How frequently do ICE agents mistake US citizens for immigrants?

1. Numbers that matter — what the data actually show

A government audit and independent trackers paint a picture of error concentrated in administrative processes rather than mass deportations: GAO reported ICE issued detainers for at least 895 potential U.S. citizens between fiscal year 2015 and the second quarter of 2020 and cancelled roughly three‑quarters of those detainers, indicating many investigations end without a formal removal action ^[1]. Broader historical analysis by TRAC and the American Immigration Council shows ICE databases have identified thousands of U.S. citizens as potentially removable over longer windows — at least 2,840 between 2002 and 2017, with at least 214 taken into custody in that period — and some recent reporting suggests as many as 70 U.S. citizens may have been deported in a five‑year span, though exact counts vary by methodology ^[2].

2. Rare in scale, consequential in impact

Putting those figures beside ICE’s operational scale underscores that mistaken detentions are a small share of total enforcement but carry outsized consequences: ICE and CBP arrest and detain tens of thousands of people in routine operations (ICE’s detention population hit historically high levels in 2025, and monthly booking figures run into the tens of thousands), so the hundreds of detainers flagged for citizens represent a small fraction of total actions — yet even one wrongful custodial episode can produce severe harm, from loss of liberty to family disruption and legal limbo ^{[5] [6] [7]}.

3. Why mistakes happen — systems, training and databases

Mistaken identification stems from inconsistent guidance, training gaps, and dirty or incomplete records: GAO found ICE guidance on citizenship investigations is inconsistent and that the agency does not systematically track encounters involving claimed U.S. citizenship, while outside researchers note ICE databases and procedural loopholes can leave citizenship fields unchanged after investigations, perpetuating errors ^{[1] [2]}. Independent reporting and advocacy groups have documented cases tied to name matches, outdated records, or failures to follow protocols meant to verify citizenship ^{[2] [3]}.

4. Political dispute and oversight — contested narratives

Official denials and heated oversight coexist with independent investigations: DHS has publicly insisted ICE does not detain or deport U.S. citizens and has pushed back on some media reporting ^[8], while members of Congress and oversight staffers have demanded inquiries after reporting of “dozens” of wrongful detentions and even alleged deportations, citing cases of U.S. citizens — including vulnerable people — swept up in raids ^{[9] [10]}. That clash highlights an implicit political agenda on both sides: agencies defending enforcement practices and accountability advocates pressing for transparency and remedies ^{[8] [9]}.

5. What remains unknown and why it matters

Accurate frequency estimates are constrained by incomplete tracking and inconsistent public reporting: GAO’s audit and TRAC analyses are the best publicly available windows, but both note data gaps and the lack of a consistent system to record and close citizenship investigations, so any headline number understates uncertainty ^{[1] [2]}. The takeaway is not a precise percentage but a firm conclusion grounded in reporting and oversight: wrongful detentions of citizens are uncommon relative to total ICE activity but persistent enough to warrant Congressional probes, better data systems, and stronger frontline safeguards because the human costs in individual cases are acute ^{[1] [9] [4]}.