Spotting a Fake ICE Agent is Important: Here’s How to Do It
People impersonating Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have been popping up in the news and causing problems for innocent people. These people are capitalizing on the fear communities are feeling in the face of increasing deportations. Language barriers can also lead to people easily scamming and hurting people of color, as people impersonating ICE agents racially profile.
Latine people are facing the brunt of these practices, and education is one of the most powerful tools. Knowing your rights is important, and that extends to how you handle people impersonating ICE agents. This is a federal crime, and if you find yourself toe-to-toe with one, here’s what you can do to protect yourself. And, a reminder, being undocumented in the United States is not a crime. It is a civil violation.
Identifying someone impersonating an ICE agent is crucial to staying safe
People have come together to push back against sweeping ICE raids in their communities. Activists are out there telling undocumented people their rights when confronted with ICE agents. But what happens when someone pretending to be an immigration authority tries to arrest you?
Learning how to spot an impersonator can save you and your loved ones from being in danger. First, immigration authorities will never try to contact you via text or email. ICE agents conduct business in person and will not try reaching out to you in electronic communication.
ICE agents generally do not care about financial matters since they are there to arrest someone for deportation. They will never demand money from you to stop an arrest or ask for financial information.
ICE officers have to show you proper identification when they are asked. If they don’t, assume they are fake. If you encounter a fake ICE agent, record the interaction to see if it is safe to do so, and try to call the police to report the incident if it is safe to do so.
People impersonating ICE agents is nothing new and growing
People impersonating immigration agents are a new phenomenon. For years, people have used the fear of deportation to scam, hurt, and rob innocent people. In 2024, two Romanian nationals were arrested for impersonating immigration officials and committing crimes against innocent people. According to reports, the two men targeted people they believed were undocumented in Orange County, California, and robbed them of money, electronics, and other valuables.
This trend is rising in 2025, with multiple arrests covering different states already. One assailant targeted a woman and sexually assaulted her, claiming she would be deported if she didn’t have sex with him. A man in South Carolina was arrested after he stopped a group of Latino men in a work truck. In Pennsylvania, a Temple University student was arrested after trying to gain access to a residence hall posing as an ICE agent.
Some people are proud of participating in this trend and going public. Impersonating an ICE agent is a federal crime that carries the penalties of years in prison and a fine. According to one recent release from ICE, a New York man was sentenced to 6 years in prison for impersonating an ICE agent.
