Donald Trump has signed multiple executive orders that specifically target undocumented immigration. Just two days into his term, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, began raiding cities with a high population of immigrants. During his campaign, Trump had made it very clear that one of his biggest goals when taking office would be the removal of undocumented immigrants. He has now proven that by targeting every big city in America, starting with Chicago.
According to WTTW News, around 100 detainments have been made in Chicago so far. Trump has expressed that his goal is to make around 1,000 arrests a day.
“Me and my family are horrified right now,” an anonymous interviewee said. “We are all documented in my house, but it’s scary seeing how far he actually wants to take this.”
Trump has also signed an executive order that would essentially overrule the 14th amendment. This amendment grants citizenship to anyone born on U.S. soil, but Trump feels that you should not be = have citizenship if your birth parents are not documented.
“My parents had to fight for their lives to get here,” another anonymous person said. “My people are not coming here to terrorize or to commit crimes. They are coming here to provide better lives for their families, and to contribute to America.”
There have been many reports of ICE agents trying to be deceptive, essentially tricking people into believing that they have more power than they do. They have even gone as far as disguising their vehicles to make them look like a typical police car.
If ICE shows up at your doorstep, they only have so much that they can actually do. You have the right to remain silent, and you also have the right to not open your door. You have the right to ask to see a warrant, and a form of ID. ICE agents do not have the right to forcefully enter your home if they do not have a warrant signed by a judge.
As stated previously, ICE has been making arrests in some of the bigger cities in the U.S., however, they have also been seen in smaller areas. There have been reports of them in towns as close as Norfolk, Nebraska.
“This country has a very dark history of what it has been built off of,” anonymous said. “I have faced xenophobia and racism my entire life because people think I am a threat just because of where I am from.”
Experts have said that these raids are a great concern for the economy. Thousands of jobs will be lost, and Trump “didn’t anticipate” how expensive it would be to force these hardworking citizens out of the United States.
ICE raids are expected to continue, and Trump has not made any comments on slowing them down. He has said that there is “no free pass” anymore.
“I am a citizen, but I now carry my passport with me everywhere I go, because I fear for my safety and my life,” anonymous said.