A South Florida man claims he has been traumatized after being stopped twice in two weeks by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), who requested to see his identity despite being a US citizen.
Carlos, who was born and raised in Hollywood and is of Colombian origin, claims he was racially profiled.
The first instance happened last week at a convenience store in southern Georgia, he stated.
“He turned me around, very aggressively, and zip-tied me,” Carlos recalled, saying an agent then escorted him to the back of the store, where other detainees were sitting on a sidewalk. He was eventually released.
Then, on Wednesday, Carlos claimed it happened again. This time, Pembroke Pines.
“No doubt in my mind that if I was fair-skinned, blue-eyed, and blonde, that wouldn’t have happened to me,” he said.
Immigration attorney Morella Aguado, who is not engaged in the case, said law enforcement authorities must have a legitimate basis to request identification.
“If you’re stopped for a traffic violation, there’s a legal basis to ask for ID. But if you’re just at a convenience store buying something, and it’s based on your appearance, that is discrimination,” Aguado said.
Carlos stated that he has subsequently ordered a copy of his birth certificate to have with him at all times.
“How does this make you feel?” he was asked.
“Like an alien. Not worthy. It’s an empty feeling,” he said, adding that he now fears for his parents, who are also U.S. citizens.
“This isn’t the reason I joined the Marine Corps. This isn’t the country I know,” Carlos said. “I still believe in this country and that people are genuinely good.”
ICE has acknowledged receiving a request for comment but has not yet responded.
