By Mars Marte
On Jan. 20, 2025, the official website for The White House released a reworked version of the nation’s policy on immigration titled: “Protecting The United States From Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats.” In this lengthy titled order, the contents call for a mass deportation across the nation to better protect the citizens.
But, is that what’s really going on? The mandate calls for a new relationship with immigration, one that’s rooted in bigotry.
Deportation of undocumented immigrants is no contemporary concept in the U.S., but how they are being handled is. For the last decade, federal agencies have advised against raids in schools, hospitals, and other ‘sensitive areas’ on the premises that conducting enforcement efforts in these environments will deter people from seeking the essential services these establishments provide.
However, to ensure the success of the White House’s new decree, President Trump has removed previous guidance protocols implemented to protect undocumented inhabitants who seek out these resources according to the National Immigration Law. The removal of these legal shields opens new avenues of policing for immigration law enforcers and further disempowers ostracized groups.
Now, with the removal of pre-established safeguards in place, those who hold power and prejudice can openly harass communities of color on the premises of carrying out the law.
How do officers identify if someone is a citizen or seeking legal status? Truth is, this is a matter that cannot be discerned by looking at someone. However, with the lack of laws to protect against profiling, Black and brown neighborhoods have gained the attention of law enforcers.
Days after the announcement of the discussed decree ICE officers brazenly rushed into a small-business warehouse in what officials are calling a “targeted enforcement operation at a worksite” according to NBC News. The officers arrested three employees and detained the rest including multiple U.S. citizens, one of which was a military veteran who happened to be Puerto Rican. An interview conducted by Pix11 with Luis Janota, the warehouse owner, shed light on how the conduct of the raids was rooted in bias.
“It looked to me like they were specifically going after certain kinds of people — not every kind. Because they did not ask me for documentation for my American workers, Portuguese workers or white workers,”
In a press conference held in the wake of the incursion, New Jersey Mayor, Ras Bakara, shared that ICE could not produce a warrant for the raid, highlighting the severity of the situation. This incident underlines the ignorant ideology that has been embedded into the states since its conceptions and that has only emboldened since the current administrative team made its debut.
With hate on the rise, marginalized groups find themselves further on the edge. Undocumented people now live in a constant state of vigilance as their future within the country and their families grows in uncertainty.
Corona, a neighborhood in Queens, has been home to generations of Latino immigrants, best known for their buzzing streets. This fact no longer stands to be true months after the heightened enforcement measures, the energy within the county has eerily disappeared as undocumented residents cling to the safety of their homes.
In an article by New York Times that unpacks the rising fear in Corona, resident and vendor Liliana Sanchez, a Mexican migrant, claims to have “[…] spotted ICE officers almost daily in the neighborhood after Mr. Trump took office.” With residents shutting their doors, local businesses that once thrived in Corona Plaza risk closing theirs forever.
Within the same article, New York Times claims that a Colombian bakery across the street from the plaza “[…] used to take in about $1,600 most mornings selling soups and pastries, but now makes about $900.” As enforcement of immigration laws continues to tighten, marginalized groups find themselves further on the edge.
The path to becoming a documented immigrant is one paved with coins. As of April 1 of last year, the price to gain citizenship within the states could cost someone anywhere from $150 to $2,000 according to Rebecca Black Immigration Law. Luckily, there are waivers for some application fees but, there’s no guarantee that the full cost can be covered.
Families and individuals who are financially struggling are put at a disadvantage when seeking asylum and a means of a better life. Locking documentation behind an expensive paywall backs immigrant families into a corner where they may feel the need to come to the States without the proper papers to pull themselves out of their economic pit.
A study conducted by the Institute of Taxation and Economic Policy revealed that undocumented migrants contribute over 96.7 billion dollars in taxes a year. The information provided by the study stands as a reminder that immigration, whether documented or not, is an integral part of society.
The data disclosed warns that the new choices made by policymakers will have an outstanding impact on America’s economy.
In order to protect its own students, BC’s has doubled the hours of the Immigrant Student Success Office (ISSO) located in Roosevelt hall which offers support for undocumented scholars ranging from free legal services to one-on-one counseling.
So, what do we do if U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) comes knocking? The first step we want to do, before proceeding with any interaction, if possible, is to call an immigration lawyer. Now that we’ve done that, let’s look at the alternative routes of engaging with the agents.
Ask the officers to present a warrant signed by a judge. If no signed warrant is presented, stay inside and do not open the door. It is your right to refuse entry without a signed warrant from a judge. If they do have a warrant, verify it by asking the agents either to slip it under the door or to hold it up to a peephole and/or a RING camera. Most importantly, it is your right to remain silent without a lawyer present.
Now that we know our rights, what do we do? We spread the knowledge and look out for neighbors facing intolerance.