Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) continues to track, harass, and detain residents of Los Angeles and the surrounding communities. New artificial intelligence and advanced surveillance technologies enable ICE to specifically pinpoint and target individuals, resulting in raids that are more specific to a particular community area as opposed to random raids.
The intent remains the same: Detain, incarcerate, and create fear.
However, random raids are still part of ICE tactics, too. ICE vans and cars still roam the streets, pulling over and detaining residents who are just trying to make a living. As has been documented, the majority of individuals currently arrested by ICE do not have a criminal record. According to the conservative Cato Institute, only 5% of people detained by ICE have any type of conviction, while 73% have none whatsoever.
The most unsettling approach used by ICE is taking children away from their parents and detaining them in what lawmakers describe as “cages.” These so-called holding cells have been described by politicians visiting these detention facilities as overcrowded, unsafe, under-supervised, freezing, lacking proper beds, and unkept. These are nothing more than filthy jails and prisons. According to the Marshall Project, ICE has detained over 6,200 children.
Imagine children being separated from their mothers, forced apart and placed in isolated areas designated for children only. Imagine families being separated from each other. Imagine the rule of law not applying to individuals who have been incarcerated by ICE, a U.S. government agency. This is happening in America now; it’s not imaginary.
A local Los Angeles elementary teacher recently had her 4th grade students write a sentence describing something they did during the day. One child wrote this: “I ran home fearing something bad.” The teacher had tears in her eyes when she read the sentence.
This is not right; it’s not what a free nation is supposed to be about. Children should not live in fear. Teachers have claimed many of their students experience severe anxiety, fearing family separation. Some of these students are witnessing aggressive arrests in their own neighborhoods. One does not have to be a child psychologist to understand that these tactics by ICE will cause anxiety and inflict psychological trauma with long-lasting effects.
What can be done?
Document and record any ICE enforcement action on the streets. It is important to understand: One can photograph or record the interactions as long as you do not interfere with the officers.
Engage and inform community members and politicians regarding the need to put a stop to the detention of young children and the separation of families.
Participate in local detention watch network actions and contact a representative to demand oversight and an end to harmful immigration policies. Demand the closing of the holding camps and no more racist depressions.
Support your local neighborhood action groups or community rapid response networks. Many are walking their neighborhoods and passing out “Know Your Rights” information. Some are holding marches and rallies at ICE detention facilities. Others are planning proactive safety planning actions.
Remember, the raids are continuing. The media outlets are no longer focused on the raids unless there is some type of confrontation happening.
ICE out of California!
As with all op-eds published by People’s World, the views expressed here are those of the author.
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