If you’ve ever sat at the dinner table wondering if this might be the last meal you share with your family, you understand the kind of fear many Hispanic immigrants live with every single day. If you’ve ever held your breath at the sight of a police car, not because you did anything wrong, but because you know that one wrong turn, one routine traffic stop, could turn your life upside down—you understand.
For so many families, immigration isn’t just a political issue, it’s personal. It’s about parents working long hours in jobs most people wouldn’t take, just to put food on the table. It’s about kids excelling in school, dreaming of college, only to be told their future is uncertain because of paperwork they had no say in. It’s about living in the shadows, not because you want to, but because stepping into the light could mean losing everything.
The Reality of ICE and Immigration Policies
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is supposed to focus on deporting individuals who pose a serious threat to the country. But too often, their actions feel more like a war against regular people—mothers, fathers, teenagers, and children. Raids on homes, workplaces, and even schools leave families in a panic. Some undocumented immigrants, despite having no criminal record, are detained and deported, leaving behind broken families and shattered dreams.
The fear is constant. Many parents hesitate to drive to work, to take their kids to the park, or even to seek medical care because one encounter with the wrong person could mean being sent back to a country they haven’t seen in years. Kids carry this stress, too. Imagine growing up knowing that, at any moment, your parents could be taken away from you. That’s the reality for thousands of children in the U.S.
Hispanic Immigrants Are America’s Strength
Yet, in the face of this fear, Hispanic immigrants continue to give everything they have to this country. They build houses, cook meals, take care of children and the elderly, work in factories, and clean offices—jobs that keep America running. They start businesses, create jobs, and bring culture, music, and traditions that make this country richer in every way.
Hispanic immigrants don’t just contribute to the U.S.—they help build it. And yet, they are often treated as outsiders, as though their presence is a problem rather than a blessing. Why is it so easy to overlook their hard work, their sacrifices, and their role in making America what it is?
A Message to Donald Trump: Look at the People, Not Just the Policies
Former President Donald Trump has been clear about his stance on immigration. He talks about border security, about keeping America safe. But what about keeping America fair? What about recognizing the difference between criminals and families who simply want a shot at the American Dream?
Trump has built his reputation as a businessman. If he truly believes in success, in hard work, in the American spirit, then he should see the value of these immigrants. He should see the farm workers who put food on our tables, the restaurant workers who keep the industry alive, the construction workers who built this country from the ground up. These aren’t criminals. They’re people who love America just as much as anyone else.
A true leader doesn’t just enforce laws; they look at the human cost of those laws. They listen. They find solutions that protect both the country and the people who call it home. That is what we need—reform, not fear.
The Path Forward
We need policies that make sense and that protect the country while also giving hardworking immigrants a chance. Mass deportations are not the answer. Separating families is not the answer. The answer is a system that recognizes the contributions of Hispanic immigrants and provides them with a real opportunity to stay, to work, and to continue building the country they already call home.
To those who still don’t understand what’s at stake, I ask you this: Imagine being told that everything you’ve built, everything you’ve worked for, could be taken away in an instant. Imagine not knowing if the next knock on your door is the one that changes your life forever. That’s the reality for so many Hispanic families in this country. And it’s time we stop looking the other way.
