Arizonans Carry Extra Identification Amid Increased Immigration Enforcement
PHOENIX – Raul Piña, a resident of Buckeye, Arizona, starts every morning by taking his Rottweiler, Beau, for a walk. However, a recent addition to his routine is ensuring he has his passport card and ID on hand before stepping out his door.
Piña is among many Arizona residents, including American citizens, adapting to the heightened need for identification due to increased immigration enforcement efforts in the state.
“It’s a new practice,” Piña, a U.S. citizen, expressed. “It’s just as I’m walking out, and it’s something to think about now, right? Do I have a flashlight, do I have my wallet, do I have my phone? It’s a mental checklist.”
Reports of heightened Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity in Phoenix have sparked anxiety among residents. Piña, who served in the Air Force, began carrying extra identification after witnessing more workplace immigration raids and instances of ICE detaining U.S. citizens.
“It’s an odd feeling to carry your passport,” Piña remarked. “And where does it stop? Do I need to carry my DD-214?”
The enforcement campaign has stirred uncomfortable memories for many, including Piña, reminiscent of former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s tenure. Arpaio supported State Bill 1070, the “Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act,” which allowed law enforcement to request identification from individuals suspected of being in the country illegally.
In the 2025 Supreme Court case Noem v. Vasquez Perdomo, a stay was granted to allow federal immigration agents to consider factors like race and language during stops, although a concurrence by Justice Brett Kavanaugh noted that “apparent ethnicity alone cannot furnish reasonable suspicion.”
People like Piña, who are involved in advocacy, continue to push back against such measures. Piña is part of the Community Advisory Board for the Melendres v. Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office case, a class action lawsuit addressing racial profiling and unlawful stops of Latinos.
“You would hope that the Melendres case would be one of the vehicles to remove those practices from law enforcement,” Piña said. “I think that was the hope at the time, that we never see this thing again.”
Despite these legal battles, SB 1070-style tactics persist in Arizona. For instance, a recent raid on 16 Valley restaurants by Homeland Security Investigations left residents on edge.
Jonah Phung, an Arizona native, noted that current enforcement tactics appear more aggressive than those under SB 1070. “With SB 1070, it was very targeted and very specific to a group of people,” Phung said. “With this, it seems it does not matter what nationality you are, as long as you are a person of color, it feels like you are being targeted.”
Community response includes increased efforts by groups like No More Deaths, led by Christy Stewart, offering Know Your Rights and rapid response training. Activities involve community outreach, offering support with groceries, and escorting children to school.
The increased enforcement also affects local Indigenous nations. The Navajo Nation and other tribal communities are urging members to know their rights and are providing resources such as tribal IDs to affirm their citizenship status.
Residents like Todd Middleton have started carrying extra identification following reports of a Navajo man being detained. “Nowhere seems to be safe from DHS accosting people for their citizenship,” Middleton remarked.
In Mesa, immigrant communities are organizing to protect their neighbors. Dana Cardena shares that her neighborhood stays connected through a group chat to support each other in case of ICE activity.
Despite reassurances from family, Cardena now carries her passport everywhere, acknowledging the importance of documentation in these uncertain times. “The only defense you have against them are these papers,” she said.
Cronkite News reached out to city of Phoenix officials and ICE for comments, but no response was received.
