Highlights:
- US citizen questioned allegedly due to her accent
- Incident reportedly involved masked ICE agents in Texas
- Mother released only after showing a U.S. passport photo
- Claim shared by San Francisco-based doctor on X
- Case adds to growing criticism of ICE enforcement actions
An Indian-origin doctor living in the United States has alleged that her elderly mother, a naturalized US citizen, was stopped and questioned by masked immigration officers while shopping at an outlet mall in Texas. The doctor says the incident occurred solely because her mother speaks with an accent, despite holding valid US citizenship.
The allegation was shared in a post on X by Dr. Nisha Patel, a San Francisco-based physician. According to Patel, officers from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) approached her mother while she was shopping and began questioning her without providing a clear reason.
Patel wrote that the officers initially assumed her mother spoke Spanish and began addressing her in that language. When her mother said she did not speak Spanish, Patel claims the officers escalated the encounter by repeatedly demanding to know where she was “from.”
“My mom was stopped and harassed by masked ICE agents while shopping at an outlet mall in Texas,” Patel wrote. “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.”
According to Patel, her mother tried to remain calm and explained that she had lived in the United States for decades and was a US citizen. Despite this, Patel said her mother was not allowed to leave until she showed proof of her citizenship.
“My mom told them she’s been in this country longer than some of them have been alive,” Patel wrote. “She was only allowed to leave after showing a photo of her U.S. passport on her phone.”
Patel emphasized that her mother has lived in the United States for 47 years and described the encounter as deeply upsetting and humiliating. She argued that the incident highlights broader concerns about racial profiling and accent-based assumptions in immigration enforcement.
“She is a US citizen,” Patel wrote. “If you think this is just about ‘sending criminals back,’ you are dead wrong.”
The claim comes at a time of heightened scrutiny of ICE operations across the country. In recent weeks, immigration enforcement actions have sparked protests and criticism in several US cities, particularly following incidents involving American citizens and the use of force by federal agents.
Public anger has grown after the fatal shooting of Minneapolis resident Alex Pretti by federal immigration agents earlier this week, as well as the killing of Renee Good earlier this month. Demonstrations have been reported in cities including Minneapolis, New York City, San Francisco, and Boston.
Indian nationals have also remained one of the largest groups in ICE detention facilities. During the 2024 fiscal year, 2,647 Indian citizens were detained for immigration violations such as overstaying visas or entering the country illegally, making them the fourth-largest nationality in ICE custody. By late 2025, that number had increased by more than 3,258 additional detainees.
Despite growing criticism, president Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance have defended ICE’s actions, stating that federal immigration officers are necessary to address crime and alleged fraud. Critics, however, argue that cases like Patel’s mother’s show how enforcement practices may be affecting even lawful US citizens.
