The disregarded perspective of an immigrant
On February 8th in Gainesville, Texas, 11-year-old Jocelynn Rojo Carranza tragically took her own life after being bullied by her classmates regarding her family’s immigration status. In an interview with CBS News Texas, Jocelynn’s mother shared that The Gainesville Independent School District had informed her that Jocelynn had visited the counselor's office multiple times to report bullying incidents.
As the investigation continues, this heartbreaking situation prompts us to think about the inevitable outcomes of hate and fear in our society. It also underscores the urgent need for societal change. Immigrants in the United States often experience pervasive fear, regardless of their legal status. This fear is not new. During President Obama’s first term, nearly 2.9 million immigrants were deported, and 1.9 million in his second term, according to Vox. The Biden administration saw 1.49 million deportations, comparable to Trump’s last term which saw 1.5 million deportations. Trump has proposed plans to deport an additional 1.4 million undocumented immigrants in the next two years and possibly even more—around 10 million in total. Yet, there is no clear plan for mass deportations, and current numbers are lower than historical figures. This raises the question: why is fear more promising now?
In addition to Trump’s plans to deport millions, recent policy changes have negatively impacted even those immigrants who are documented and legally in the United States. On March 3, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) introduced new forms for submissions, such as Form I-485 for Permanent Resident visas and Form I-131 for travel documentation. These new forms have a retroactive date of January 20th with no grace period like those provided by previous administrations. Therefore, those who submitted their forms after January 20th but before March 3rd are subject to rejection. To better understand, USCIS received around 10 million applications for 2024 in 2023, which amounts to about 27,777 daily applications. During this forty-two-day period, roughly 1,166,634 applications could be affected, putting the legal status of many individuals at risk.
Trump has introduced a deportation strategy known as ‘Bridge Deportation,’ which has made immigrants more fearful. This element of the administration’s deportation policy forces immigrants to be sent to ‘bridge’ countries, such as Costa Rica and Panama, where they will wait for their final destination. During an immigrant’s ‘bridge’ holding, they lose their opportunity to seek asylum elsewhere, forcing them to return to their home countries. This approach appeals to some because it shifts the responsibility for deportations away from the U.S., allowing the Trump administration to manage mass deportations without the necessary resources and shifting responsibility to other countries. This strategy not only increases the fear and uncertainty for immigrants but also raises ethical and human rights concerns.
The extensive deportation plans carry significant financial costs. $26 billion would be needed to increase arrests and deportations by about 600% compared to current efforts. Steve Bannon has suggested a plan that would allow citizens to make arrests and detain those they believe to be living in the country illegally. As a result, when a young girl gets bullied for her family’s legal status, the fear extends to much more than being an immigrant; it is the fear of the unknown and potentially death. Immigrants worry about not being able to renew their documents, even if they follow all the rules. They fear that their neighbors could legally detain them based on profiling and the simple suspicion of being undocumented. There is also the terrifying possibility of being sent to an undisclosed location or country where they could be held in "temporary camps" without access to legal help. This widespread fear can be just as harmful as the threats they face.
