Stateless persons noted that their status provokes suspicion and fear among their acquaintances and co-workers. This exacerbates feelings of marginalization, leading some to report feeling “hopeless and empty.” One woman reported that she is “afraid to talk to people” and “feels like an outcast.” “I was scared to speak openly,” one stated. “It took me [a] long time even my friends. Our family friends didn’t know that I���m stateless.” As a result, some interviewees felt compelled to live double lives, causing them significant psychological stress. One said: It’s not just about not being able to travel. It’s not being able to live normal life. I can’t tell anybody, I have to live a double life. I have to think about every word I say, who I say it to and what I say, and remember what I said before so they will not think that I’m some kind of liar. Many also reported feelings of isolation. One noted the difficulty of “not being able to tell my story, not being able to share with people. Even my closest friends, what it is that I’m going through for fear of somehow the word getting out and the vulnerability that goes hand in hand with being undocumented.” Interaction with Authorities Some of the persons interviewed mentioned being nervous about being stopped by a police officer. This fear is not unfounded. Between 2006 and 2018, ICE issued detainers – asking local police or sheriffs to hold persons – in the cases of 94 persons listed as stateless (TRAC, 2019e). One man reported that seeing police cars causes him stress. Interviewees emphasized that they did not commit any crimes and that their statelessness was not something that they could control. In several cases, stateless persons reported encountering highly confrontational immigration officers. A few spoke of officers forcing them to call embassies and consulates to request a travel document. “The officers made one of my older brothers call the embassy right in front of them and tell them that he needs a passport,” said one woman. “My brother said to them, ‘I can’t lie to them, I’m going to tell them I am a Bidoon and I’m requesting a passport. My mom is a Kuwaiti citizen but my dad is considered Bidoon. It was on speaker and the embassy clerk’s voice changed. She was so nasty to my brother, and she said ‘we’re not going to give you passport.’” In addition, some respondents mentioned being concerned during basic interactions with government authorities due to their lack of identification. Some spoke about their inability to enter federal buildings or to pick up their children from school without identification. Disenfranchisement Some lamented their inability to participate fully in their communities. One said, “I cannot vote. I’ve been here for a long time, but I don’t have the right to vote.” Another stated, “I am one of the highest tax payers (in the town), but I cannot vote. When it comes to the part of the decision making I’m totally being pushed out. Every time when the township supervisor or an election comes up, I just have to stay behind and do what I can and not be able to directly have a say in it.” Psychological Stress As a result of these factors, interviewees reported that their statelessness imposes a heavy 73