Key Takeaways
• At least 70 US citizens were wrongfully deported between 2015 and 2020 due to ICE errors.
• Incorrect ICE raids and clerical mistakes have led to US citizens detained, some for days or months.
• Congress considers increasing detention funding, raising risks for more wrongful arrests amid lacking oversight.
Recent immigration crackdowns in the United States 🇺🇸 have led to a growing number of US citizens being wrongfully swept up in actions meant to target undocumented immigrants. These incidents have raised major questions about civil rights and pointed to the risks of aggressive enforcement policies. As reported by VisaVerge.com, the line between foreign nationals and citizens has blurred in ways that are taking a real toll on individuals and families who should never have been targeted in the first place.
This article takes a deep look at what is happening, why these mistakes keep occurring, the immediate impact on US citizens, and what might happen next if policies do not change.
Wrongful Detention and Deportation of US Citizens
Since 2003, there has been a steady record of immigration authorities arresting or deporting people who, in fact, are US citizens. This is not just a rare slip-up. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that between 2015 and 2020, at least 70 Americans were deported, even though deporting a citizen is not allowed. Since government agencies do not keep detailed records, the true number could be much higher.
A few recent cases show just how serious these errors can be. For instance, since January 2025, seven cases have come to light where US citizens were unlawfully held in detention by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Sometimes, people are only detained for a few days. In other cases, they are stuck for months or even years before authorities finally confirm their status as US citizens.
One of the most telling stories is about Juan Carlos Lopez-Gomez, a dual citizen who was stopped by police in Florida 🇺🇸. Even though he told them he was a US citizen, officials did not believe him right away. He was kept in custody for nearly two days before his citizenship status was checked and confirmed. Stories like these make it clear that it is not just immigrants—US citizens, too, can lose their basic freedoms when systems fail or when agencies move too fast.
Mistaken Raids on US Citizens
Another big problem comes up when ICE conducts large raids looking for undocumented people. Sometimes, agents go to the wrong homes or sweep up people who have every right to be in the country. On April 24, 2025, in Oklahoma City 🇺🇸, agents entered a home where everyone inside—a mother and her three young daughters—were US citizens. Agents forced the family outside with no clear reason explained to them.
There was no evidence of any immigration violation, but the family’s privacy and sense of security were still taken. These mistakes do not just cause stress and fear—they can also destroy trust in law enforcement and government. For families wrongly caught in these raids, feelings of shock and confusion can linger long after the agents leave.
Administrative Errors Impacting Citizens
Beyond raids and detentions, paperwork mistakes have led to even more trouble for US citizens. Several Americans, some of whom are attorneys and doctors born in the US, recently received emails from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). These messages, meant for people in special parole programs, told the recipients they had to leave the country right away. But these notices were sent by mistake to people who are US citizens and have lived their entire lives in the country.
Advocacy groups do not know exactly how many people got these emails, but they say the number is large enough that it cannot be ignored. When US citizens receive orders telling them to leave, it causes deep confusion and fear, not just for them but for their families and communities. These bureaucratic errors can have real-world effects, interrupting work, family life, and even legal careers.
The Chilling Effect on Civil Liberties
Mistakes in crackdowns are about more than wrongful detention and bad paperwork. Many immigration policies have changed to allow raids in places that used to be considered “safe” from enforcement, such as schools and hospitals. Now, these sensitive locations are no longer off-limits. This has resulted in more fear, especially among Latino and immigrant communities, even when everyone involved is a US citizen.
For example, some citizen children have started missing school because they are scared their parents might be taken away while they are gone. These are US citizens who, because of the tense environment, feel unable to take part in daily life. The sense of danger is not just felt by people without papers—it spills over to entire communities, including those born and raised in the United States.
Legal experts have also warned that when the government hints at sending US citizens abroad as punishment, or ignores court orders meant to protect legal residents, it touches on constitutional rights that have long been seen as untouchable. It raises the question: If your citizenship does not protect you from wrongful detention, mistaken raids, or removal notices, what does?
New Laws and Possible Expansion
Congress is now looking at bills that would give even more funding to detention centers. This could mean even bigger facilities, holding even more people, and for longer periods of time. If oversight and checks do not keep up with this growth, it could lead to more cases of wrongful arrest—especially when systems are already causing harm to US citizens.
Immigration enforcement is supposed to focus on people who break immigration laws. But when enforcement is rushed or not careful, almost anyone—regardless of their legal status—can end up paying the price. Experts and advocates warn that unless the system improves, giving immigration agencies more power and space to hold people could make things even worse for citizens.
How Wrongful Detention Happens
So how do US citizens end up being detained or at risk of deportation? Most often, it is due to:
- Mistaken identity (authorities confusing names, dates of birth, or other information)
- Poor or missing documentation (such as birth certificates or passports not on hand)
- Misunderstandings during traffic stops or other encounters with law enforcement
- Clerical or administrative blunders (wrong emails or notices sent out)
- Lack of training or oversight for officers on how to check for valid citizenship
Wrongful detention does not just mean being held for a few hours. For those affected, it can lead to job loss, broken families, health problems, and huge legal bills.
