ICE is the illegal one

Immigrants have been targeted during this presidency for their appearances, spoken language and places they work. Federal agencies such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Border Patrol, Customs and Border Protection and Department of Homeland Security; have ignored due process when it comes to their arrests. Not only is this immoral; it’s illegal.

Immigrants should not have to live in fear of abduction and being stripped of their rights. Being an undocumented immigrant is not a crime. To invoke fear in our communities brings shame to this nation. Our pledge of allegiance states “Liberty and Justice for All.”

As of Sept. 8, the Supreme Court has overruled Vasquez Perdomo v. Noem. This decision gave federal agencies the ability to continue to target individuals based solely on factors such as race, language, and perceived work, stripping them of their constitutional rights.

The fact that CBP wears masks while they conduct roving raids incites fear and promotes use of excessive force and misconduct. California has new legislation going into effect Jan. 1 that will prohibit agents from wearing facial coverings and concealing their identities, but the state’s ability to enforce it is unclear. There is also a push for federal legislation that seeks to require all immigration officers to display visible identification. In the meantime, the FBI is saying there has been an increase in people impersonating federal agents to commit crimes, leading to further distrust in our communities.

In response to whether or not the federal government is operating illegally, Assistant Secretary for Border and Immigration Policy Tony H. Pham said, “The aliens targeted during this operation preyed on men, women and children in our communities, committing serious crimes and, at times, repeatedly hurting their victims.”

But the statistics show that the focus is not just criminals. Crossing the border without authorization is not a criminal offense but a civil offense. ICE Detention Statistics reported Sept 25. that 16,523 people, 35% of the total, were in ICE custody with no criminal record. Last year, during Biden’s presidency, those detained without a criminal record numbered 848–just 6% of the total. Immigration enforcement policies no longer serve to protect Americans, instead they are ripping apart families and destroying communities.

All people in the United States, regardless of immigration status, have constitutional rights that are being violated by our own government. Innocent until proven guilty has been left behind as our Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments have been violated.

President Trump in his recent 60 Minutes interview was asked, “Have some of these raids gone too far?” He responded, “No, I think they haven’t gone far enough by the judges, by the liberal judges, that were put in by Biden and by Obama.” A trophy hunter president; he thinks families being ripped apart doesn’t matter, but numbers do.

We mustn’t overlook this injustice. Whether you’re an immigrant or not, it impacts all of us. What’s stopping the president from violating your rights next? Now more than ever, Americans need to come together while our democracy is being tested. This month’s election results sent a good message that Americans are not okay with what’s happening, but voting more locally and nationally is the only way to protect our rights long term.

Until the next election, we have to take care of our immigrant community by staying alert of ICE’s movements in OC and speaking out for those without the privilege to do so. It’s time to stand up for our neighbors–it might be the last chance we have.

Immigration Resources in Santa Ana: