Amid the ongoing immigration raids in Southern California and elsewhere, some American citizens have been rounded up, prompting criticism of federal agents.
According to a report, though, American citizens like Job Garcia have been detained by federal agents, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement, hundreds of times, even before this recent uptick, with dozens of them deported out of the U.S.
Citing a government report, Migrant Insider revealed that at least 70 citizens were deported by ICE between 2015 and 2020, with hundreds more detained or arrested.
“That’s not just a bureaucratic mistake — it’s a constitutional violation,” the outlet added.
The Government Accountability Office said in that period, ICE arrested 674 potential U.S. citizens, detained 121 and deported 70, though Migrant Insider noted “the actual number could be much higher.”
“ICE does not know the extent to which its officers are taking enforcement actions against individuals who could be U.S. citizens,” the GAO said.
