DHS secretary defends ICE amid reports that US citizens are being asked to prove their citizenship

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Jan. 15 defended Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents amid increasing reports of U.S. citizens being stopped and asked to verify their citizenship during enforcement operations, including incidents in Minnesota that have sparked protests and legal concerns.

According to to the Daily beast, Speaking to reporters outside the White House, Noem answered questions following an ICE incident in Minneapolis, where tensions escalated after an officer shot a man in the leg during an encounter in which authorities say the man attacked an officer. The episode has become a flashpoint as demonstrations spread across the state.

When asked why Americans had to prove their citizenship — and whether citizens were required to carry documentation — Noem said the actions were part of targeted enforcement. “We conduct targeted enforcement in every situation,” she said. “When we zero in on a target and conduct an operation, there may be individuals around that criminal who we can ask who they are and why they are there and validate their identity.”

She added: “That’s what we’ve always done is asking people who they are so we know who’s in that environment.”

Noem said individuals found to be violating the law could be detained “until we conduct that processing.” Her comments came as reports emerged not only in Minnesota but across the country alleging that federal agents have detained U.S. citizens during immigration operations.

In one incident in Minnesota, a video circulated showing ICE agents forcibly detaining two employees at a Target store. An employee is heard saying he is a U.S. citizen as officers pin him to the ground at the store’s entrance. A state lawmaker later confirmed that both employees were U.S. citizens.

Pressed about whether such actions violate the Fourth Amendment, which protects against unreasonable searches and seizures and requires probable cause, Noem rejected the premise. “Every action our ICE officers take is consistent with the law and follows the protocols we have used for years,” she said. “They do everything correctly.”

However, if reported Through NBC Los AngelesAhilan Arulanantham, professor and co-director of the Center for Immigration Law and Policy at the UCLA School of Law, stated that this may not be the case.

Arulanantham stated that U.S. citizens are only legally required to provide proof of citizenship in limited circumstances, such as when entering the country from abroad or when applying for specific jobs that require verification of citizenship. Outside of these situations, he explained, citizens generally have no obligation to provide documentation.

Arulanantham further explained that if a law enforcement officer stops someone in public without reasonable suspicion that the person has committed a crime, that person is not required to show identification.

The controversy coincided with President Donald Trump publicly threatening to invoke the Insurrection Act to send U.S. troops to Minnesota, a move he pushed on Truth Social as the unrest continued. Noem confirmed she had discussed the option with the president. She said invoking the act was “an option he had in the future,” stressing that the decision ultimately rests with Trump.

Civil liberties advocates argue the incidents raise serious constitutional questions, while the government insists officers operate within the law. As protests continue, scrutiny of federal enforcement practices — and the balance between public safety and constitutional rights — shows no signs of easing.

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