What alternative IDs does ICE accept if someone lacks a passport or Green Card?

1. What community guides tell people to carry: pragmatic ID options

Immigrant-rights and legal-aid sources aimed at people likely to encounter ICE commonly list a passport, a Permanent Resident Card (Green Card), an Employment Authorization Document (EAD, or work permit), and state-issued driver’s licenses or ID cards as the typical forms of identification people rely on during ICE encounters ^{[1] [3]}. These guides frame the list as practical advice for identification and to establish immigration status, not as a formal ICE policy summary ^{[1] [3]}.

2. What ICE’s document guide actually contains — breadth, not shortcuts

ICE’s Guide to Selected U.S. Travel and Identity Documents catalogs a wide range of immigration and travel documents (residence cards, historic forms, nonimmigrant documents) and explains how different categories of aliens are identified, but the guide excerpt provided does not offer a short alternative-ID checklist that substitutes for a passport or Green Card in every interaction ^[2]. That means the federal material documents types of official records rather than saying “if you lack X, present Y” ^[2].

3. Why there’s no definitive substitute in these sources

The available ICE and DHS materials in this set emphasize classification and the variety of documents rather than a single acceptance policy for alternate IDs; community guides fill the practical gap but do not have the force of agency rulemaking ^{[2] [1]}. Where practical rules exist for other agencies (for example TSA’s explicit alternative-ID lists and REAL ID enforcement), those are distinct from ICE’s operational guidance and should not be conflated ^{[4] [5]}.

4. Real-world practical alternatives people are advised to carry

Legal-aid and community resources list documents people should carry to reduce risk during stops or ICE encounters: a passport (if available), a Green Card if applicable, an Employment Authorization Document, and state-issued driver’s licenses or ID cards are repeatedly recommended ^{[1] [3]}. These documents are presented as evidence of identity or status; guides warn against presenting forged or fraudulent documents because they can be used against someone in immigration proceedings ^[3].

5. Conflicting or politically charged reporting to be cautious about

Some advocacy and policy groups have raised concerns or alarmed headlines about ICE pilot programs to issue internal ID cards (Secure Docket Card), with critics describing these as “IDs for illegal aliens” and asserting they could enable boarding of aircraft or broader acceptance ^{[6] [7]}. These sources carry advocacy angles and should be weighed against official descriptions; the provided DHS/ICE documents in this set do not corroborate the sensational claims in those advocacy pieces within the excerpts given ^{[2] [6] [7]}.

6. What we don’t know from the provided material

Available sources do not mention a formal, uniform ICE policy that names exactly which alternate identity documents ICE officers will accept universally in lieu of a passport or Green Card across all encounter types—detention, interviews, or enforcement actions (not found in current reporting) ^{[2] [1]}. They also do not provide a step‑by‑step checklist that supersedes local officer discretion or court procedures (not found in current reporting).

7. Practical takeaways and next steps for readers

Carry government-issued photo ID if possible (passport, state ID, or EAD) and consult a local immigration legal aid organization for advice tailored to your situation; community guides and legal clinics explicitly recommend these documents and advise against fake IDs ^{[1] [3]}. For authoritative rules about identity requirements in other contexts (like air travel or REAL ID enforcement), consult TSA and DHS materials directly—those agencies publish explicit alternative-ID lists, which are separate from ICE’s documentation guidance ^{[4] [5]}.