World Press Photo 2026: Carol Guzy’s Heartbreaking Image of Family Separation Wins Top Prize

The World Press Photo Foundation has announced its 2026 Photo of the Year. The top prize was awarded to 70-year-old photojournalist Carol Guzy for a powerful image published in the Miami Herald. The photograph captures the harrowing moment U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents detained Luis, an Ecuadorian citizen, at the Jacob K. Javits Federal Building in New York last August. The arrest took place immediately following his immigration court hearing. Luis, the sole provider for his family, left behind a wife and three children—aged 7, 13, and 15—who now face "immediate financial hardship." Family members noted that he had no prior criminal record.

The image was taken inside one of the few U.S. federal buildings where photojournalists were granted access. Guzy and her colleagues spent days documenting the arrests of migrants who arrived in good faith for their scheduled court dates. The jury remarked that the photograph represents more than an isolated incident; it reflects a systemic policy affecting individuals who are diligently attempting to follow the legal requirements of the immigration process.

Joumana El Zein Khoury, executive director of the World Press Photo Foundation, described the image as a reflection of policies that have "turned courthouses into sites of shattered lives." Guzy herself emphasized that the recognition brings much-needed attention to the suffering of countless families, stating that the award truly belongs to the subjects of her lens.

The World Press Photo jury also recognized two finalists. Palestinian photojournalist Saber Nouraldin (EPA Images) was honored for his shot of people swarming an aid truck in Gaza.

American photographer Victor J. Blue (The New York Times Magazine) received acclaim for his photograph of Maya Achi women in Guatemala, captured following the sentencing of former paramilitary members for rape and crimes against humanity.