Immigration and customs enforcement, also known as ICE, has been affecting our communities, our families, our friends and neighbors
People stop calling the police when they need help, avoid hospitals when they are sick, and live with a persistent sense of instability. Even those not directly targeted feel the weight of it, carrying the burden of uncertainty for their loved ones.
I’ve seen the hardship. My family is suffering not knowing if our father will come home. Seeing my mother hurt, crying and worrying and seeing our whole family experiencing anxiety and the fear that runs through our household. Living in fear isn’t living.
How can we not be worried at any given moment that our family will be targeted and destroyed forever? Knowing that if my father gets taken and caught by ICE means my family will have no choice but to follow him back. I am a citizen and my life is here, which means I’d have to stay back and we will all be separated. Not knowing what the future holds for me and my family is terrifying.
Oscar Hernandez, a Fresno City College student said his parents are terrified to leave the house because they don’t want to get deported back to Mexico, which would leave his siblings and him behind.
“I’m scared and can’t sleep at night sometimes,” Hernandez said. “ICE has impacted my family by seeing news stations and on social media of many Mexicans being taken away from their homes, leaving behind families and the life they built. It impacts my family by my father not knowing how to speak English and being afraid of going to stores or anywhere.”
Hernandez’s brother supported Trump, hoping that he would benefit the economy. He said that Trump’s false promises opened his brother’s eyes to the seriousness of their situation.
“Seeing how serious it is made them regret believing in Donald Trump and voting for him. They both sit in fear hoping and praying either of their families or themselves get deported and separated from their families,” Hernandez said.
David, an engineering major at FCC student wished to remain anonymous and use an alias, is scared for other people he knows.
“ICE has made the person that I’m closely associated with anxious for simply existing out in public,” David said.
David said his close contact had to cancel an appointment because they were fearful that they would get caught by ICE.
“Last week she had a hair appointment for a stylist that she’s been trying to work with for a while. A day before the appointment she was informed that ICE was doing checkpoints in the town she was supposed to be in so she had to cancel her appointment that she made months in advance,” David said.
David’s friend changed his perspective on politics with their powerful story.
“Personally, before knowing her I had views similar to many conservative people. If they wanna come into the country, why not legally, right? But sometimes that is simply out of the question.” David said.
Some people are brought into the United States against their will, including David’s friend.
“She was brought illegally into the country at the age of 3 by her parents. She didn’t have a choice,” David said. “She couldn’t subject herself to the strenuous process of trying to gain citizenship legally.”
ICE upsets many individuals and causes purposeful harm.
“ICE makes me feel angry and upset at our government who would potentially harm and dislocate an honest, hard-working girl who was brought into this country against her own will,” David said.
David hasn’t encountered ICE and said that they cause purposeful harm.
“I don’t have any personal experience with ICE and neither do I want to. I’ve had to exist and share fear and anxiety with my partner who feels the need to avoid certain areas of the country because of her,” David said. “I think ICE is terrible and inhumane towards individuals coming into this country for a new start, a new life and chance to build their families and create opportunities for their family and children.”
It’s incredibly disgusting to see and hear how these people are being treated. Our nation is built on immigrants; our people are the ones feeding you, clothing you, building your foundations and our people are doing the hard work American citizens are not willing to do.
Donald Trump’s wife Melania is also an immigrant, but her skin color and having money allows her to be here. How can you make an exception for one person?
Immigrants deserve better.
