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By Marni Rose McFall
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Americans are sharing videos on social media with their passports strapped to their heads in response to growing concerns over Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations.
In viral videos, social media creators have said they are wearing the documents this way to ensure they have proof of American citizenship before they are asked for it, the TikTok creator @dotish001 said: “This is how we move around."
Speaking to Newsweek via social media message, @dotish001 said: "I created the video as a form of commentary on how we are processing fear and uncertainty around current ICE operations. The imagery was meant to reflect the anxiety many individuals are feeling and how social media has become a space where people express concern, cope, and sometimes use symbolism or satire to make sense of serious issues."
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A Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesperson said in an email shared with Newsweek: "REAL IDs are not immigration documents—they make identification harder to forge, thwarting criminals and terrorists. REAL ID can confirm identity but does not confirm legal status. The INA [Immigration and Nationality Act] requires aliens and non-citizens in the U.S. to carry immigration documents."
Why It Matters
The trend began in December, but more videos have been shared online amid an intensified national focus on federal immigration operations in Minneapolis following the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens—Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, by Border Patrol, and Renee Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, by ICE—in less than three weeks.
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Widespread protests have followed the killings, and broader concerns are emerging in response to ICE. Thirty-two people died in ICE custody in 2025 in the agency’s deadliest year in two decades. There have also been concerns about ICE’s conduct, including over arrests without due process, arrests of children and racial profiling.
What To Know
As ICE continues to carry out the hardline immigration policies of the Trump administration, which were key to President Donald Trump’s successful bid for reelection in 2024, social media users are continually sharing content showing how these operations are impacting their lives.
TikTok creator @dotish001 shared a video, which, as of press time, has been viewed over 7 million times, that shows him walking around with his passport taped to his head.
“This is how we move around," he said in the video. "Before you ask me, ‘Are you a citizen? Where’s your passport?’, you see my passport already. This is how we move.”
@dotish001 told Newsweek: "My intention was not to promote panic or misinformation, but to capture a moment in time and spark conversation about how immigration enforcement is being perceived and discussed online. Social media often mirrors public sentiment in real time, and this trend is one example of that."
It’s not the only video of this kind that @dotish001, whose profile says he is from Nigeria and based in Columbus, Ohio, has shared.
In another recent video, the creator is seen in a car, with his driver's license taped to his head. That video is captioned “Excuse me Miss ICE,” and has the text overlay, “How green card holder’s move around America.”
He’s not the only person sharing this kind of content either. In December, the Instagram account @essenceofblackculture shared a post that had the text overlay: “A Somali-American woman in Minnesota straps her U.S. passport to her head while going about her day, ensuring instant proof of citizenship in the face of heightened ICE enforcement and racial profiling fears.”
What People Are Saying
A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson, in an email shared with Newsweek: "REAL ID establishes security standards for license issuance and production and prohibits federal agencies from accepting certain official purposes noncompliant driver’s licenses and identification cards. Secure driver's licenses and identification documents are a vital component of our national security framework, as they prevent fraud, terrorism, and create more effective security standards.”
@dotish001, speaking to Newsweek via a social media message: "The online response has been mixed but largely reflective of the broader conversation happening right now. Some viewers resonated with the message and shared similar feelings, while others interpreted it differently. I think that range of reactions highlights how emotionally charged and complex this topic is for many Americans. And especially Africans and other countries. I am from African and we Africans are even scared the most."
What Happens Next
The odds of a government shutdown have surged in the aftermath of Pretti’s shooting. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, has said his party will block a DHS funding package.
Update 1/26/26, 12:39 p.m. ET: This article has been updated to include a statement from a DHS spokesperson.
Update 1/27/26, 05:13 a.m. ET: This article has been updated to remove a reference to a TikTok video at the creator's request.
Update 1/27/26, 10:44 a.m. ET: This article has been updated to include comment from @dotish001.
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