When is Enough Going to be Enough?
Since Donald Trump took office we’ve heard about atrocity after atrocity concerning refugees seeking asylum at our southern border. Torture, oppression, death, family separations. When is enough going to be enough for the American people to stand up to this abhorrent abuse?
I’ve written about what’s happening at the US/Mexico border quite a bit. From myth-busting racist language in The Truth About Immigration series to discussing Cuban Migrants Targeted in Mexico, to talking about how Today’s Immigration Issues Didn’t Start With Trump. All of it is done to inform readers in the hopes that they share some of these vital truths with their friends and family about what’s really happening.
So, what gives? Where’s the outrage?
The problem we’ve always had in the U.S. regarding migrants is how they are seen as less than human. Therefore, inhumane treatment has always been an accepted practice. While people are waking up to these tragedies, they just don’t seem to be angry enough to do anything about them. This fight can’t just be on us in the Latino community. We need a united front in calling this out and demanding something be done about it. In other words, we need your help.
“ICE detainee at Hudson County jail died due to woeful medical care. Medical records allegedly show the El Salvadoran immigrant started internally bleeding three days before he died. The father of four bled to death.” — NJ.com
These incidents in refugee detention facilities are no accident. They are the result of some of the poorest conditions — coupled with the most barbaric treatment of migrants — in the world. The Trump administration’s policies — along with his hateful and dehumanizing rhetoric — gives CBP and ICE agents the false notion that they won’t face repercussions for their inhumane treatment of refugees. He’s also brought out the worst of them. There’s no question racism, sexual assault, human trafficking, and much more can be found within the ranks of these agencies.
What’s even worse is that they get away with it time and time again. Using their positions of power to extort refugees. Force them into sexual acts. Forcing them to go hungry. Denying them clean drinking water. Making a concerted effort to prevent migrants from feeling the slightest comfort after trekking across thousands of miles on foot in search of safety and sanctuary. It’s appalling to think that a nation who brags about being the land of opportunity would treat the most marginalized people in our hemisphere in such a horrific way.
They’re doing it in our names.
“According to documents released by ICE, as many as 28 women have had miscarriages while in ICE detention between the fiscal years of 2017 and 2018. The number of immigrant women who have miscarried in ICE detention has nearly doubled under Trump.” — The Cut
Listen, I get that some folks are just fine with our country treating migrants like this. Many of them are just thrilled about it. Some even think refugees should be executed on sight. We are living in an environment where armed militias can apprehend foreign nationals — without any authority — while folks who try to help the refugees with food and water are being charged for crimes.
The United States has always treated our respective Latino communities like shit. We’ve always known that when the right person came into power, they would do exactly what Trump is doing. We have always been well aware of what current laws allow for. Which is why we have been fighting so hard for immigration reform for more than two decades.
But for the rest of you, is this the America you thought you knew and loved so much? Is this the America that makes you want to run outside and plant a flag on your front lawn? Me neither. In fact, there are no American flags on my properties, at all. And until things change, there won’t be a single one. I find very little to be proud of these days.
Now, I’m sure that there will be some faux-outrage over that last statement. But, you know what? I don’t give a damn. I’ll have time to worry about whether I’ll plant flags for pseudo-patriotic holidays once my people are set free; when they stop being tortured; when they start being treated humanely under the requirements set forth by both international law and our own laws here at home.
“Two more migrants, a Salvadoran man and a woman from Honduras, died recently while in federal immigration custody, marking at least seven migrant deaths since October and raising concerns of how federal agents care for those in their custody.” — USA Today
So many people out there like to yell and scream about migrants breaking the law by crossing the border. By calling them illegal immigrants (which makes no sense) and by referring to them as criminals for the simple act of seeking asylum. Anti-immigrant folks are all about their perceived version of the rule of law. That is, of course, until their own commit atrocious acts against Brown and Black refugees at our Southern border.
