What is ICE’s mission and purpose?
“U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) mission is to protect America from the cross-border crime and illegal immigration that threaten national security and public safety.” (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement)
Why this topic?
People move to the US, sometimes not by choice, but in search of a hopeful life, fleeing dictatorship, violence, and poverty in their home countries, hoping to accomplish greater education, work, and secure safety for their families.
As a young Honduran woman studying abroad in the US, I feel compelled to talk about important issues directly affecting my community, especially with the incongruous ICE raids going on lately. I’m majoring in political science mainly because I find the cause and effect of politics fascinating to learn about. As I learn more every day about policies, parties, and the way society reacts and is affected by those policies, I am willing to use my voice to advocate for justice for the oppressed.
Immigrants come in all shapes and sizes, and I am not here to justify their existence but rather to use my voice to stress their humanity. Behind every political ideology and statistic, people have their own stories and optimism for a greater life ahead of them. Of course, there’s a harsh reality that comes into the picture, as some try to rush the immigration process while other’s hardship does pay off.
What’s going on?
According to CNN, there have been about 956 people arrested this past Sunday, which is “the largest number of arrests on a single day by the Trump administration to date.” As of last Tuesday, there have been over 4,829 arrests since the inauguration. Officials have not disclosed how many of those detained have a criminal history versus those who have none, overall raising concerns for law-abiding migrants and even Visa holders like myself more and more every day. (CNN)
I kept up with the news and scrolled endlessly, analyzing the gravity of the situation many families were in; one striking case immediately caught my eye. In Atlanta, Georgia, a Honduran immigrant, Wilson Rogelio Velasquez Cruz, was arrested in front of his church. After escaping violence in Honduras, his family of 5 asked for asylum in the US. Despite sustaining legal residency in the US, with a work Visa that expires in the next 4 years, he was nonetheless detained by ICE agents. (Georgia woman speaks out after ICE arrests husband outside church. CNN) Cases raise unsettling questions about a troubling reality: if legal residents aren’t safe, who is?
Immigration is far more than a political argument, it’s a human issue. Border security is extremely important, especially when it threatens civilians. However, this does not give authority the right to violate human rights and disregard due process. It should not allow people to be treated unjustly for trying to secure better jobs for their future, family, and life just like you and me. If ICE’s mission is framed as a matter of national security, why are elementary schools getting raided?
Are we enforcing justice, or enabling fear to dictate policy?
Additional Sources Referenced:
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Mission. U.S. Department of Homeland Security, https://www.ice.gov/mission. Accessed [1/29/2025]
U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Publications Library: Immigration and Customs Enforcement. U.S. Department of Homeland Security, https://www.dhs.gov/publications-library/immigration-and-customs-enforcement. Accessed [1/29/2025]
“Are These the Cities Where ICE Raids Are Taking Place?” NBC News, https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/are-cities-ice-raids-are-taking-place-rcna189390. Accessed [30 Jan. 2025]
“Georgia Woman Speaks Out After ICE Arrests Husband Outside Church.” WJCL, 29 Jan. 2025, https://www.wjcl.com/article/tucker-georgia-church-immigration-arrest/63601465. Accessed [30 Jan. 2025]