President Trump’s immigration policy–with its threat to deport undocumented immigrants and the brash, controversial methods agents have used to enforce it–has been on many minds these past few months.
The presence as well as the constant possibility of ICE agents in Everett has been raising lots of concerns in our community about safety and constitutional rights. Many people feel uneasy and fear ICE being so close to our community and neighboring cities. It concerns students and residents.
¨I feel like a lot of people don’t feel safe here because of ICE,” freshman Leylah Aubourg said. “I also don’t feel safe here because I realize that community members are doing nothing to protect us.”
“It affects our community because there are so many immigrants, both documented and undocumented, in Everett, and I feel like that’s what our city is built on,” Auborg said.
“The thought of staying in a detention center is sickening,” Nyugen said. “Being dehumanized by being shaved and reduced to an ‘illegal immigrant’ is so devastating. Being separated from family can be so scary especially because most people have limited contact with them due to ICE restrictions.”
“The constant uncertainty and the ruthlessness of the process worries people,” English teacher Michael Fineran said. “Like the video of the officer smashing the car windows with people sitting inside it who were waiting for their lawyer. The way mistakes have been made but it doesn’t bother anyone (either in power or in the general public) to prevent those mistakes or to fix them when they get made.”
“I think it’s unconstitutional for ICE to be doing what they’re doing because they don’t have warrants most of the time, and they should at least state their cause as to why they’re taking families apart,” Aubourg said.
“They don’t knock. They forget kids are watching. It reduces your entire life to a ‘case’,” teacher Samuel Miranda said. “And let’s face it—people fear becoming invisible, even when they’ve lived here for decades and built entire lives.”
“It makes people live quietly. Not peacefully—quietly,” Miranda said. “You start whispering your language in public, skipping doctor visits, or telling your kid not to say too much at school. That silence is the real damage.”
“It seems that many people have become very divided over the issue of immigration and ICE,” science department head Nancy Cianchetta said. “Having people in a community so upset with each other over a federal policy is difficult to navigate.”
In addition, some concerns have been raised about whether ICE agents can forcefully enter schools, and it feels like there have been many unanswered questions.
School administrators have made it a point to emphasize that students should always feel safe in school buildings.
“I take pride in safety and security,” vice principal John Sutera said. “My number one priority in this building is to maintain a safe environment for everybody to come in here feeling good about themselves and want to be part of the school spirit, and give an environment conducive to learning and stuff like that. I think for the most part this is a fairly safe school. I do. I’m proud of that.”
”Because there is a set protocol that we follow,” Sutera said. “For the most part, like I say, it’s for the benefit of our students. And I wouldn’t worry too much about ICE right now, seriously, especially in this school,” Sutera said.
“I believe the intention [on the school’s behalf] is genuine, and that matters,” Miranda said. “But safety isn’t just declared—it’s felt. It’s in who’s hired, what languages are spoken, and whether your story is seen as ‘valid.’ We’re on the right path, but let’s keep walking,” .
Nevertheless, ICE in Everett has significantly affected our community negatively; more and more people are going into hiding in fear of ICE agents detaining them. Their fear stems from the unpredictability of being detained. This has devastated our community, leaving many devastated with low morale.
Many social figures claim to know how we feel, but do they? They claim action is being taken, so why are families currently being pulled apart? As ICE’s presence continues to take its toll on Everett, who can we trust? And who will step up and advocate for our well-being?
