ICE Is to Blame

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said tonight that reports of immigration checkpoints and sweeps or “roundups” were false, dangerous and irresponsible. They said reports like these created “mass panic and put communities and law enforcement personnel in unnecessary danger”.

This is the same ICE that detained a DREAMer in his home in Seattle. The same ICE that detained—on a tip from the victim’s abuser—a survivor of domestic violence at a courthouse in El Paso. The same ICE that detained two men coming out of a church’s Winter homeless shelter in Virginia. All in the last week.

Undocumented immigrants living under the constant threat of state violence and oppression, before under Obama and now under Trump, have no room for panic in their lives. Fragility isn’t a privilege they have. They’re practical and their goal is to avoid interaction with ICE. Be prudent about reporting ICE activity. If you’re reasonably certain ICE activity is happening somewhere, don’t hesitate to let people know about it.

Even if it turns out to be a false alarm, folks will understand and appreciate it. They also understand ICE is to blame.