Trump's Immigration Raids Target U.S. Citizens, Including Native Americans, Raising Concerns Over Racial Profiling
As immigration raids intensify under President Trump's directive, U.S. citizens, including Native American tribal members and military veterans, are being caught up in deportation efforts, fueling fea
In a series of immigration enforcement actions ordered by President Donald Trump, U.S. citizens, including Native Americans, are being swept up in mass deportations. Critics argue that the raids disproportionately target individuals based on their race and skin color, contributing to rising concerns over racial profiling.
Reports from the Navajo Nation reveal that many tribal members living off-reservation have been questioned by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers, often leading to confusion and distress. Navajo President Buu Nygren spoke out about the troubling encounters, calling them “negative and sometimes traumatizing.” He encouraged Navajo citizens to carry identification, including driver’s licenses and Certificates of Indian Blood, as a precaution against further questioning.
Despite these concerns, ICE has not responded to inquiries about the detainment and questioning of Navajo Nation citizens. However, the agency maintains that it may request identification from individuals during field operations to verify their identity.
One high-profile case involved a U.S. military veteran detained during an ICE raid at a seafood wholesaler in Newark, New Jersey. Mayor Ras Baraka condemned the incident, emphasizing that the veteran’s military documentation was improperly questioned. The seafood warehouse manager, a Puerto Rican citizen, was also detained, with the business owner noting that ICE appeared to target workers of specific backgrounds, while American, Portuguese, and white workers were not asked for documentation.
As ICE raids have expanded, deportations have increased significantly, with nearly half of those arrested having no prior criminal records. This includes individuals who have been detained for nonviolent offenses or have committed no crime at all. The Trump administration has insisted that enforcement actions are necessary to address illegal immigration, but legal experts warn that such broad enforcement may lead to more racial profiling and the wrongful detainment of U.S. citizens.
The Laken Riley Act, a bill awaiting President Trump’s signature, will further widen the criteria for deportation, allowing individuals charged with minor crimes, such as theft or burglary, to be detained even without a conviction. This expansion of arrest powers raises concerns that more innocent individuals, particularly in immigrant and minority communities, will be unfairly targeted.
Legal experts like Rosanna Eugenio of the New York Immigration Coalition fear that the lack of clear enforcement priorities could exacerbate racial profiling. “How do you tell that someone does not have legal status in this country or is in the process of seeking legal status? You can’t tell that by looking at someone. But it will create conditions where there will be profiling of communities, immigrant communities, and communities of color,” Eugenio said.
The raids have been carried out not only by ICE but also with the assistance of personnel from various government agencies, and some state and local law enforcement agencies have cooperated as well. In New York City, several law enforcement agencies conducted raids earlier this week, which were highlighted on social media by federal officials.
Despite the increasing scale of the deportation efforts, the administration faces financial hurdles, with ICE’s budget constraints threatening the long-term viability of its mass deportation plans. Officials have indicated that Congress will need to allocate more funding for these efforts, but funding concerns remain unresolved.
As the crackdown continues, immigrant advocacy groups emphasize the importance of knowing one’s rights. “Stay calm, don’t lie. Remain silent. Don’t consent to the search,” advised Murad Awadeh, president of the New York Immigration Coalition. Advocates urge immigrants to ensure that any requests for entry into their homes are accompanied by a judicial warrant signed by a judge.
President Trump’s immigration policies have drawn comparisons to mass deportations from the 1950s under President Dwight D. Eisenhower, which were often referred to as "Operation Wetback," a term with racist connotations. U.S. citizens of Mexican descent were also wrongfully deported during that operation, and many fear that current policies could lead to similar injustices.
From October 1, 2015, to March 2020, ICE detained over 100 individuals who were U.S. citizens, including 70 who were wrongfully removed, according to a 2021 Government Accountability Office (GAO) report. The GAO also found that ICE failed to adequately track its encounters with potential U.S. citizens, further fueling concerns that racial profiling and wrongful detainments will continue to occur.