For years, undocumented immigrants have feared encounters with immigration enforcement. But new reporting shows that even U.S. citizens have been wrongfully detained by immigration officers — a troubling reminder of how aggressive enforcement can affect everyone, regardless of status.
According to a recent ProPublica investigation, more than 170 U.S. citizens have been detained or arrested by ICE and other Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agencies in just the first nine months of this year. Many of these citizens were held without being charged, denied access to lawyers, or detained alongside undocumented relatives.
These cases highlight deep civil rights concerns that should alarm every American — especially those who assume citizenship fully shields them from immigration enforcement errors.
The majority of cases of U.S. citizens detained in 2025 have involved citizens of Latino descent, who were questioned about their citizenship status during raids or routine stops. Others were detained during large-scale immigration operations despite presenting proof of citizenship.
Some citizens were held for days without access to a lawyer or the ability to contact family members. Children have also been affected — at least 20 U.S. citizen minors were detained, including several with serious medical conditions and two who were receiving cancer treatment.
Unfortunately, the true number of citizens detained by immigration authorities remains unknown because DHS does not track these cases comprehensively. Although reporting has confirmed more than 170 cases where this happened, the exact number is believed to be much higher because of the amount of large-scale immigration raids happening.
These detentions raise serious constitutional issues. Specifically, the Fifth Amendment has enshrined into the law the right of citizens to due process, in other words, the right not to be deprived of liberty without fair legal procedures. Detaining citizens without a valid reason, hearing, or attorney access violates this protection. The Fourth Amendment of the Constitution guarantees protection from unreasonable seizure, meaning that a citizen cannot be arrested or detained without probable cause or a warrant.
Obviously the immigration roundups that have included U.S. citizens are violating these Constitutional protections, but DHS is failing to take responsibility for these incidents. Organizations such as the National Immigration Project and the ACLU are among those who have filed lawsuits about these egregious violations of the law.
What This Means for You
These incidents show that citizenship status alone is not always enough to prevent detention when enforcement is overly aggressive or poorly supervised. Mistaken identity, language barriers, and racial profiling all contribute to wrongful detentions — with devastating effects on families, jobs, and mental health.
If you are detained by immigration authorities, remember:
- Ask whether you are free to leave or are being detained.
- Request a lawyer immediately.
- Document badge numbers, statements, and anything you’re told.
- Contact legal counsel and trusted family as soon as possible.
If you have a loved one who has been detained by ICE, contact an immigration attorney immediately. You should also try to locate your loved one by accessing the ICE Detainee Locator System, which is supposed to provide locations for those who have been detained for over 48 hours. It does not show locations for minors (those under 18 years of age).
The fact that over 170 U.S. citizens have been detained this year underscores how fragile our civil rights can become when enforcement outpaces oversight. Citizenship should guarantee protection under the Constitution — yet these cases remind us that vigilance, advocacy, and legal action remain essential.
