Fact Check: Did Trump email supporters asking if they were US citizens or if ICE should track them?
WASHINGTON, DC: A claim is circulating on social media that President Donald Trump's campaign had emailed his supporters with a message prompting them to confirm their American citizenship and suggesting that ICE might track them. The rumor has raised speculations about its truth. Let us examine and fact-check the claim.
Claim: Donald Trump asked supporters if ICE should track them down
I can't say I'm surprised, but . . .
— Brian J. Karem (@BrianKarem) January 27, 2026
The Donald just asked ME and anyone who didn't answer his survey if we are ILLEGAL ALIENS. And then? He threatened to have ICE come and track me down.
Maybe we just think you're an asshole. pic.twitter.com/FBcTssEHM0
According to the rumors that circulated this month, Trump sent out a fundraising email that asked its recipients to fill out a survey and asked, "Are you a proud American Citizen or does ICE need to come and track you down?”
The purported email was shared on multiple social media platforms such as Threads, Facebook, TikTok, and X.
Journalist and author Brian J. Karem shared a screenshot of the email on X, accompanied by a caption saying, “I reached out last week about my Citizens Only Survey."
"Your file says you're a top MAGA patriot..."
"But my records to my survey STILL say: RESPONSE PENDING."
"Don't tell me, you're an illegal alien?!?"
"That cannot be true!"
"This is your FINAL MOMENT to Prove me wrong, Brian — please."
"Are you a proud American Citizen or does ICE need to come and track you down?>"
"TAKE CITIZENS ONLY SURVEY”
Fact Check: The email is authentic
PoliticalEmails.org, an online archive of campaign emails, listed two copies of the message. Both were dated January 28, 2026; one was sent at 11:52 a.m. and the other at 11:58 a.m.
Both archived versions matched the screenshot shared in the claim. The only difference among the three appeared toward the end of the message.
Hence, it proves that the email was authentic.
Where Karem's screenshot depicted an email with the line (emphasis ours), "This is your FINAL MOMENT to Prove me wrong, Brian — please," the archived versions sent at 11:52 a.m and 11:58 a.m. replaced 'Brian' with 'Chris' and 'PLEASE!' respectively.
The email displayed a 'from' address of contact@win.donaldjtrump.com, an official Trump-owned web domain.
The message declared it was paid for by Never Surrender, Inc which, according to Federal Election Commission records, is Trump's primary leadership PAC and was formerly his principal campaign committee, Donald J. Trump for President 2024 Inc.
