep-25 Oct-25 Nov-25 Dec-25 Jan-26 Feb-26 Mar-26 Apr-26 May-26 Jun-26
Mexico 4238 4762 6127 6248 4117 3071 4426 5826 5515 4961 4109 4323 4561 6113 6618 6805 6454
Guatemala 1436 830 779 954 797 508 501 811 971 898 835 617 702 709 762 1244 1249
Honduras 563 370 438 436 377 301 440 519 399 445 390 339 413 492 576 675 756
El Salvador 272 187 148 192 116 97 121 168 162 185 153 126 164 192 154 200 225
Venezuela 125 157 171 194 139 150 182 216 195 128 168 105 101 134 140 131 116
Ecuador 213 105 86 90 67 71 72 89 115 133 150 91 102 131 165 264 327
Colombia 126 94 85 74 72 41 101 110 110 101 139 78 93 115 109 153 148
Cuba 107 64 82 89 55 50 100 161 114 89 75 66 72 71 91 91 101
China 130 60 35 44 37 46 40 61 56 37 71 57 44 23 50 49 78
Other Countries 1139 550 425 403 289 257 334 425 351 375 386 276 347 289 299 394 394

Adam Isacson@adamisacson· 25d

The wildfire smoke has reached DC. Everything smells putrid. I've lived in the northeast US most of my life, and never saw this when I was in my 0s, 10s, 20s, or 30s.

Adam Isacson@adamisacson· 27d

This month's increase in ICE-involved killings parallels this month's "quiet" increase in ICE arrests. @haleaziz.bsky.social reported this on July 1:

Immigrant Arrests Surge to 10,000 in 5 Days as ICE Clamps Down
The agency has doubled its daily arrest numbers without the fanfare of last year’s large urban operations, sowing fear in immigrant communities.

Adam Isacson@adamisacson· 28d

Why even bother to publish a use-of-force policy if agents are free to ignore its already vague, weak standards with impunity? There’s little evidence that it guides their training. It’s a Cabinet department policy, not a coffee-table book of aspirational suggestions. www.dhs.gov/sites/defaul...

2. A DHS LEO may use deadly force only when the LEO has a reasonable
belief that the subject of such force poses an imminent threat of death or serious
bodily injury to the LEO or to another person.7
a. Fleeing Subjects: Deadly force shall not be used solely to prevent
the escape of a fleeing subject. However, deadly force is authorized to
prevent the escape of a fleeing subject where the LEO has a reasonable
belief that the subject poses a significant threat of death or serious physical
harm to the LEO or others and such force is necessary to prevent escape.
8
B. Discharge of Firearms
1. General Guidelines
a. Discharging a firearm against a person constitutes the use of
deadly force and shall be done only with the intent of preventing or
stopping the threatening behavior that justifies the use of deadly force.
b. The act of establishing a grip, unholstering, or pointing a firearm
does not constitute a use of deadly force.
2. Moving Vehicles, Vessels, Aircraft, or other Conveyances
a. DHS LEOs are prohibited from discharging firearms at the
operator of a moving vehicle, vessel, aircraft, or other conveyance unless
the use of deadly force against the operator is justified under the standards
articulated elsewhere in this policy. 9 Before using deadly force under
these circumstances, the LEO must take into consideration the hazards that
may be posed to law enforcement and innocent bystanders by an out-of-
control conveyance.
b. Firearms shall not be discharged solely as a warning or signal or
solely to disable moving vehicles, vessels, aircraft, or other conveyances,
except under the limited circumstances described in Section V., Warning
Shots and Disabling Fire.

Adam Isacson@adamisacson· Jul 8

As time went on, Ronaldo remained in the dark. He did not learn about his father’s final moments from a hospital or law enforcement. Instead, confirmation of his death came in the cruel form of videos on social media.

“I recognized him immediately: not from his appearance, but from his voice crying in the street as he was bleeding out,” Ronaldo said through tears.

Adam Isacson@adamisacson· Jul 1

June 21: US military bombed a civilian boat, killing 2. There were 6 survivors. June 22: US Coast Guard stopped looking for the 6, handed the search-and-rescue mission to Venezuela. June 24: Venezuela suffered a historic earthquake. RIP to those 6 people, who may not even have been moving drugs.

USCG Atlantic Area
@USCGLANTAREA
5...
On Sunday, June 21, the U.S. Coast Guard was notified by SOUTHCOM of a report of six individuals in distress in the Caribbean. Rescue Coordination Center (RCC Venezuela assumed coordination of search and rescue operations. All search and rescue-related inquiries should be directed to RCC Venezuela.
10:58 AM • Jun 22, 2026 • 5,477 views

Adam Isacson@adamisacson· Jun 28

This is very, very bad:

Some, frustrated by the government's response, blocked an excavator from leaving the site of a collapse and pulled the operator from its cabin shortly after state workers took selfies in front of flattened buildings and left without helping. The ruling party's officials often take selfies to show participation in government-related events.

A few feet away, at least five bodies lay wrapped in blankets.

A member of the crowd, Yeison Marcano, said those searching had received some assistance from an investigations unit but neither police nor the National Guard helped.

