U.S. Citizens—Many Latino—Detained in Immigration Sweeps Amid Lack of Oversight
In a disturbing trend under President Trump’s intensified immigration crackdown, U.S. citizens—including natural-born Americans—are being stopped, handcuffed, and in some cases held overnight by federal and local law enforcement officers who suspect them of being undocumented immigrants .
Who’s Being Targeted?
Most victims share common traits: they are Latino men, often with darker skin or Spanish accents, living in states with high immigrant populations like Texas, Arizona, Illinois, and California. Many report being ignored when they declared their citizenship on the spot.
- Julio Noriega, 54, Chicago: Handcuffed outside a Jiffy Lube while handing out résumés; held 10 hours without explanation.
- Jason Gavidia, Texas: Detained despite showing his U.S. passport; denied phone call for 14 hours.
- At least two citizens were held without access to legal counsel or a phone call—violating basic due process rights.
By the Numbers: Known Cases Since January 2025
| Category | Figure |
|---|---|
| Confirmed U.S. citizen detentions | 15+ (per NYT review of court records and media reports) |
| States with reported incidents | 6+ (including TX, AZ, IL, CA, FL, NM) |
| Average detention time | 8–14 hours |
| Federal documentation required? | No—ICE not required to log citizen stops |
Why Is This Happening?
Under President Trump’s 2025 executive order, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has partnered with local police in “joint task forces” authorized to conduct warrantless stops based on “reasonable suspicion”—a standard critics say is being applied with racial profiling.
“They see a brown man speaking Spanish and assume he’s undocumented,” said immigration attorney Maria Lopez. “Citizenship doesn’t protect you if you ‘look’ like an immigrant.”
Legal and Civil Rights Concerns
- No federal requirement to document stops of U.S. citizens
- Detainees often denied access to phones or lawyers
- Courts have ruled such detentions violate Fourth and Fifth Amendment rights
- ACLU has filed class-action notices in three states
[INTERNAL_LINK:ICE Raids] | [INTERNAL_LINK:Civil Rights Violations]
