There is nothing short of gut-wrenching than watching a child scream as federal agents drag their parents away in the middle of the night. ICE raids are not just immigration enforcement. They are acts of psychological warfare on America’s most vulnerable families. These raids are indoctrinating humanity. These operations don’t just break the law, they break people, families and the foundation of America. They shatter communities, devastate children and leave lasting scars on everyone forced to witness them. It’s not just heartbreaking, it’s disgusting. And yet, this cruelty continues, cloaked in the language of “public safety” and “national security.” Let’s be honest: these raids are about fear, not justice. About dehumanization, not law and order.
At this point, this is not a Republican or Democrat belief. It is not a political agenda but an animalizing one. It should not be radical for a person to believe that families belong together.
The soul of this nation is crying out at this exact moment in time, the same way that the children at the border have for years. The U.S. is not a place where we should be united in throwing chains on humans with forgotten names instead of humanity. Instead of tinfoil blankets being thrown on immigrants, it should be blankets of hope and freedom. Being born in the wrong place should never be a crime, especially in a country born from immigrants.
These mothers and fathers have made impossible decisions, walking with blistered feet to give a new meaning to life for their children. These people have walked miles upon miles for a better tomorrow, only to find walls that are taller than compassion. And who has the authority to say that their reason is simply not good enough?
ICE agents storm through the doors of homes, workplaces, churches and hospitals to tear the dignity out of each and every human. They tear the life out of each of these families.
Even after all this, we have the nerve to chant “liberty.” We say "never again," while history repeats itself, with a different name, and with a different target. It is nothing but a different excuse for cruelty.
It is inexcusable for human rights to become a debate. How did human dignity become a debate? We see men in suits signing laws, calling it "national security.” At the same time, children cry for mothers who won’t return. Their sobs echo through the chambers of power, but no one listens. Except that they do hear, and turn a blind eye.
We built this country on migration, on the backs of dreamers and workers. Now we’ve turned our backs on the very soil that fed us. Now we call them “illegal,” as if seeking refuge is a crime. As if starting over with freedoms is a crime. As if hope is unlawful. As if love for one’s child makes you dangerous. Ignorance is a luxury, and silence is complicity.
The world has seen this before. History is repeating itself. It is important for privilege not to blur our sympathies. Who are you going to be in the history books?
Dawson Iasillo is a junior political science and journalism major. Reach her at dawsoniasillo@dailynebraskan.com.