Ice and the Human Cost of Enforcement

Author: Nailah Hunt

“PROTECTING BORDERS SHOULD NEVER MEAN BREAKING FAMILIES.”

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was created to protect America’s borders, but its impact on families and communities has raised difficult questions about what protection truly means. 

While ICE’s mission is to uphold the law,the way it operates often leads to fear and trauma—especially for immigrants who come to this country seeking safety and a better life. As an African American student, I think a lot about what justice and fairness mean in America. Our history shows how laws can sometimes be used to harm rather than to help. Seeing how ICE separates families and detains people for simply seeking opportunity reminds me that the struggle for justice doesn’t stop with one group—it connects all of us.

We can respect the rule of law while also demanding humanity. ICE’s approach to enforcement should reflect the same values we claim to stand for as a nation:equality, compassion, and dignity for every person who sets foot on American soil.