Immigrants Fear Calling 911 Under Trump Policies—Some Detained, Others Die in Silence

Under President Donald Trump’s strict immigration policies, immigrants who call 911 for help are being detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), while those too afraid to call are dying as a result. The collaboration between local law enforcement and federal immigration agencies has created a climate of fear, deterring immigrants from seeking emergency assistance.

Violent Arrest After 911 Call for Sick Child

In December, Axel Sanchez Toledo was violently arrested by police officers after he called 911 to request a welfare check on his 4-year-old daughter, who had reportedly fallen sick while staying with his ex-girlfriend. The Marshall Project reported the incident on Monday.

Sanchez Toledo arrived at the scene with his girlfriend and their infant son to meet two officers from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office. One officer took Sanchez Toledo’s ID and returned to the patrol car. Upon returning, the officer accused him of being undocumented and stated he was being detained for ICE.

Body camera footage obtained by The Marshall Project showed Sanchez Toledo running away. The deputies pursued him, using a taser gun, and kicking and tackling him while his girlfriend sobbed. As he was pinned to the ground, Sanchez Toledo pleaded,

“Please, guys, I’m not a criminal,”

“I don’t want to go.”

“Too fucking bad now!”

Sanchez Toledo was charged with resisting arrest. Those charges were dropped on April 29, but he remains in ICE custody.

287(g) Task Force: Local Cops with Federal Immigration Powers

The officers who arrested Sanchez Toledo were part of the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office 287(g) Task Force, a program that grants state and local law enforcement federal immigration powers in exchange for reimbursements and other incentives. Of the 1,500 officers in the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, only 150 are deputized to make immigration arrests. However, between September 2025 and March, these officers arrested 60 immigrants per month—the highest arrest rate in the state—and received nearly $1 million for their work, according to The Marshall Project.

More than 1,100 law enforcement agencies across the country have signed 287(g) agreements. These agreements blur the lines between state and local enforcement, compounding the risks under Trump’s sweeping deportation efforts.

Fear of Police Leads to Tragedy

The family of a Virginia woman who died after allegedly being assaulted by her partner claims she was too afraid to report the abuse to police over concerns she would be detained due to her immigration status. The incident was reported by NBC Washington.

The Tahirih Justice Center, a nonprofit supporting immigrants fleeing gender-based violence, told the outlet that 76% of its clients were afraid to contact law enforcement. Collaboration between local police and federal immigration enforcement has eroded trust, leaving many immigrants reluctant to seek help even in life-threatening situations.

In another case, an asylum seeker told The Washington Post she had been contacted by a man who had assaulted her at a previous job. However, after immigration agents raided her workplace and began detaining neighbors, she said she would not consider calling law enforcement if she faced another threat.