Frankly, isn’t it true that we all profile people within our area every time we go out in public, including the police? And yes, race is one factor. If fact, why do the 911 operators always seem to ask about race? The police always want to know the race of perps as they interview people that have witnessed a crime - therefore, they have expectations that the witnesses were aware of that factor, thus it’s something that practically everyone - more likely everyone - does - profile as life goes by.
We should but pretending that it’s not done. Actually, it’s necessary. Even Home Land Security wants us to profile, although they say to just be aware of people around us that are doing strange stuff.
Absolutely. The profiling might be simply limited to having the situational awareness that there are people who look and or act differently in your vicinity. It isn't racism (which involves a sense of superiority over another group based on superficial parameters), but an awareness that you are among people who are not part of your usual associates. That awareness might be based on appearance or actions or both, but being aware of people among you who are different is an old survival mechanism that is part and parcel of human nature. It doesn't imply hostility, but at least some healthy curiosity is warranted.
We're all xenophobes to some extent, it's hardwired in.