A friend sent me an article from the February 7 Los Angeles Times, describing an impending ICE sweep in the Los Angeles area.
For the past two years, I’ve been writing a weekly column on homeless program performance for CityWatch LA. Readers there know I have a very low opinion of the TSA. It does a horrible job of screening passengers, primarily because it treats everyone as a criminal waiting to be caught.
Other countries use highly trained agents to look for behavioral and other signs of trouble. The TSA tried that, but because most of its agents are undertrained, underpaid, and undereducated, it failed as well.
ICE is quickly falling into the same category. A few days ago, ICE agents (or vigilantes pretending to be ICE agents) showed up at an Episcopal priest’s house in South Dakota because he didn’t “look like he was from around there.” In Florida, a teacher with more than 10 years of experience was arrested even though he has DACA status (in a place like Florida, it’s unlikely he’d be hired without the proper documentation). Many of the people ICE has arrested have since been released because they have the documents showing they have the right to be in the United States.
Closer to home and far more personally, my wife, who became a US citizen long before most ICE agents were born, now carries a small copy of her passport with her to prove she’s an American. My mother-in-law, who spoke accented—but perfect—English, faced constant difficulties despite being a citizen. (A few people had the unfortunate experience of finding out just how unpleasant I can be when they pulled that crap when I was with her).
Every country, including the US, has the right to protect its borders and determine the citizenship process. But when that enforcement is based on the way someone “looks” or the job he or she may have, or how they sound, we’ve crossed a line that leads to some of the worst atrocities in human history.
ICE’s leadership is intentionally targeting communities with significant Latino populations simply to intimidate and terrorize people.
Using immigration as an excuse to practice racial discrimination is evil. Period. To paraphrase Clarence Darrow, you cannot enforce an evil law benignly.
America has always welcomed those, like my in-laws, who come here to work hard, play by the rules, and make a living they never would have been able to at home. My ancestors did the same, even though some had funny Irish accents or heavy Scottish brogues. I’d hoped we’d learn something from previous generations, but apparently, we still have a long way to go.
