Can a U.S. passport card be used as proof of citizenship during an ICE inspection?

1. What ICE itself tells people to present: expect to be asked for a passport or other paperwork

ICE’s public check‑in guidance tells people they may request their identification, passport, or other paperwork at an ICE check‑in appointment, which indicates ICE routinely treats passports and similar documents as appropriate evidence of status during agency interactions ^[3]. Advocacy and “know your rights” materials aimed at immigrants advise that U.S. citizens or those with lawful status should show a passport, permanent resident card, work permit, or other documentation of status when interacting with ICE ^[4].

2. What the State Department says about the passport card: it is a real U.S. travel/ID document

The U.S. passport card is an official travel and identity document created by the State Department; the Department’s materials note the passport card provides proof of identity and U.S. nationality and that both the passport book and card are REAL ID‑compliant ^{[1] [2]}. Those points support the reasonable interpretation that the passport card functions as a government‑issued proof of U.S. nationality and identity.

3. Practical guidance from immigration practitioners: carry originals or copies and expect scrutiny

Immigration counsel and law firms preparing people for ICE visits advise carrying proof of status (passport, certificate of naturalization, green card, I‑94, EAD) or copies if carrying originals is not feasible; they also note that recent events show even citizens have been detained in some enforcement actions, so having documentation on hand matters ^[5]. That guidance suggests a passport card, as a government identification document, could serve the same practical role as a passport book when proving identity or citizenship at a visit.

4. Where the record is silent or ambiguous: no direct ICE statement about the passport card by name

None of the available ICE or legal‑aid materials in the provided reporting explicitly state, “ICE accepts the U.S. passport card as proof of citizenship in inspections” or set out a definitive, card‑by‑card acceptance policy; available sources do not mention a line‑by‑line ICE rule about the passport card specifically ^{[3] [6]}. That leaves room for variation in practice by field officers and situational judgment during encounters.

5. Confiscation, retention, and document handling — know the risks

ICE internal guidance and policies discuss retaining or confiscating identity documents in some circumstances (for example, memos on document retention and detention standards list passports and identity documents among items agencies may handle) ^{[6] [7]}. People should be aware that even if a passport card proves status, ICE sometimes retains or requests original documents for case processing, or may ask for photocopies if originals are not returned immediately ^{[6] [8]}.

6. Competing viewpoints and practical takeaway for people preparing for an inspection

One practical reading of State Department and advocacy guidance is that the passport card is a valid government‑issued proof of identity and citizenship ^{[1] [2]}, and ICE’s instruction to present passports or other documentation at check‑ins implies such documents will be considered ^{[3] [4]}. At the same time, field practice and retention policies suggest outcomes may vary and ICE may request originals, copies, or temporarily retain documents ^{[6] [7]}. Therefore, for anyone facing ICE contact: carry whatever official documentation you have (passport book or card, green card, naturalization certificate, I‑94 or EAD), keep copies stored safely, and consult counsel promptly if ICE seeks to retain originals ^{[5] [6]}.

Limitations: this analysis is limited to the documents and reporting you provided; available sources do not contain a single definitive ICE policy statement that names the passport card and spells out uniform acceptance in every inspection scenario ^{[3] [6]}.