US Citizen Detained by ICE and Told His REAL ID Is 'Fake'

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Newsweek

Published May 24, 2025 at 12:01 PM EDT | Updated May 24, 2025 at 12:57 PM EDT


Leonardo García Venegas, a Florida-born U.S. citizen with a REAL ID, was forcibly arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at an Alabama construction site after agents claimed his identification was "fake," Venegas told Noticias Telemundo in Spanish on Friday.

A Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesperson told Newsweek on Saturday morning that "there was no mistake" during the encounter, stating that Venegas "attempted to obstruct and prevent the lawful arrest of an illegal alien," thereby leading to his arrest. Newsweek reached out to ICE for comment via email on Sunday. Newsweek also reached out to Venegas' cousin, Shelah Venegas, via Facebook Messenger for comment on Saturday.

Why It Matters

Venegas' arrest comes amid an immigration crackdown under the Trump administration, during which people with valid documentation—including green cards or visas—have been detained and face legal jeopardy. In April, President Donald Trump floated the idea of deporting U.S. citizens with violent criminal records to El Salvador.

Trump campaigned on a hardline immigration stance, pledging to carry out the largest mass deportation in U.S. history. In the initial months of his presidency, his administration has deported around 100,000 illegal immigrants, many due to his invocation of the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, which grants the president authority to deport non-citizens without appearing before a judge, among other wartime authorities. As of May 7, travelers need a REAL ID license or other specific state accepted identifications or passports to board federally regulated commercial aircraft and access certain federal facilities.

Read more: https://www.newsweek.com/us-citizen-detained-ice-told-his-real-id-fake-2076724

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So even if you have "papers", they can be declared "fake" and you get "disappeared".

From a NBC News article -

U.S. citizen with REAL ID handcuffed and held in immigration raid before being released


May 23, 2025, 5:42 PM EDT / Updated May 23, 2025, 6:50 PM EDT
By Suzanne Gamboa

(snip)

Garcia told Noticias Telemundo that authorities took his ID from his wallet and told him it was fake before handcuffing him. REAL ID is the identification U.S. citizens are required by law to have in order to travel through airports and enter federal buildings. It is considered a higher security form of identification.

"Apparently a REAL ID is not valid anymore. He has a REAL ID," his cousin Shelah Venegas said. "We all made sure we have the REAL ID and went through the protocols the administration is asking for. ... He has his REAL ID and then they see him and I guess because his English isn't fluent and/or because he's brown it's fake, it's not real."

Garcia had told Noticias Telemundo that "they grabbed me real bad" and the handcuffs were placed "very hard" on him.

Garcia said he was released from the vehicle where he was held after he gave the arresting officials his Social Security number, which showed he is a U.S. citizen.

(snip)

[FirstLight]

1. I'm so sick of these fucking thugs

I think from now on if we see any ice activity, we need to form a human barrier or get involved somehow maybe if there is enough of us and fewer of them than we can protect some people. I don't know what else the answer is this is fucking ridiculous and I'm so angry and over it

[The Wizard]

2. Orwell rolls in his grave. (NT)

[PatSeg]

3. And that coming from agents

who don't identify themselves or show any form of ID.

[SWBTATTReg]

4. These idiots can dial in and see what an official 'real ID' looks like, so they were playing dirty here. Most states

go through an elaborate routine to get people geared up for 'Read iDs' (we did in Mo), and so, no excuse that ICE didn't know what a valid ID looks like.

[Bengus81]

13. All they care about is another collar for their Fuhrer and to hell with the truth

This is 1930's NAZISM.............

[nycbos]

5. Before we extend our sympathy who did he vote for?

[Bernardo de La Paz]

8. I read a report he voted for tRump in 2024. . . . nt

[nycbos]

12. Wouldn't surprise me...

... but we should probably fact check that before we start pointing and laughing like Nelson from The Simpsons. Like Trump supporters we aren't triggered by facts that contain new information

[Bernardo de La Paz]

19. You are 100% right to call for a fact check, so I did. It was Machado, not Venegas. Similar case

This was the report I read: https://www.democraticunderground.com/100220339590

Machado said the experience shook his faith in Trump’s immigration enforcement efforts.

“I was a Trump supporter,” he said. “I voted for Trump last election.”

Machado said he thought the Trump administration would “just go against criminals, not every Hispanic looking, like, that they will assume that we are all illegals.”

I searched and it lead me to this report, verifying it:
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/us-citizen-hispanic-detained-ice-questions-vote-trump-rcna195406

[sakabatou]

20. If he did, well, there's a leopard waiting for his face

[Bernardo de La Paz]

21. It was Machado, not Venegas. I was mistaken, but very similar case. See my post 19 just before your. . . .nt

[Bernardo de La Paz]

6. Has he been charged with the "obstruction" they claim?

And if he has, will it go anywhere? Almost certainly nowhere. But then, perhaps ICE thinks US citizens should not have brown skin.

[Picaro]

7. So how're these thugs not the American Gestapo?

In 2015 I worked with a lot of latinos. One of them was a complete Trumper whose parents had emigrated here from Guanajuato. They had become legal with the Reagan amnesty. We were friends.

But I guarantee he voted for Trump all three times.

My prediction to him at the time was that his status as a citizen who was born here to citizens would be only partial protection. That he and his family could get scooped up if things got really bad.

My prediction seems accurate at this point. I wonder if he remembers my warning.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

9. ICE wear "Gestapo Casual". . . . nt

[Cheezoholic]

11. Republican Gestapo. Democrats wouldn't pull this shit as policy in this century n/t

[Qutzupalotl]

10. Fake cop says what?

[LiberalArkie]

14. When they took him and ran his license through DMV it would show his birth certificate and SSN.

The LEOs are just too stupid to know anything because they are never held accountable at all. Maybe fire but it doesn't cost them anything. If fired from PD, they just go across the street and hire on as a county deputy.

Once these guys have to pay the lawsuit out of their own pockets things will change.

[liberalgunwilltravel]

15. It's beginning to look like

There’s only one way this insanity ends. I weep for my country.

[IrishBubbaLiberal]

16. Trump's Gestapo doesn't give a damn about Brown skinned US citizens

Let’s not just ignore what’s really happening…

Brown skinned people are treated like shit by Trump’s Gestapo.

US citizens with the correct authentic ID are still abused by ICE Gestapo agents.

[DallasNE]

17. I Have Never Understood

How the 5th Amendment didn't nullify the Alien Enemies Act.

[RecoveringJournalist]

18. Clock is Ticking

Unless we can do something to force an end to this soon, I strongly feel that it's only a matter of time before we need to...I won't say it. But I'm sure you all get it. I HATE it. I do! But this cannot be allowed to continue and to escalate. He's ignoring courts and now beginning to push for the arrest of judges who defy him. Drastic action may become necessary.

[Hornedfrog2000]

23. 100% agree

Its time to actually serve the country.

[FakeNoose]

22. We all need to wear body-cams just like the cops do

Anyone who thinks they might be stopped by ICE or other thugs.