Speaking out for immigration

I have been exposed to a culture of deportation that has been on the rise in the U.S. and have seen how harsh it can be. From living in a state and city with a majority of Hispanic people, it’s not unusual to see deportations happening or seeing Immigration Customs Enforcement agents. Due to deportation cases rising, the soccer club I play for had to shut down practices and games from a fear of the kids or coaches being deported. Practices and games were shut down for a month due to a rising fear of deportation in an attempt to protect not only the adults and coaches but the kids who play there. 

President Donald Trump’s recent increased funding to border patrol and deportation is a prime example of America’s discrimination towards immigrants. According to The Independent newspaper, Trump has spent $170 billion on ICE and immigration in general.
It may seem that immigrants should work on getting their citizenship to protect them from getting deported. However the process for gaining citizenship in the United States is a very lengthy process, often taking longer than ten years. Under the laws today, undocumented immigrants can never get legal status. Knowing people who are both adults and kids who came here from another country, they often work multiple jobs to keep their family out of poverty.

“Immigrants, if they are helped to integrate, are a blessing, a source of enrichment and a new gift that encourages a society to grow,” said Pope Francis. There have been many people, including famous and well known people, who have spoken out against deportation, including Selena Gomez, Kim Kardashian, Mark Ruffalo and Olivia Rodrigo. 

ICE raids are often done during night and during surprising times such as when the person is working or with family. ICE agents have been said to be harsh and cruel with the people they are deporting and infringe upon their rights. ICE agents have been reported being physically harsh with the people they are taking into custody. 

In Trump’s first term as president he deported 935,089 illegal immigrants according to data from ICE reports. He is estimated to deport more immigrants in his current term than before, with studies estimating about 400,000 immigrants a year. 

There have been many protests across the US, protesting against immigration deportation and Trump’s presidential term, like the recent “No kings” protests. It has been estimated that about five million people attended these protests nationwide, meaning it might be a potential record. 

Though our soccer practices and games have started up again, the fear of deportations and ICE is still obvious. The managers of the club and the coaches are all worried about the kids that play there and make sure that if any threat of ICE appears, the right precautions are taken into hand to protect them.

With deportation and immigration enforcement on the rise, it’s important as a community to stand up against unfair deportation and corrupt leaders abusing their power. It’s important to look at the pros of immigration and how they help our society grow and prosper.