"They came to eat arepas and take pictures to make it look like they were working," Marcano said. "They didn't even get their uniforms dirty like we have. We've been here for three days."

Adam Isacson@adamisacson· Jun 27

Happy Saturday morning. If you're in the eastern US, plant some partridge pea seeds, and you'll make bumblebees happy next year.

Adam Isacson@adamisacson· Jun 25

The Supreme Court's decisions today, on TPS cancellations and blocking border asylum access, enable arbitrary, capricious denials of protection in the United States. Many vulnerable people will die as a result. No moral code can justify this.

Justices Let President End Protection From Deportation for Haitians and Syrians

President Trump has pushed to rescind Temporary Protected Status for hundreds of thousands of people from countries convulsed by humanitarian crises.

4 min read

Supreme Court Allows Trump to Block Asylum Seekers at Border

A policy of turning back asylum seekers at the border was rescinded in 2021, but President Trump wants the flexibility to reinstate it.

3 min read

Adam Isacson@adamisacson· Jun 22

- Southcom leaves 6 civilians to die in the Caribbean. - Southcom says it alerted the Coast Guard to rescue them. - Coast Guard says, "Don't bother us about them, go talk to the Venezuelan government." "Get lost" or "Talk to the hand" would be less offensive.

USCG Atlantic Area
@USCGLANTAREA
On Sunday, June 21, the U.S. Coast Guard was notified by SOUTHCOM of a report of six individuals in distress in the Caribbean. Rescue Coordination Center (RCC)
Venezuela assumed coordination of search and rescue operations. All search and rescue-related inquiries should be directed to RCC

Adam Isacson@adamisacson· Jun 21

99.65% of votes counted in Colombia. Far-right De la Espriella is ahead by 0.95%—tighter than expected, since right-of-center candidates were over 50 in the first round. Those who turned in blank "none of the above" ballots were 1.63%: nearly double the margin between the candidates.

Candidatos a la Presidencia
IVÁN
CEPEDA CASTRO
Candidato a la
presidencia
AIDA MARINA
QUILCUE VIVAS
Candidato a la
vicepresidencia
12.681.268
12.681.268 votos 48,71 %
48,71 %
ABELARDO
DE LA ESPRIELLA
Candidato a la
presidencia
JOSÉ MANUEL
RESTREPO ABONDANO
Candidato a la

Adam Isacson@adamisacson· Jun 19

It's seasonal: expect a decline in the June heat. And it's much less migration than in the past, when "the legal right to ask for asylum" still existed at the U.S.-Mexico border. But May's Border Patrol apprehensions were the most of Trump's second term. www.cbp.gov/newsroom/sta...

Feb-25 Mar-25 Apr-25 May-25 Jun-25 Jul-25 Aug-25 Sep-25 Oct-25 Nov-25 Dec-25 Jan-26 Feb-26 Mar-26 Apr-26 May-26
Mexico 4238 4762 6127 6248 4117 3071 4426 5826 5515 4961 4107 4324 4560 6112 6614 6800
Guatemala 1436 830 779 954 797 508 501 811 971 898 835 617 702 709 762 1243
Honduras 563 370 438 436 377 301 440 519 399 446 390 339 413 492 576 675
Colombia 126 94 85 74 72 41 101 110 110 101 139 78 93 115 109 154
Venezuela 125 157 171 194 139 150 182 216 198 132 168 105 101 134 140 128
El Salvador 272 187 148 192 116 97 121 168 162 185 153 127 164 192 154 200
Ecuador 213 105 86 90 67 71 72 89 115 133 150 91 102 131 165 264
India 141 48 34 39 42 30 48 60 30 56 76 30 67 27 22 55
China 130 60 35 44 37 46 40 61 56 37 71 57 44 23 50 49
Other Countries 1105 566 473 453 302 277 386 526 435 408 385 312 352 333 368 430

Adam Isacson@adamisacson· Jun 18

This, from a US embassy release, made my eyes pop: Panama (population 4.5 million) is now almost certainly receiving more US military/police aid than Mexico (130 million) had in recent years. pa.usembassy.gov/u-s-embassy-...

This support is part of U.S. Southern Command’s expanded security cooperation with Panama, totaling an estimated $100 million in 2026.

Adam Isacson@adamisacson· Jun 18

The latest two boat-strike "survivors" didn't make it.

SCG Southwest
@USCGSouthwest
On June 17,
@USCG
suspended search & rescue operations for 2 persons in distress in the Pacific Ocean.
@USCG
coordinated more than 20 hours of focused search efforts covering 46 square miles with no signs of survivors or debris.

Adam Isacson@adamisacson· Jun 17

This "search and rescue system" has a really poor record. 3 survivors have been recovered on the spot. 15 more were never found. (And 2 more were killed while clinging to wreckage.) Why not pre-position search-and-rescue assets? Or is the point "keep survivors out of the courts?"

