The immigration policies implemented by President Donald Trump since returning to the White House are creating widespread concern and consternation. Agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) have been very active since January 2025. They’re also coordinating raids and detentions with the Border Patrol and local police departments.
With more immigration agents conducting field operations, foreigners face an increased risk of detention and removal. The tactics applied by ICE and CBP agents since January have been aggressive and indiscriminate. In some cases, American citizens have been detained and questioned about their status. Detentions are almost unavoidable, so foreigners should focus on avoiding situations that could result in removal proceedings. Keep reading as the attorneys from KS Visa Law, the best immigration lawyers in San Diego, explain what immigrants need to carry with them in order to avoid deportation.
Key Documents
Carrying identification documents as a part of daily life has become an unfortunate necessity under the Trump administration. In June 2025, ICE agents detained a Southern California man during a workplace raid at a car wash, and he wasn’t released until he pulled his U.S. passport from his back pocket. There are no federal mandates for American citizens to carry ID. However, overzealous racial profiling by immigration agents has prompted many people to carry their passports, passport cards, or birth certificates.
Section 264(e) of the Immigration and Naturalization Act is federally codified to require all foreigners to carry their valid passports at all times while in the U.S. This equally applies to tourists, foreign workers, and immigrants. Beyond their passports, foreigners should also carry documents that indicate their status. Let’s say a Dutch businesswoman visits Los Angeles to evaluate an investment proposal. She’s obligated to carry her passport from the Netherlands, an I-94 Arrival/Departure Record, and a copy of the B1 visa.
Ideally, the documents should reflect the most recent action that reflects your current status. If your passport expires, you should also carry a copy of the form showing the renewal request. If you carry a conditional green card for over two years, you should also have a copy of Form I-751 or I-829 showing an active petition to remove conditions.
Employment authorization and Temporary Protected Status cards are examples of documents that can prevent expedited removal. If you’ve lived in the U.S. for two years without achieving legal status, you should carry any documents that show your permanence. They can be school or medical records, leases, copies of old utility bills, pay stubs, marriage certificates, and others. These documents may allow you to request an immigration court hearing.
Although paper documents are always preferred, you should also keep digital copies in your smartphone or cloud account. The best practice is to store them in a password-protected or biometrically locked folder.
Emergency Contact Numbers
If you’re not released from ICE or CBP detention after showing documents, your next step should be to contact your immigration law firm. Memorize the number and prioritize it in your smartphone contacts for quick dialing in case you have a chance to call while being detained. You won’t have access to your mobile phone while in custody, but you’ll be allowed to use the landlines at the detention center.
The deportation process can be difficult to understand without the help of professionals, as can various other aspects of immigration. If you’d like to learn more, or if you need immigration services in San Diego, CA, get in touch with KS Visa Law today.