We all know what motivates those people. I don’t even need to mention it (racism). I certainly don’t expect to change their minds. I’m not even trying to reach them — nor do I care to hear from them. They are too blinded by hate, as I’m sure you’ll see in the comments of this, or any other article I write (or have written). If you want to see racists get angry and lash out, just follow my work. They’re on me like white on rice.
And that’s fine. They don’t faze me.
“ICE Illegally Detaining Migrant Kids Indefinitely. The kids — the youngest of whom is just five years old — have been detained at ICE’s Karnes County detention center for between 41 and 58 days.” — The Daily Beast
We need to reach the rest of America. The people who possess even the slightest empathy and compassion towards others. The majority. We need to come together making phone calls, writing emails and letters, and sending faxes to our elected officials. Did I say faxes? Yes, I did. They can’t delete a fax. They are forced to see a fax. They would be inundated with complaints on paper that they will be forced to read (and are unallowed to dispose of).
But when we call/email/fax, we must be sure to be as polite as we can be — given the circumstances. They won’t listen to you if you’re angry. Staffers who answer the phones deal with all kinds of hateful shit all day long. Including getting death threats. So, instead of being all-out pissed off when communicating, try to be polite. I assure you, it will get you much further than screaming and yelling.
This is what I’ve been doing. I’ve been writing compassionate letters, emails, and faxes while also making phone calls every single day. I coordinate with volunteer groups in my area and help others who are further away by offering to be “the man in the office” when (and if) I’m needed. I encourage every single one of you to do the same.
Help as much as you can, when you can.
“More than a dozen migrant fathers were forcibly and “unlawfully re-separated” from the children at the Karnes Detention Center in South Texas last year despite a court order preventing such action.” — USA Today
We’ve seen people take to the streets for far less. We’ve seen some protests of Donald Trump for things he has yet to do and we’ve seen protests for things he has done. But will we ever see a nationwide protest like the Women’s March for refugees who are treated worse than we treat animals in shelters? I’m starting to wonder.
In all honesty, if there was ever something to protest, it’s this.
America was in outrage mode at the treatment of Syrian refugees in Europe and here at home. Now, it’s happening in our own backyard and it feels like all people do is tweet about how horrified they are at the thought of what’s happening. Some folks are passing around phone numbers to call, helping folks connect with their representatives. But that’s about it.
So many organizations have been mobilized since the news of how refugees are being treated started to get out. But even they need our help. There are organizations all over the country just as there are detention centers. Surely, there’s one close to you.
“Doctors risked their careers to expose the dangers children face in immigrant family detention while quietly documenting the devastating things they’ve seen inspecting the facilities where migrants are detained.” — CNN
What we need now more than ever is unity. We need to find the best possible way to get the administration’s attention to let them know we won’t accept this any longer. We need to lean into the hateful rhetoric espoused by Donald Trump (and racists) every time we hear or see them promoting dehumanizing language towards refugees. When we lean into things like this, we knock its teeth out and taking its power away. Trust me on this. Don’t look away.
Confront the bastards.
The bottom line is, I’m tired. I need a break and I need your help. The refugees at our Southern border represent all of Latin America. And every single one is running from different versions of the same thing: official oppression. Particularly those in the LGBTQ community. Second only to children, they are the most marginalized among refugees due to large scale homophobia in the overall Latin American community. Then, when they get here, we treat them the same, or even worse than the way they are treated at home.
The tactics used by this administration to “deter” refugees from seeking asylum are why we are seeing so many problems with ICE and CBP today. The policies put in place (zero-tolerance policy), are what grants these federal agents the ability to treat people like dirt while making it easy to cover up. For every ICE/CBP agent that gets caught treating migrants inhumanely, there’s a hundred more. Don’t be fooled, they are everywhere and they are treating people of color like shit. You hear the stories whenever ICE board a Greyhound bus and asks everyone for papers except white people. ICE racially profiles American citizens and begins the process of checking their citizenship in a hostile fashion.
It has to stop. Because if it doesn’t, it will only get worse. The more they get away with, the farther they’ll be willing to take it.