Because of her deeply tanned skin, she alleged officers targeted her.
Television personality Patricia “Tan Mom” Krentcil has claimed she was nearly detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement ( ICE ) agents after they questioned whether she was an American citizen.
She accused ICE agents of profiling her because of her skin tone, according to RadarOnline.
Speaking on an episode of her podcast Light Than Up, Krentcil said the encounter occurred as she and a friend were leaving a restaurant. She told co-host Adam Barta and guest Tom Arnold that officers asked whether she was a US citizen. It blew my mind,” Krentcil said. Krentcil said the experience changed her view of the federal immigration agency.
“They asked me, ‘Am I an American citizen?’ and I’m, like, ‘Yes. She also criticized President Donald Trump, blaming his administration’s immigration policies for what she described as the incident. Since his appointment, Trump has made immigration enforcement a central part of his administration. He has extensively expanded ICE operations and repeatedly called for stricter enforcement against people living in the United States illegally.
In 2024, she entered the Republican primary for the US Senate in Florida. She challenged incumbent Republican Rick Scott. During the campaign, she presented herself as a Republican and supported several policies that differed from the party’s mainstream positions. She prioritized families for her campaign. “I would pass a law for everybody to be able to have insurance, Medicare, Medicaid – that you can’t be rejected. Krentcil publicly supported LGBTQ+ rights during her campaign. She also distanced herself from positions taken by some Florida Republicans, including Governor Ron DeSantis.
