Ten deportees said they experienced or witnessed what they called abusive or violent treatment by ICE. They spent months in detention, they said, before being sent to nations where they had no ties.
A privacy measure for immigration aid workers became a free speech cause for backers of Mr. Shirley, a right-wing YouTube star. Democrats say the furor is fueled by misinformation.
Nick Shirley, 24, has quickly become a hero in the MAGA movement as a YouTube influencer who has produced viral videos claiming to expose fraud in Democratic-led states.