US citizens on the threat of being racially profiled by ICE: ‘I carry my passport card at all times’

Living in Fear: US Citizens Confront Racial Profiling by ICE

In the wake of intensified immigration enforcement under President Donald Trump's administration, many US citizens and permanent residents of color are grappling with a heightened sense of vulnerability.

The Guardian's October 2025 report, titled “US citizens on the threat of being racially profiled by ICE: ‘I carry my passport card at all times’”, reveals the deeply personal and pervasive impact of racial profiling by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on communities across the country.

The article opens with harrowing accounts of how daily routines have been reshaped by fear. Citizens and legal residents now carry their passport cards, birth certificates, and real IDs everywhere, even to the bathroom or while sleeping.

This is not paranoia but a survival strategy in response to what many describe as “roving” ICE patrols that target individuals based on race, language, or location.

The Supreme Court’s recent ruling, which sided against plaintiffs in Los Angeles who challenged these patrols, has been interpreted by critics as a green light for legalized racial profiling.

Ana, a 22-year-old college graduate from Illinois, shares how she has taken on errands and responsibilities to shield undocumented family members from public exposure. She carries multiple forms of ID and her brother’s birth certificate when escorting him to soccer practice. Her fear is compounded by uncertainty about whether she can continue these protective measures once she secures full-time employment.

Javier Lopez, a lifelong resident of Boyle Heights in Los Angeles, expresses outrage at the sight of ICE agents detaining people at taco stands in his neighborhood.

Despite his parents being permanent residents for over a decade, he no longer allows them to go out alone due to their limited English proficiency, a factor that could make them targets.

The article also highlights the psychological toll on families. One IT professional from California, a naturalized citizen with a Middle Eastern name, recounts being repeatedly searched and evicted post-9/11 due to his name alone. Now, he and his spouse, also a naturalized citizen, avoid large gatherings and keep proof of citizenship on hand at all times. The fear of a “papers please” moment looms large.

Some families have gone further, creating emergency plans and communication networks in case a loved one is detained. One woman in Georgia described setting up a spreadsheet of allies and installing location tracking apps to ensure rapid response if ICE intervenes.

Even white citizens are not immune to the anxiety. A woman from Louisiana fears for her Central American-born husband and their US-born son. She no longer trusts local law enforcement due to their cooperation with immigration authorities and avoids reporting crimes to protect her family.

Yet amid the fear, some have chosen defiance. Maria Castano, a 67-year-old retired teacher and naturalized citizen from Spain, has embraced her Latinidad more openly. She blasts Spanish music from her car with the windows down and participates in protests organized by Indivisible, a grassroots advocacy group.

The Guardian’s report paints a sobering picture of how immigration policies and judicial decisions have reshaped the lives of law-abiding citizens and residents.

The normalization of racial profiling has led to a climate where identity documents are as essential as keys or wallets, and where trust in public institutions is eroding.

For many, the American promise of safety and freedom feels increasingly conditional, dependent not on legal status, but on appearance, language, and the ability to prove belonging at a moment’s notice.