Monique Ramirez, a 43‑year‑old mother from San Antonio, was pulled over by federal agents on August 31 and realized they were part of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). While the stop lasted only two minutes, the officers asked her children whether they were illegal immigrants. Ramirez, a U.S. citizen, showed her REAL ID and the officers let the family go after confirming their citizenship.
The brief encounter left Ramirez and her 20‑year‑old son and 16‑year‑old daughter shaken. She said the experience has made them carry birth certificates and avoid unnecessary outings. Her daughter, who felt “shaking,” expressed disbelief at being racially profiled and worried that her Mexican appearance made her vulnerable.
Ramirez’s story echoes a pattern of ICE actions that have targeted U.S. citizens. Earlier this month a Black American was seized in Evanston, Illinois, and later a report by the ACLU documented 155 American citizens, including 32 children, detained or subjected to misconduct. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has denied allegations of racial profiling, asserting that enforcement targets only those who are illegally present. A recent Supreme Court ruling allowed officers to consider perceived ethnicity as a relevant factor in immigration enforcement.
Other cases illustrate the reach of these raids. George Retes, a 26‑year‑old Iraq‑War veteran, was detained for three days after ICE raided a cannabis farm in California, during which he was handcuffed, beaten, and held in solitary confinement. Retes is suing under the Federal Tort Claims Act. Leo Garcia Venegas, a construction worker in Alabama, has been detained three times despite showing a REAL ID. A federal judge recently ordered DHS to cease warrantless raids on construction sites and to release workers who can prove lawful status.
Ramirez says the incident has left a lasting scar on her family, highlighting how ICE operations can affect U.S. citizens. She urges that the country learn from these events, noting that the pain of being targeted for skin tone remains a reality for many.
