By: Allison Kirste
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (also known as ICE) has begun a series of raids on the homes of suspected illegal immigrants. Though ICE claims that the visits are routine checkups, immigrants have reported that officers are lying and using illegal tactics to get inside of their houses, which leads the public to believe that these raids are foreshadowing future aggression against immigrants. Among those affected by these raids and deportations are workers, children, those with criminal records, and veterans.
The first deportation under Trump to make national news was that of a mother in Arizona. Following her deportation, many undocumented immigrants are taking extra precautions to draw as little attention to themselves as possible. They are limiting the amount of contact they make with the outside world, whether that be through social media, at school or work, or at family outings. They live their lives in suspense, anticipating the next ICE raid.
There is also concern for the safety of undocumented children, as Trump plans to completely abandon DACA, which protects undocumented children. DACA (formally known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) is a program that has allowed many young undocumented immigrants to lead normal lives in the United States, helping them with basic tasks like obtaining a driver’s license or enrolling in college. DACA has allowed them to live without fear of deportation, but if Trump repeals it, undocumented young people across the country will no longer have access to the better life they came here for.
ICE is most easily finding undocumented immigrants through criminal records, essentially hunting them down. This poses a glaring threat to those even with the most minor of infringements, including traffic violations and petty theft. Additionally, this endangers those who joined the military and served our country in hopes of achieving citizenship. Veterans who suffer from PTSD often turn to drugs or violence to cope.
Although immigration lawyers are scrambling to meet with as many undocumented immigrants as possible, there is no doubt that plenty will still be affected by this dramatic increase in ICE raids across the country. ICE still claims that their visits are routine, but that hasn’t eased the minds of undocumented immigrants in this country.
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (also known as ICE) has begun a series of raids on the homes of suspected illegal immigrants. Though ICE claims that the visits are routine checkups, immigrants have reported that officers are lying and using illegal tactics to get inside of their houses, which leads the public to believe that these raids are foreshadowing future aggression against immigrants. Among those affected by these raids and deportations are workers, children, those with criminal records, and veterans.
The first deportation under Trump to make national news was that of a mother in Arizona. Following her deportation, many undocumented immigrants are taking extra precautions to draw as little attention to themselves as possible. They are limiting the amount of contact they make with the outside world, whether that be through social media, at school or work, or at family outings. They live their lives in suspense, anticipating the next ICE raid.
There is also concern for the safety of undocumented children, as Trump plans to completely abandon DACA, which protects undocumented children. DACA (formally known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) is a program that has allowed many young undocumented immigrants to lead normal lives in the United States, helping them with basic tasks like obtaining a driver’s license or enrolling in college. DACA has allowed them to live without fear of deportation, but if Trump repeals it, undocumented young people across the country will no longer have access to the better life they came here for.
ICE is most easily finding undocumented immigrants through criminal records, essentially hunting them down. This poses a glaring threat to those even with the most minor of infringements, including traffic violations and petty theft. Additionally, this endangers those who joined the military and served our country in hopes of achieving citizenship. Veterans who suffer from PTSD often turn to drugs or violence to cope.
Although immigration lawyers are scrambling to meet with as many undocumented immigrants as possible, there is no doubt that plenty will still be affected by this dramatic increase in ICE raids across the country. ICE still claims that their visits are routine, but that hasn’t eased the minds of undocumented immigrants in this country.
Information for this article was taken from: CNN.com
