‘You Know Mamdani?’ US Agents Quiz Indian-Origin Man, Illinois Governor Calls It ‘Racial Profiling’

Last Updated:November 09, 2025, 17:05 IST

The incident has raised questions about racial profiling and the targeting of US citizens based on ethnicity

Zohran Mamdani is the new mayor-elect of New York City. (Reuters File)

In an incident that has sparked outrage, three masked agents questioned an Indian-origin employee of the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) about his immigration status while working on a road project in the state.

The agents also asked if he knew Zohran Mamdani, the new mayor-elect of New York City.

The incident has raised questions about racial profiling and the targeting of US citizens based on ethnicity.

What happened?

According to The Chicago Sun-Times, the man, an Indian-American and a US citizen, was working on the Busse Highway resurfacing project when the agents approached and questioned him about his background and any links to New York. The episode took place amid heightened federal immigration activity in the Chicago area.

Who were the agents?

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) denied that the agents were from US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The governor’s office did not identify the agents or clarify which agency they represented, according to reports.

‘Racial profiling by federal officials’

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker called it part of a larger pattern of “racial profiling by federal officials". He said US President Donald Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem were “continuing to question US citizens apparently based on the colour of their skin".

“I am appalled they would stop and question a state employee working hard on the job to help improve our state’s roads and infrastructure. Our state employees should be able to go to work and do their jobs without masked agents targeting them for no legitimate reason," Pritzker said in a statement.

The concerns

Amid concerns, Park Ridge-Niles School District 64 kept students indoors on Friday.

Federal judges recently imposed new limits on the Broadview immigration facility and DHS use-of-force policies. On Thursday, agents reportedly drove a caravan through Chicago’s Southwest Side, questioning residents about their immigration status under the command of Border Patrol’s Gregory Bovino. Agents also entered a North Centre day care and detained a teacher, Diana Patricia Santillana Galeano of Colombia. Local officials said the agents searched classrooms without a warrant. Video footage showed Santillana Galeano being led away while saying, “Yo tengo papeles," asserting that she had legal documentation, according to agency reports.

With Agency Inputs

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The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d...

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News world ‘You Know Mamdani?’ US Agents Quiz Indian-Origin Man, Illinois Governor Calls It ‘Racial Profiling’

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