Fact check: How often do ICE agents make mistakes in identity verification during arrests?

1. Summary of the results

ICE agents have made numerous documented mistakes in identity verification during arrests, with significant quantifiable evidence. Data shows that since 2002, ICE has wrongly identified at least 2,840 U.S. citizens for deportation, with 214 being held in custody ^[1]. Some independent estimates suggest these numbers could be much higher - potentially reaching 20,000 U.S. citizens mistakenly detained or deported between 2003 and 2010 ^[1].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Several critical contextual factors emerge from the analyses:

• Technological Issues: The facial recognition technology used by ICE has been shown to be particularly problematic, with studies indicating it disproportionately misidentifies people of color ^[2].
• Systemic Pattern: These are not isolated incidents but represent a systemic problem. A Cato Institute review of 155 immigration detainers placed on U.S. citizens found that:
• 75% of individuals were detained
• 15% of cases resulted from mistaken identity
• At least 15 cases led to financial settlements with U.S. citizens ^[1]
• Specific Cases: Multiple documented cases highlight the severity of these mistakes:
• Juan Carlos Lopez-Gomez: U.S. citizen wrongly held for 30 hours due to facial recognition errors ^[2]
• Davino Watson: U.S. citizen detained for over three years ^[1]
• Peter Sean Brown: Detained for three weeks despite repeatedly proving citizenship ^[1]
• Julio Noriega: Wrongfully detained despite presenting valid identification ^[3]
• Ximena Arias-Cristobal: Detained after a traffic stop based on false premises ^[4]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question's simplicity could lead to underestimating the scope and severity of the issue. Several stakeholders have vested interests in how this information is presented:

• Law Enforcement Agencies: May benefit from downplaying the frequency and severity of these mistakes to maintain public trust and current operational procedures.
• Civil Rights Organizations: May emphasize these cases to push for reforms in immigration enforcement procedures and facial recognition technology use.
• Technology Providers: Companies providing facial recognition systems to ICE have financial interests in minimizing concerns about their technology's accuracy, despite documented issues with racial bias ^[2].
• Marginalized Communities: Bear a disproportionate burden of these mistakes, particularly people of color who are more likely to be misidentified by facial recognition systems ^[2].