As the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration continues across the nation, reports of racial profiling by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have been on the rise. In the Minneapolis area, where around 2,000 ICE officers and 800 Customs and Border Protection agents have been deployed, Latino and Somali communities have been particularly targeted in recent weeks.
On 15 January, the ACLU and other attorneys filed a class-action lawsuit against the Trump administration, alleging racial profiling and unlawful arrests of three Minnesotans and others. One of the plaintiffs, a US citizen, claimed he was stopped by masked ICE agents as he walked to lunch. In another incident, ICE officers reportedly asked people of color to provide documentation proving their legal status in the US while they were charging their electric vehicles.
These incidents have led many people of color across the country to change their daily routines in an effort to avoid potential racial profiling by ICE. Some have reported sleeping near their passports or carrying their birth certificates with them to the grocery store, fearing they may be questioned about their immigration status.
“It’s really concerning to see these reports of racial profiling and the impact it’s having on immigrant communities,” said Sarah Malik, a community organiser in Minneapolis. “People shouldn’t have to live in fear of being stopped and questioned by federal agents simply because of their race or ethnicity.”
The munity team is calling on US citizens and permanent residents of colour living anywhere in the US who believe they have been recently targeted by immigration agents due to their race to share their experiences. By shedding light on these issues, the team hopes to raise awareness and encourage accountability among law enforcement agencies.
“It’s important that we document these incidents and give a voice to those affected,” said Malik. “No one should have to live in fear of being racially profiled by the very authorities tasked with upholding the law.”