'That's a First:' Police Officer Pulls Over Man. Then She Asks if He Has IDs in Other States

'You can thank ICE for this one.'

Photo by: Unsplash.com

By: Nina Hernandez

Jul 2, 2025 at 5:00pm ET

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A TikTok user said a routine traffic stop turned into a disturbing and surreal experience involving a request for his Social Security number—and an alleged ICE flag despite him being a U.S. citizen.

TikTok user Jacob (@jac0gfitness) detailed the “Crazy fun experience” in a viral video posted on June 22. In the video, Jacob explains he was driving when he saw a police car make an abrupt U-turn and turn on its flashing lights.

At first, everything went fairly normally for a traffic stop. Jacob parked in a bank parking lot and greeted the officer, who told him she was stopping him for an expired inspection sticker. He gave her his ID and waited as she went back to her cruiser and checked it.

Routine Traffic Stop Takes a U-Turn

Then things took a turn. After a few minutes, Jacob says the officer returned and asked if he has any IDs in any other states. He confirmed that he did and listed the other states where he’s had an ID issued. “I’m like, it must be a clerical issue or something,” he says.

That is, until the officer returns and asks him for his Social Security number. “She’s like, ‘OK, can I get your Social Security number?’” he recalls. “I’ve never had them ask for my Social Security number at any traffic stop, ever.”

A few minutes later, the officer returned and gave Jacob some startling news. “She’s like, ‘Yeah, I’m not pulling you up in any of our systems in any state you said you had a license in,’” Jacob says. “She’s like, ‘I had to call my sergeant.’”

The sergeant arrived on the scene shortly thereafter and asked Jacob the same series of questions. He says he ended up being held for about 20 minutes before the sergeant told him it was “squared away” and he was good to go.

Jacob Has ICE to Thank For This?

Jacob couldn’t believe that’s how the interaction was going to end. “Basically, you guys told me you have no idea who I am or what I am, yet I gave you my license,” he says. “You asked for my Social Security number. That’s never happened before.”

Jacob says, “[The sergeant is] like, ‘Well, in all honesty, you can thank ICE for this one.’ I was like, ‘What?’ He’s like, ‘You know, your name.’ Because I have a Hispanic last name, I’m flagged in ICE? He’s like, ‘Well, you’re not just flagged; you’re kind of removed from everything.’”

He continues, “So I almost got arrested because of a system with ICE flagging a U.S.-born citizen, who spent my entire life in this country since the day I was born, and yet I got flagged. And the kicker is, my last name isn’t even Mexican—it’s Spanish.”

Jacob says the officer said it might keep happening. “I’ve been profiled. Good times. Stay ICE-y,” he says to conclude the video.

It remains unclear why Jacob’s license didn’t appear in the state systems. He suggested it may have been a clerical error. Additionally, it’s unclear what the sergeant meant by Jacob being “removed from everything,” as law enforcement databases aren’t typically cleared. Motor1 couldn’t independently verify the officer’s comments.

Can Police Ask for Your Social Security Number at a Traffic Stop?

The crackdown on immigrants by the Trump administration via ICE is a major topic of conversation in the US, as stories like Jacob’s flood social media. Immigrants’ rights groups advise drivers against answering questions about their immigration status or country of origin. If the police start to act more aggressively than they would at a normal traffic stop, take advantage of your right to remain silent and ask for a lawyer.

Brooklyn lawyer Ronald Cook discussed a similar situation on a legal advice message board last year. In the post, the person seeking advice said they were pulled over due to a bad inspection sticker, and the police asked for their Social Security number. The lawyer said that while it’s not common for local police to ask for your Social Security number during a routine traffic stop, it’s not necessarily prohibited by law.

Cook wrote, “While police officers can ask for your SSN during a traffic stop, it is not a common practice for minor offenses, and you have the right to question and understand the necessity of such a request. Always ensure your interactions with law enforcement are conducted in a manner that protects your personal information and legal rights.”

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Update July 5: Via TikTok direct message, Jacob told Motor 1, "Honestly, I am blown away about the response. I had 12 followers who were people I encountered on my fitness journey, some friends, some family. And I was just sharing what happened with them. It was never meant to gain so much attention. And honestly I'm glad it's started so many conversations, and I truly hope this becomes a point of unity."

"However, I am seeing a lot of division still. I've received a lot of backlash between both sides of the political aisle based on my views," he added. "So I have had to ask a lot of my original followers and people I followed to remove me and I them. I've decided that my public fitness journey can wait. I feel there is a lot of blaming and finger pointing going on in this country, and I wish people would choose to focus that time and energy on fixing our problems as a nation and now waste it on blaming each other. It's accomplishing nothing."