U.S. Southern Command
@Southcom
On June 16, at the direction of #SOUTHCOM commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations. Intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations. One male narco-terrorists was killed during this action, and there were two male survivors. Following the engagement, USSOUTHCOM immediately notified U.S. Coast Guard to activate the Search and Rescue system for the survivors. No U.S. military forces were harmed.
@DeptofWar
#OpSouthernSpear

Adam Isacson@adamisacson· Jun 15

We're right there in the orange, come on let's go.

Washington region drought conditions: DC is "Severe"

Adam Isacson@adamisacson· Jun 11

Peru's presidential election, with 98.2% of votes counted. I can't recall ever seeing anything like this. If Keiko Fujimori wins, it will be because of Peruvians voting overseas. Within Peru, Sánchez leads by 77,446 votes. resultadosegundavuelta.onpe.gob.pe/main/preside...

Adam Isacson@adamisacson· Jun 10

This identical language appears twice, in different sections of the bill. That's all it specifies.

SEC. 104. ADDITIONAL DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY APPROPRIATIONS.
In addition to amounts otherwise available, there are appropriated to the Secretary of Homeland Security for fiscal year 2026, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, $2,500,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2029, for the purposes provided in this title.

Adam Isacson@adamisacson· Jun 10

The bill that Congress just passed, lavishing another $69.5 billion on ICE and CBP through 2029, has so few guidelines on how to use the money, and so little built-in oversight, that it's only 1,532 words long. A $69.5b slush fund that could've been an email. www.congress.gov/bill/119th-c...

Additional funding for ICE and CBP that Congress passed, on party-line votes, on June 5 and June 9
Personnel Personnel, Maintenance, Operational Costs Technology, Screening For Whatever Total
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) $22,570,000,000 $3,450,000,000 $26,020,000,000
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) $7,450,000,000 $31,075,000,000 $38,525,000,000
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) $5,000,000,000 $5,000,000,000
Total $30,020,000,000 $31,075,000,000 $3,450,000,000 $5,000,000,000 $69,545,000,000
https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/2

Adam Isacson@adamisacson· Jun 9

Peru elections: with 96% counted, Sánchez leads Fujimori by 20,000 votes. But overseas votes are only 30% counted, and Fujimori leads those by 27,000 votes so far. Impossible to predict anything. resultadosegundavuelta.onpe.gob.pe/main/preside...

Overall count: Sánchez 50.056%, Fujimori 49.944%

Overseas count: Fujimori 65.459%, Sánchez 34.541%

Adam Isacson@adamisacson· Jun 8

Just flipped to Sánchez. (Could flip back, of course, who knows.)

Adam Isacson@adamisacson· Jun 8

Wow. 17 million+ votes counted in Peru, a 668-vote margin:

Adam Isacson@adamisacson· Jun 8

Peru's current election count: with 93.2% of ballots counted, the candidates are 0.132 percentage points apart. "Nailbiter" barely begins to describe it. Count: resultadosegundavuelta.onpe.gob.pe/main/resumen

50.066% for Keiko Fujimori. 49.934% for Roberto Sanchez.

Adam Isacson@adamisacson· Jun 4

Yesterday the Republican majority added another $350 million for ICE ops in areas where local government isn't "cooperating." So update these highlighted numbers, from our last Border Update, to $61,452,000 billion total and $31,075,000 for ICE. Bill text: bit.ly/4fY5XuT Narrative: bit.ly/4uTOske

It would provide, through the end of fiscal 2029, $61.102 billion:

$30.725 billion for a list of ICE items, including operations, personnel, and facilities (Judiciary Committee)
$7.45 billion for ICE personnel (Homeland Security Committee)
$13.02 billion for CBP and Border Patrol personnel ($9.55b Homeland Security Committee, $3.47b Judiciary Committee)
$3.45 billion for CBP technology and screening (Homeland Security Committee)
$5 billion for DHS to spend on personnel and technology in general ($2.5b Homeland Security Committee, $2.5b Judiciary Committee)
$1.457 billion to the Department of Justice for a list of purposes, including counter-terrorism and support for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

Adam Isacson@adamisacson· Jun 4

That's 5 attacks in the last 9 days. www.wola.org/2025/11/us-m...

May 26, 2026 1 3 0 (2 survivors not recovered) “In the Eastern Pacific” Donovan View
May 27, 2026 1 2 0 “In the Eastern Pacific” Donovan View
May 29, 2026 1 3 0 “In the Eastern Pacific” Donovan View
May 30, 2026 1 3 0 “In the Eastern Pacific” Donovan View
June 3, 2026 1 2 0 “In the Eastern Pacific” Donovan View

Adam Isacson@adamisacson· Jun 2

If your broker says, "Just sit back and relax, it will all work out well in the end - It always does!", fire them immediately. (It can't hurt to try saying it to debt collectors, though.)

The White House
@WhiteHouse
TRUST IN TRUMP.

"Just sit back and relax, it will all work out well in the end - It always does!" - President Donald J. Trump. 🇺🇸

Adam Isacson@adamisacson· Jun 1

Right. While dropping the "slush fund" would be great, it would undo the main sticking point keeping Republican legislators from rushing another $61 billion for ICE and Border Patrol through Congress on a party-line, simple-majority vote. Bill info in the Border Update: www.wola.org/2026/05/u-s-...