It’s 6:30 p.m. I’m pacing back and forth from my kitchen to the living room, looking out my window. I called my mom, but there was no answer, and panic started to set in.
I gave her 30 more minutes before I started to worry. Maybe there was traffic. I take a seat on the couch, but the thoughts keep racing.
“She should’ve been here already. What if she was stopped by ICE? She doesn’t speak English. What if she doesn’t have her documentation with her? Where would I even find her?” I thought to myself.
Suddenly, my mom’s car pulls into the driveway, and I feel a weight being lifted off my chest after knowing she’s home and safe.
This is the reality for most families living in America. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is terrorizing our communities.
When President Trump ran for reelection during the 2024 presidential campaign, he focused on increasing immigration reform and deporting illegal aliens because they pose a threat to national security and public safety.
“Given the unprecedented million of illegal aliens who are invading our country, it is only common sense that when I’m reelected, we will begin, and we have no choice, the largest deportation operation in American history,” Trump said.
Many undocumented immigrants and mixed-status households are living with fear and uncertainty that they’ll be detained by ICE, separated from their families, and deported to another country.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reported that 3 million undocumented immigrants have left the country. About 675,000 immigrants have been deported and 2.2 million have self-deported, according to the DHS website.
ICE has a budget of $85 billion and is now the highest-funded U.S. law enforcement agency, according to USAspending.gov, which is a data site that tracks federal award spending.
While Trump has increased ICE’s budget through the passage of the Big Beautiful Bill Act, several Americans oppose ICE. Only 36% of Americans support ICE, while nearly 50% of Americans support abolishing ICE.
Media coverage has decreased, but the detaining of civilians continues. People are disappearing. Our neighbors are being forcibly taken off the streets. ICE is raiding worksites, local vendors and carwashes.
As a result, many undocumented immigrants only leave their homes for necessities, and many carry their documentation with them at all times. Living in constant fear can have negative impacts on an individual’s physical and mental health.
Seeing the most vulnerable members in my community being targeted and labeled as criminals makes me angry and sad. Although it can also make you feel hopeless, it’s important to feel these emotions and let them fuel you to fight for change.
While I understand the need to secure American borders and deport criminals, these raids are aggressive and don’t just target criminals. Tracereports showed that 73.6% of current detainees have no criminal convictions.
There are ways you can support your community by buying from local street vendors, participating in protests, and going to city council meetings. If you or someone you know is targeted by ICE, it’s important to have a plan and know your rights. If you see someone being detained, record the interaction from a distance, but don’t get involved.
Ways to join your community and stay safe
- El Camino’s Dream Resource Center collaborates with The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights to offer free legal services to students, staff, and faculty.
- United Warriors Club meeting Tuesday, 1-2 p.m., located in the Dream Resource Center, Room 309. A safe place for students to connect with peers and learn to advocate for themselves and the community.
- ECC also offers a list of what to do when affected by a raid conducted by ICE, along with ways for students to protect their loved ones and themselves.
