Fact check: How do ICE agents verify the immigration status of individuals on the streets?

1. Summary of the results

The analyses reveal that none of the sources directly address how ICE agents verify immigration status of individuals on the streets. Instead, the sources focus on related but distinct aspects of immigration enforcement:

• The SAVE (Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements) program is used by government agencies to verify immigration status for benefit applications, but this is not a street-level verification system ^[1]
• The 287(g) program allows ICE to delegate certain immigration officer duties to state and local law enforcement agencies, which suggests verification may occur through partnerships with local police ^{[2] [3]}
• Multiple sources emphasize individuals' rights during ICE encounters, including the right to remain silent and the importance of carrying documentation of immigration status ^[4]
• Sources provide information about ICE raids and tactics but do not specify verification procedures ^[5]

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question assumes that ICE agents routinely verify immigration status "on the streets," but the analyses suggest this framing may be incomplete:

• Local law enforcement partnerships through the 287(g) program indicate that verification may often occur through existing police interactions rather than independent ICE street operations ^[2]
• Documentation requirements mentioned in rights guidance suggest that individuals are expected to carry proof of status, implying verification relies heavily on document inspection ^[4]
• Courthouse arrests and similar targeted operations suggest ICE may focus on specific locations and individuals rather than random street encounters ^[6]

The analyses do not provide information about:

• Specific databases or technology used for real-time verification
• Training protocols for ICE agents conducting street-level encounters
• Legal standards of evidence required for immigration status verification
• Differences between verification procedures for different types of immigration violations

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question does not contain explicit misinformation, but it may reflect certain assumptions:

• The phrasing "on the streets" implies random or widespread street-level enforcement, while the available evidence suggests ICE operations may be more targeted and often coordinated with local law enforcement ^{[2] [6]}
• The question assumes a standardized verification process exists, but the analyses do not provide evidence of specific street-level verification protocols
• Civil rights organizations like the National Immigrant Justice Center benefit from emphasizing individuals' rights and protections during ICE encounters, which may influence how verification procedures are portrayed in public discourse ^[4]

The lack of direct information about street-level verification procedures in the analyses suggests this topic may be deliberately opaque or not publicly documented for operational security reasons.