More than 170 U.S. citizens were detained by immigration agents in the first nine months of President Donald Trump’s second term, according to a ProPublica investigation, which calls the tally an undercount because the government keeps no official record. The cases span immigration raids and street protests across several states, with nearly 20 children among those stopped, including two undergoing cancer treatment. ProPublica’s reporting describes people held for hours or days despite presenting proof of citizenship.
The investigation lists more than 20 people who said they were kept over a day without being able to call family or a lawyer. Several families could not find their loved ones for long stretches. Nearly 20 children were caught up in enforcement actions, ProPublica found, and four were held for weeks with their undocumented mother without access to the family’s attorney until a congresswoman intervened.
Detention patterns and allegations of mistreatment
ProPublica documents reports of citizens being kicked, dragged, beaten, tased, and even shot during operations. Some described being left outside in the rain in their underwear. At least three pregnant women were detained. In one case, agents blew a door off a home during a raid observed by the Homeland Security secretary, and a pregnant resident was taken into custody.
Many of those swept up said they were asked to prove their citizenship on the spot. Although the government has limited legal authority to stop and hold U.S. citizens in immigration settings, agents generally must have a reasonable basis to suspect someone is in the country unlawfully. Yet ProPublica identified more than 50 cases in which Americans—almost all Latino—were kept after their citizenship was questioned.
In practice, that meant people showing passports or birth certificates and still being told to wait while agents made calls or checked databases. About 130 Americans, including a dozen elected officials, were arrested for allegedly interfering with or assaulting officers during operations; most of those cases were dropped or never charged, and only a handful ended in misdemeanor pleas.
“Citizens who presented proof of citizenship were sometimes held anyway,” ProPublica’s reporting found, raising questions about how protections operate during fast-moving operations.
Government response and legal context
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) says it does not racially profile, does not target Americans, and does not arrest U.S. citizens for immigration enforcement. Lawsuits filed by citizens and the accounts gathered by ProPublica challenge those statements.
A recent Supreme Court decision allowed immigration agents in Los Angeles to consider race during sweeps. Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote that citizens should not worry because those found lawfully present would be released. ProPublica’s on-the-ground reporting shows that Americans are sometimes held anyway, raising constitutional questions about how protections apply in tense, rapid operations and whether local communities can trust the process.
For families, the practical harm can be immediate:
- Parents working legally have described being surrounded during immigration raids and separated from children with no clear way to call home.
- Citizens reported being driven to holding sites far from their neighborhoods, sometimes with phones taken or turned off, making it impossible for relatives to track them.
- In emergency situations, like ongoing medical treatment, those delays carry serious health risks.
Federal agencies do not publish statistics on how often U.S. citizens are detained during immigration enforcement. Both Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) declined to give ProPublica numbers. Without records, it’s impossible to know how many people are affected nationwide, or whether particular field offices, tactics, or times of day pose greater risks for wrongful stops.
Civil rights groups warn that aggressive enforcement increases the odds that citizens will be mistaken for noncitizens, especially in mass sweeps. According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, the lack of transparent tracking makes it harder for Congress and watchdogs to assess patterns, respond to complaints, or set guardrails. That gap also leaves local leaders guessing how to keep residents safe, even as they urge cooperation with lawful requests.
Remedies, reporting, and practical advice
For those who believe they were wrongfully detained, DHS’s Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties accepts complaints. The office can review treatment by CBP or ICE, including access to counsel, medical care, and conditions in holding areas.
- People can file directly through the DHS website.
- The site outlines rights during encounters and how to report concerns through the DHS Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties.
Practical steps lawyers advise to lower the risk during operations:
- Carry government-issued ID and, if possible, proof of citizenship such as a passport or state-certified birth certificate.
- Use your right to remain silent and ask if you are free to leave.
- If an officer says no, request a lawyer and avoid signing documents you don’t understand.
- Families should set a plan for childcare and emergency contacts in case someone is stopped during a sweep.
Policy experts recommend clearer guardrails, including:
- A requirement that agents immediately document citizenship checks that result in detention.
- Standardized time limits for verifying status when U.S. citizens are involved.
- Prompt access to phones for detainees.
- Community notifications after large-scale actions to help families find relatives faster.
VisaVerge.com reports that transparency around how agents verify identity would give both officers and residents clearer expectations.
Scope, limitations, and the broader debate
ProPublica stresses that its count—at least 170 citizens held this year—likely misses many cases. Because there is no systemwide reporting, the picture relies on lawsuits, media accounts, and interviews that capture only a slice of activity.
Supporters of tougher tactics say officers need latitude to move quickly and protect themselves during raids. Critics counter that when U.S. citizens are held, the harm is not just temporary: it can erode trust, chill cooperation with police, and cause lasting trauma for families, especially children.
The stakes are plain: no American should be deprived of liberty without cause, and no family should be left searching in the dark.
As the election season accelerates and enforcement remains a central political theme, the debate over the balance between border enforcement and civil liberties inside the United States is likely to continue.
This Article in a Nutshell
ProPublica’s investigation documents at least 170 U.S. citizens detained by immigration agents during the first nine months of President Trump’s second term, a count the outlet calls an underreport because no governmentwide record exists. Cases span raids and street actions across states and include nearly 20 children—two undergoing cancer treatment—and reports of physical mistreatment. More than 50 Americans, predominantly Latino, were held after presenting passports or birth certificates. DHS maintains it does not target citizens; CBP and ICE declined to share figures. Advocates urge transparency, mandatory documentation of citizenship checks, prompt phone access, and standardized time limits. Legal guidance recommends carrying ID, invoking the right to remain silent, requesting counsel, and planning childcare during sweeps. The absence of official statistics limits oversight and fuels debate over civil liberties versus enforcement.
