The Effect of ICE on The Hispanic Community

Within the Hispanic community, there has been a severe threat that has plagued many families. Specifically, there has been a recent outburst of ICE detainments, most directed towards the Latino community. According to the Cato Institute, a public policy research organization, “One in five ICE arrests are Latinos on the streets with no criminal past or removal order.” 

Recently, the Supreme Court came to a 6-3 decision allowing agents to stop or detain all suspects they find fit based on their race. The BBC reported, “… Immigrant advocacy groups… accused [this] administration of systematically targeting brown-skinned people during [its] crackdown on illegal immigration in the Los Angeles area.” This new ruling is currently unfolding throughout the United States. Although the Department of Homeland Security has said otherwise and is trying to fight these allegations, the proof is in the statistics. As of August 11th, the Deportation Data Project released data from the government, which shows that since January 20th through the beginning of August, ICE has conducted more than 16,000 arrests of immigrants who have zero criminal record, charges, convictions, or removal orders, 90 percent being from Latin America. These arrests are not just taking place at home residences, but they’re starting to take place in more public places that are traditionally more Latino populated. According to the Wall Street Journal, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller told ICE to “‘stop developing target lists of immigrants’ and just ‘go out on the streets’ and arrest people ‘right away’ at Home Depots or 7‑ Elevens.” Unfortunately, there have also been reports of U.S. citizens being detained because of how they look. 

According to “How Immigration Policy Shifts Are Affecting Latino Families,” “Educators across the country are already reporting a drop in attendance among immigrant students… Just over a quarter, 26% of Latinos surveyed said they will/are avoiding speaking with school officials or teachers, while 30% said they will not enroll their child in school programs.” But what does this mean for Latino and Hispanic children? Regardless of these children being born here in the United States, they are being targeted and silently intimidated out of attending schools and even achieving a higher education, as a result of fear from simply showing up. Although an ICE spokesperson told NBC News, “ICE does not typically conduct immigration enforcement activities at schools or school buses.” It still doesn’t keep students safe to and from school, which is what some parents may fear. Recently, the National Latino Family Survey provided evidence that 35% of Latino parents plan to avoid police or reporting crimes. Many families may feel they have no one to go to out of fear of those who are there to protect them. Real-life examples of this can be seen here in our own school community. There have been many families who have members that have been detained by ICE. Loved ones have had to scramble to prove that they have been following the laws and correct procedures, for a glimpse of hope of the detainee being released. This demonstrates that immigration enforcement may be discouraging both immigrants and U.S.-born individuals from seeking help and education. 

Undocumented immigrants are missing employment opportunities because of their legal status, which in turn blocks access to affordable health care, which they are purposely avoiding because of their continuous fear of being another target of ICE. This is producing cycles of poverty and poor health outcomes that are difficult to get out of. Policies have created a “chilling effect,” which is the discouragement of exercising legitimate rights, especially when videos of arrests are everywhere, silencing and keeping people from seeking help. Many are unable to receive public benefits such as Medicaid, food stamps, or even housing assistance out of fear they will be discovered. Because they do not have social security, they are forced to find different ways of work, in areas such as agriculture, construction, and food services, which often consist of low-paying, low-benefit, and little security. As noted in “The Health of Undocumented Latinx Immigrants” by India J Ornelas, the chilling effect is jeopardizing the safety and future of immigration prospects. For example, The New York Times reported about 10-year-old Rosa Maria Hernandez, an undocumented girl with cerebral palsy, who was detained by federal immigration while traveling to the hospital for gallbladder surgery in Texas. Her case is a perfect example of why children with serious medical conditions do not get the care they desperately need out of fear of being separated from their loved ones, because once they leave, they cannot come back. 

Many undocumented immigrants come to America for a fresh start because their homeland is no longer safe for them. They hear about the success and safety in America, but instead, the American system fails them. The “American Dream”  has now become a nightmare for not only Latino and Hispanic communities, but for every other race that comes for refuge, new work, and so much more. America is diversity, it’s opportunity, it’s safety, it’s security, it’s not fear, it’s not walls, and it’s definitely not cages. America was built on immigrants, their labor, and enriched cultures; it’s “the land of the free.” Only when we remember this can the American Dream be restored; not a myth, but a promise.