We’re keenly aware that the readers of our newspapers are English speaking individuals mainly concerned with quality of life in the neighborhoods of Brooklyn and Queens, and the idea of ICE coming into their child’s school and sweeping up their kids is not really on their minds. But it’s real to some teachers or administrators who follow our news.
At a meeting in Long Island City this week we met up with one such school administrator who indicated her staff has indeed prepared for ICE doing a sweep at their school and taking kids out. While we never want to be accused of sitting at our desks and having our heads in the sand, we did pay attention to the stated objective of the president’s executive order, which clearly is intended to deport ‘criminals’ who are undocumented. We all are keenly aware that spin works both ways. Those on the right will say that nobody but criminals are being deported, while those on the left will swear they know people who were just minding their own business, got arrested in a sweep, and get deported. Spin? Maybe.
As we hear and read about hospitals, schools and business association’s efforts to prepare for raids we wonder just how much work time and money is being spent giving attention to how to react to raids. We also know, first hand, that attendance at schools has rapidly changed. There is a noticeable depletion in school attendance. It’s a fairly safe bet that families feel their undocumented children will be taken away. But are raids, arrests and deportation of aliens who are not criminals a ‘real’ thing here? We don’t want to have our heads in the sand, so please let us know if you witness ICE conducting random arrests, a raid in a school or even deportation of non-criminals. We need first hand accounts.
