The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, also known as ICE, has been at the center of national news over the last few months, with its deployment in major cities such as Chicago and Minneapolis, while maintaining a general presence throughout other parts of the US.
Within these developments, raids and enforcement activity have expanded, with thousands of agents sent to Minneapolis.
The actions performed by these agents during their raids and presence have been nothing short of deplorable. Eight people have been killed so far in ICE-related dealings: Luis Gustavo Núñez Cáceres, Geraldo Lunas Campos, Víctor Manuel Díaz, Parady La, Renee Nicole Good, Luis Beltrán Yáñez–Cruz, Heber Sánchez Domínguez, and Alex Pretti.
The excessive violence, revealed by video footage from bystanders, showed the scope of brutality that occurred in these killings, and sparked nationwide protests leading to the phrase “ICE out.”
Additionally, at the Grammy Awards, artists like Bad Bunny and Billie Eilish spoke up against the actions of ICE.
Beyond the killings, thousands have been left traumatized and injured in other ICE-related incidents due to excessive force and violence. One of these cases includes 5-year-old Liam Ramos, who was taken into custody by ICE agents in suburban Minneapolis along with his father.
Though the details about their entry into the United States are unclear, they do have an active asylum case in the system. They both spent a week in a Texas family detention center before a federal judge issued an order for their release.
The Department of Homeland Security stated that the boy was taken into their custody for his own protection after they arrested his father.
They’re currently back home in Minneapolis, but the trauma inflicted on them, especially on a 5-year-old, is sure to stay.
There is absolutely no justification for a child to be taken into custody when they should be getting access to a safe education and home.
If “all men are created equal,” and we all bleed red, then what reason is there for our federal government to enforce and defend this senseless violence beyond pushing a political agenda? Protests have brought the issue to light, but the government needs to take accountability for their own actions.
