ICE enforcement is rising. Should US travelers carry proof?

As the Trump administration continues to ramp up immigration enforcement across the country, more American travelers are relying on documents such as passport cards to prove citizenship.

Under orders by President Donald Trump for the largest mass deportation in history, Vice President JD Vance said in a Jan. 7 Fox News broadcast that Immigration and Customs Enforcement would step up its aggressive enforcement, which began last year. Over 10,000 new ICE agents will be deployed for a total of nearly 22,000 agents and investigators, and they will go “door to door” in the coming months to crack down on the 2.5 million people said to be living illegally in the U.S.

There have been recent reports of travelers being stopped or arrested by immigration agents at U.S. airports, including a 19-year-old Babson College student who was flying from Boston to Texas for Thanksgiving, and had moved to the U.S. when she was 7.

According to media outlet FOX Minneapolis-St. Paul, an employee at Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport, said ICE agents will have a three-week presence at the airport to check the documents of passengers and employees.

A spokesperson for MSP told USA TODAY the airport does not receive advance notice of immigration enforcement but posted an announcement that it is “aware of increased concern related to immigration enforcement activity.” This week, the union representing MSP airport workers said over a dozen airport employees were arrested by ICE while on the job.

Escalated enforcement tactics have heightened safety concerns for some, including U.S. citizens and legal U.S. residents, prompting them to carry immigration documents on their person in case they are stopped while traveling domestically.

St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her, the city’s first Hmong mayor and an immigrant herself, recently said at a press conference that she now carries her ID and passport card.

“I’m clearly somebody who looks like I might not be from this country, and so at first glance, if I leave the city, people might not know I’m the mayor of St. Paul and so I have to carry my passport card because I just don’t know what’s going to happen when I’m out there,” Her told USA TODAY, adding that she hadn’t felt it necessary until “seeing the targeting of people” in recent months.

While legal U.S. residents need to carry immigration papers on their person and show them if stopped, U.S. citizens are not legally required to provide proof, according to Lynn Damiano Pearson, director of legal strategy at the National Immigration Law Center (NILC).

Pearson said the NILC has been hearing of more incidents where even U.S. citizens are being stopped and questioned by agents. “Our organization has been sounding the alarm for a long time, or since this new administration came into office, that these initial attacks on immigrant rights and what began as a mass deportation policy would end up eroding the rights of all Americans,” said Pearson.

Here’s what to know about using a passport card:

What is a US passport card versus a US passport book?

A U.S. passport card is a “wallet-sized, plastic passport that has no visa pages” and has the same validity length as your passport book, according to the U.S. State Department. It can’t be used for international air travel, only land and sea crossings to Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and some Caribbean countries.

However, it also serves as proof of U.S. citizenship and identity. Applying for a passport card has a first-time fee of $30 for adults and $15 for children 16 and younger, and then $30 for renewals.

Can a passport card be used to verify my immigration status?

Yes, because a passport card and a passport book are considered valid immigration documents by the U.S. government. However, Pearson recommends that people keep their passport card and book in a safe place where a loved one could easily access them if needed. “That advice comes from just having seen a lot of people lose important documents after they’re arrested, even after they’re released,” she said.

However, everyone assesses risk differently, and wanting to carry your passport card on you is a “natural response to this extreme law enforcement,” she added. If you’re concerned about being stopped or want to participate in protests, another option is to have an immigration attorney’s contact information on hand in case of an encounter, and to know your rights beforehand.

“We understand that given the times that we’re living in, unprecedented times, given what we’ve seen in Minnesota and in other cities, people feel they need to carry something that proves their status,” Pearson said.

If you’re born in the U.S., Pearson said an alternative is to carry your birth certificate, which is easier to replace than a passport.

How to get a passport card

U.S. citizens who are applying for their first passport, replacing their passports or renewing their passports may apply for a new passport card at the same time.

First-time passport applicants and applicants whose passports were lost, stolen, damaged, expired over 15 years ago, or issued before they turned 16, must provide proof of citizenship when they apply.

Acceptable forms of proof include:

• U.S. birth certificate meeting the qualifications listed on the application

• Certificate of Naturalization or Citizenship

• An undamaged U.S. passport that was valid for 10 years for adults and 5 years for children under 16

U.S. citizens who already have a valid passport but want a passport card may apply for one through the renew by mail process. However, it’s important to note that they must submit their most recent passport with the application, according to the State Department’s website. That would leave them temporarily without a physical passport while the application is being processed. The passport would be returned.

Does my REAL ID driver’s license verify my immigration status?

No, a REAL ID is not an immigration document, according to the Department of Homeland Security. It can verify your identity, but does not establish legal status.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Why more Americans are carrying passport cards while traveling