Real Stories That Show the Problem
Stories like that of Juan Carlos Lopez-Gomez are not just single cases—they are part of a bigger pattern. When ICE detained Lopez-Gomez in Florida, he tried to explain that he was a citizen, but agents did not believe him at first. It was only after nearly two days and the intervention of his lawyer that officials let him go. Others have spent even longer in detention, with some waiting weeks or months for their citizenship to be recognized.
In Oklahoma City, the family forced out of their home during a mistaken raid had their daily routine interrupted for no reason. Children were made to stand outside in confusion and fear, and the trust they once had in the people meant to protect them was shaken.
Administrative issues have even hit professionals like doctors and lawyers, who found themselves opening emails from the government telling them to leave their own country. With such a breakdown in the system, Americans from all walks of life can find themselves suddenly threatened by procedures that are meant for others.
The Wider Impact: Trust, Rights, and Community Fear
It is not only about each wrongful detention or mistaken raid; it is about the larger atmosphere these errors create. Across the United States 🇺🇸, people who might have thought they were protected by their citizenship are realizing that even they are at risk of being detained, threatened with deportation, or told by mistake to leave the country.
For families and communities, this shift disrupts daily life. It leads some US citizens to carry their birth certificates everywhere, just in case they need to prove who they are. Others become afraid to access basic services like schools, hospitals, or even the police, worried that something could go wrong.
When parents worry their children may lose them, even for a few hours, it causes emotional distress and erodes the sense of safety that citizenship should provide. Schools and hospitals see fewer people coming in, not because needs have dropped, but because fear has risen.
Why Oversight and Due Process Matter
Analysts and advocates say these ongoing issues highlight a key point: due process and oversight are needed to protect everyone, including US citizens. Due process means that agencies must follow clear, fair steps before taking away someone’s freedom, and must give people a chance to prove their legal status.
However, as enforcement networks grow larger and policies change fast, opportunities for mistakes also grow. With more funding proposed for detention and less restriction on where and how ICE can operate, more American citizens could find themselves in difficult positions. Immigration law is complex, but who counts as a citizen is not supposed to be.
Oversight means checks and balances—making sure there are steps and rules to catch mistakes before they harm people. It also means agencies need to be held responsible when they make errors. The growth of wrongful detention cases shows that without strong oversight, even those who thought they were safest can end up losing their rights, at least for a time.
Calls for Reform and Better Training
Many legal groups are calling for improved training for ICE agents and other officials so they can better recognize citizenship claims on the spot. Some experts also call for a clearer separation between local police and federal immigration work, so American citizens stopped for traffic violations do not end up in the wrong hands.
Another common request is for better communication among government agencies, so that one department’s error does not lead to another’s action. If you are a US citizen, your record should clearly show that at every stage in the system.
Making it easier for people to fix errors and providing dedicated hotlines or legal help for wrongful detention cases could also help limit harm.
What Should US Citizens Do?
For now, citizens worried about being caught up in immigration crackdowns should keep key documents handy (like passports, birth certificates, or naturalization certificates). It can be helpful to memorize important phone numbers and have a plan, just in case a mistake happens.
If someone receives paperwork or notices from the Department of Homeland Security or ICE that do not make sense, they can find official guidance and contacts on the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website. Immediate legal help is recommended in case of wrongful detention, mistaken removal orders, or any run-in with enforcement that does not add up.
Looking Ahead: A Need for Fairness
The rising number of wrongful detentions and related errors calls for a balanced approach to immigration enforcement. Citizens should not have to live in fear of losing rights that the Constitution protects—yet, aggressive crackdowns have shown that with flawed systems, anyone can get caught in the net.
Until practical reforms are in place and checks are improved, the risk remains that US citizens will keep bearing the cost of enforcement mistakes. Oversight, open government, and stronger systems to detect errors are crucial to protect both basic rights and public trust.
In the meantime, stories of wrongful detention, mistaken raids, and administrative error serve as reminders: even in one’s own country, the meaning of citizenship can be tested by the pressure of fast-changing laws and stretched enforcement agencies. US citizens, along with all Americans, deserve to know that their rights will be honored and that their safety will not be a simple target for policy gone wrong.
For authoritative updates and more detailed advice on how immigration policy changes can affect US citizens, regular consultation of official resources and trusted news from platforms like VisaVerge.com is essential. As lawmakers and agencies debate new funding and enforcement rules, public awareness and oversight remain the best tools in holding the system accountable and ensuring that no citizen faces wrongful detention again.
Learn Today
ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) → A US agency responsible for enforcing immigration laws, including detaining and deporting people suspected of violating immigration regulations.
Wrongful Detention → When a person is held by authorities without legal justification, especially when they are actually US citizens or have legal status.
Deportation → The formal removal of a person from the United States, usually for violating immigration or criminal laws.
Due Process → Legal requirement that government must respect all legal rights owed to a person, including fair procedures before detention or removal.
Oversight → The process of monitoring, regulating, and holding government agencies accountable to prevent mistakes or abuses of power.
This Article in a Nutshell
Wrongful detention and deportation of US citizens are rising during US immigration crackdowns. Cases show citizens caught due to mistaken identity, poor documentation, or administrative errors. These incidents threaten basic rights and public trust. Advocates urge better training, oversight, and reforms to ensure fair, accurate enforcement and protect everyone’s civil liberties.
— By VisaVerge.com
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