An Indian-origin doctor living in the United States claimed her elderly mother was stopped and questioned by federal immigration agents while shopping at a mall, even though she is a US citizen.
Nisha Patel, a doctor based in San Francisco, shared the incident in a post on X. She said her mother was confronted by masked officers from US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, at an outlet mall in Texas. According to Patel, the agents repeatedly demanded to know where her mother was “from,” focusing on her accent rather than her citizenship.
Indian-origin doctor says ICE harassed her elderly mother
Patel said her mother was shopping when ICE agents suddenly approached her. The officers assumed she spoke Spanish and began talking to her in that language. In a post on X, Patel wrote, “My mom was stopped and harassed by masked ICE agents while shopping at an outlet mall in Texas. Because she has an accent, they assumed she spoke Spanish and started talking to her in Spanish. When she said she doesn’t speak Spanish, they began demanding where she was “from,” rapidly listing countries without even giving her a chance to respond.”
Patel said her mother tried to explain herself calmly. She told the agents that she had been living in the United States for decades and was a citizen. She added, “My mom told them she’s been in this country longer than some of them have been alive. She was only allowed to leave after showing a photo of her US passport on her phone.”
Patel’s post comes at a time when ICE has stepped up action against undocumented immigrants across the US. This intensified crackdown has already been linked to at least two fatal shootings of American citizens and has triggered protests in several cities.
“She is a US citizen. She has lived in this country for 47 years. If you think this is just about “sending criminals back,” you are dead wrong,” Patel concluded.
My mom was stopped and harassed by masked ICE agents while shopping at an outlet mall in Texas. Because she has an accent, they assumed she spoke Spanish and started talking to her in Spanish. When she said she doesn’t speak Spanish, they began demanding where she was “from,”…
— Nisha Patel, MD MS, Dipl of ABOM, CCMS (@DrPlantel) January 25, 2026
Growing anger over ICE actions
The issue has been at the centre of protests in several cities following the fatal shooting of Minneapolis resident Alex Pretti by federal immigration agents earlier this week. Demonstrations have also followed the killing of Renee Good earlier this month. Together, the deaths have sparked protests in Minneapolis, New York City, San Francisco, Boston, and other cities.
Indian nationals are among the largest groups held in ICE detention centres. During the 2024 fiscal year, 2,647 Indians were detained for immigration violations such as overstaying visas or entering the country illegally. This made Indians the fourth-largest nationality in ICE custody that year. By late 2025, the number had grown further, with more than 3,258 additional Indians detained.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance have defended the actions of federal immigration agents. They have said ICE officers are deployed to control what they describe as widespread crime and alleged fraud in several states.
UN rights chief warns of harsh US immigration enforcement
The United Nations has raised serious concerns over how the United States handles immigration enforcement, warning that the actions of federal authorities are harming communities and families.
On Friday, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said that people suspected of being undocumented migrants are being watched, arrested, and detained, sometimes with force. “I am astounded by the now-routine abuse and denigration of migrants and refugees,” Türk said in a news release.
“Those who dare to speak up or protest peacefully against heavy-handed immigration raids are vilified and threatened by officials, and on occasion subjected to arbitrary violence themselves,” he added. He also criticised current migration policies, saying they often lead to arbitrary and unlawful arrests, flawed decisions on deportation, and enforcement actions.