PETALING JAYA, Feb 7 — Malaysians living legally in Minnesota said the heightened US immigration enforcement has left them fearful and anxious, as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) ramps up arrests of undocumented migrants, The Star reported today.
A 30-year-old Malaysian professional in Minneapolis, identified as Sarah Ng, told the English daily that daily routines now involve worrying about carrying her green card and avoiding unwanted attention, citing fears linked to appearance and profiling.
“My husband now handles most of the errands outside the house… I experience more anxiety leaving the house than I ever did in years past,” she was quoted as saying, adding that she had previously been stopped by police who checked her legal status.
Ng said she monitors local updates on ICE activity and lives near the sites of recent fatal shootings involving ICE agents, incidents that have intensified fear in the community.
She added that neighbours and parents at her child’s daycare have begun sharing alerts and standing guard outside facilities to warn staff if ICE officers appear, especially to protect workers facing language barriers.
According to the report, another Malaysian, John Lee, 35, said he has limited his movements outside home following increased enforcement and recent killings linked to ICE operations.
“I have heightened senses when stepping out of the house… When I see a law enforcement SUV, my heart skips a beat. I am not a criminal,” he was quoted as saying.
Lee also cautioned Malaysians planning to travel to the United States to expect stricter airport questioning and advised them to carry proper documentation and backup copies.
Anne Tan, 34, who has lived in Minneapolis for 12 years, said she now brings her green card everywhere and feels unsafe leaving home alone, noting the continued ICE presence in her neighbourhood, according to The Star.
She added that despite claims by the Trump administration about reducing enforcement officers, sightings of ICE agents in Minnesota remain high.
The US Department of Homeland Security said on Feb 4 it had arrested more than 4,000 undocumented migrants since beginning operations in Minnesota.
Malaysia’s Human Resources Ministry estimates that 79,827 Malaysians were living in the United States as of 2022, based on TalentCorp and World Bank data.
