Across the United States, many minority communities are facing a troubling reality: fear of being stopped, questioned, or even detained by immigration enforcement despite being U.S. citizens.
Reports from civil rights groups and investigative journalists have documented cases where Black, Latino, and Native American individuals were treated as if they did not belong, even being arrested or held without clear cause. These incidents are not just isolated mistakes; many advocates argue they reflect broader patterns of racial profiling and unequal treatment.
This creates an urgent question: how can citizens better protect themselves in situations where their status is unfairly challenged?
One practical step is carrying a U.S. passport. While driver’s licenses, Real IDs, and even birth certificates can establish identity, they are not always recognized as definitive proof of citizenship in high-pressure encounters. A passport, however, is widely accepted as the strongest, most immediate documentation of U.S. citizenship. In moments where misunderstanding or bias may come into play, having that proof readily available could make a critical difference.
The importance of this issue has grown in recent years as enforcement tactics have expanded. Advocates point to reports of individuals being stopped based on appearance, language, or occupation rather than evidence. In this environment, preparation becomes a form of protection.
But this is not just an individual responsibility—it is a community one. Helping neighbors, friends, and family members obtain passports can be a powerful way to support safety and dignity. This might mean sharing information about application steps, assisting with fees, or organizing local support efforts.
Ensuring that more citizens have access to clear, recognized proof of their rights is a simple but meaningful step toward reducing harm. In uncertain times, small actions like these can help communities stand stronger together.
Please see our resource document for steps to obtaining a passport under various circumstances.
If you are interested in joining Buddhist Action Now’s campaign to help U.S. citizens procure passports for their protection, please reach out via the contact form on this website.
Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness
By Starlit Swan
The Constitution gave us
the unalienable right
to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.
You are trying to strip away
what made this country.
The seeds of freedom
that took root
when Blacks were freed.
The seeds that bore fruit
when Blacks attained their Civil Rights.
You are trying to forget
what made this country.
The people before the discovery,
before the colonization of this ancestral land.
The living heritage
of cultures and traditions
since time immemorial.
You are trying to wake up
from what made this country.
The aspiration of a dream
that drove people to this land
in search of a better life.
You are trying to take away
what made this country,
our country.
Our sense of safety taken away
under the boot of racial profiling.
You are making us live
as if we don’t belong here
where we were born.
Our freedom, stripped.
Our dream, becoming a waking nightmare.
Our diversity, forced into an uniformity
we cannot conform with.
We need to carry a passport
for our own safety
in our own country
to prove that we belong…
that we are home.
When will the fruit of freedom ripen?
When will the dream become reality?
When will we be included?
