'Harassed because she has an accent': Indian-origin doctor says ICE questions mother despite US passport
In a post on X, the doctor wrote the agents assumed her mother spoke Spanish and, when she did not, turned the interaction into repeated questions about where she was "from"
- Jan 26, 2026,
- Updated Jan 26, 2026 9:42 AM IST
An Indian-origin doctor living in the United States has alleged that her elderly mother, an American citizen, was stopped and questioned by masked immigration officers while shopping at an outlet mall in Texas, in an encounter that she says was driven by her mother’s accent rather than her legal status.
The claim was posted on X by San Francisco-based doctor Nisha Patel, who said the incident involved officers from US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Patel wrote that the agents assumed her mother spoke Spanish, and when she did not, they turned the interaction into repeated questions about where she was “from.”
“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 wrote.
Patel said her mother tried to explain calmly that she had lived in the United States for decades and held citizenship, but was only allowed to leave after showing proof.
“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,” she added.
Patel’s post comes amid heightened scrutiny of ICE enforcement, as federal immigration actions across the US have triggered protests and criticism following incidents involving American citizens.
“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.
In recent weeks, ICE actions have drawn public anger in multiple cities, including demonstrations following the fatal shooting of Minneapolis resident Alex Pretti by federal immigration agents earlier this week. Protests have also followed the killing of Renee Good earlier this month, with demonstrations reported in Minneapolis, New York City, San Francisco, Boston and other cities.
Indians are the largest group detained in the US
Indian nationals have also remained 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, making 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, saying ICE officers are being deployed to control what they describe as widespread crime and alleged fraud in several states.
An Indian-origin doctor living in the United States has alleged that her elderly mother, an American citizen, was stopped and questioned by masked immigration officers while shopping at an outlet mall in Texas, in an encounter that she says was driven by her mother’s accent rather than her legal status.
The claim was posted on X by San Francisco-based doctor Nisha Patel, who said the incident involved officers from US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Patel wrote that the agents assumed her mother spoke Spanish, and when she did not, they turned the interaction into repeated questions about where she was “from.”
“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 wrote.
Patel said her mother tried to explain calmly that she had lived in the United States for decades and held citizenship, but was only allowed to leave after showing proof.
“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,” she added.
Patel’s post comes amid heightened scrutiny of ICE enforcement, as federal immigration actions across the US have triggered protests and criticism following incidents involving American citizens.
“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.
In recent weeks, ICE actions have drawn public anger in multiple cities, including demonstrations following the fatal shooting of Minneapolis resident Alex Pretti by federal immigration agents earlier this week. Protests have also followed the killing of Renee Good earlier this month, with demonstrations reported in Minneapolis, New York City, San Francisco, Boston and other cities.
Indians are the largest group detained in the US
Indian nationals have also remained 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, making 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, saying ICE officers are being deployed to control what they describe as widespread crime and alleged fraud in several states.