Many people in the country right now are living in fear. Fear of never seeing their loved ones again, fear of either going somewhere they have never been before, or going back to the same place they fled from. Though mass deportations are happening in California, there are many other heartbreaking deportations and detainments happening all throughout the country.
Many people are being separated from their families who are non-citizens, and even American born citizens. People who are simply in the wrong place at the wrong time are also being taken because, to ICE, they may look like someone they need to detain in order to meet their quota for the day.
A lot of us as American born citizens are privileged. Privileged in ways that sometimes we don’t even realize. Whether it’s making a simple social media post or walking down the street, not all countries have the little freedoms we see as something so simple. But those who don’t have that privilege have to live in fear for their lives or the lives of their loved ones. That fear is present for so many people everywhere. It’s even felt by children, when the only thing children should be worried about is whether or not their parents are going to buy them the toy they’ve been eyeing at the store.
As a daughter of immigrants, who already have their citizenship, and working with children who are possibly affected by the ICE raids happening all throughout California, these past few weeks have been a lot more stressful. I’ve been staying on high alert not only for the kids’ safety at work but also for my family’s safety while they’re at work or running everyday normal errands. The raids get closer to home as the days go by, and some days are honestly worse than others. But even through all that fear, I still have pride in where my parents came from, because they left everything they have ever known and loved and risked their lives for children they didn’t even know they were going to have. They left their own homes, their own lives behind in order to give my siblings and me a better life than they had.
I am beyond grateful and blessed with the life my parents gave me. But I also recognize the privilege that I have that others may not. I am free to pretty much live my life without fear of going back to the same country I fled from, while others have to hide in fear almost every day simply because of the way they look. Being a Latina in the United States is a blessing and a curse. People love to eat the food, admire the sometimes unrealistic beauty standards, love to listen to the music, the “aesthetic,” the women, but when it actually comes down to fighting and standing up for what’s right, suddenly many people go quiet. Many people don’t realize that they are privileged just by simply living in this country because somebody in their family took the risk to leave everything they knew in order to give them and their family a better life from then on.
Many people being detained by ICE aren’t even criminals like the administration claims they are. Many have even been paying taxes for years under their own names or with an ITIN number, contributing to the same economy that is now trying to drive them out. And the truth is, Latinos and immigrants are enormous contributors to the economy especially in states like California, where immigrant labor powers entire industries. In California alone, immigrants make up roughly one third of the workforce (about 6.8 million workers), and undocumented workers contribute an estimated $3 billion annually in state and local taxes. Nationally, Latino buying power reached $2.8 trillion in 2023, and immigrant-led households paid over $330 billion in federal taxes and $162 billion in state and local taxes in 2021. Immigrants also accounted for 77% of farmworkers, 38% of California’s construction labor force, and 58% of the state’s service-sector workers. Immigrants and Latinos are not only part of the community culturally, but are essential to keeping the state’s economy strong and growing.
As American born citizens, we hold a privilege that is both powerful and deeply responsible. We have the right to speak up, to vote, to protest, and to amplify the voices of those who are too afraid or too vulnerable to stand in the spotlight themselves. Our citizenship gives us a shield that so many people around us don’t have and it’s a shield we should be using not only to protect ourselves, but to protect those who are forced to live in the shadows.
When I think about my parents, I remember that they sacrificed everything, comfort, familiarity, and the presence of their own families to come here so my siblings and I could have a safer, fuller life. It’s because of them that I know how important it is to fight for those who are marginalized or silenced. Their courage reminds me that my freedom of speech, my ability to advocate, and my safety in speaking out are not things to take lightly. They’re gifts, and I owe it to my parents and to every immigrant family like ours to use those gifts for good.
My parents worked tirelessly so I could grow up with opportunities they never had, and now it’s my turn to work twice as hard. Not only so I can honor the sacrifices they made, but so that I can help give them the peaceful and secure life they deserve in their later years. They helped me start my life as peacefully as possible, and my biggest goal is to help them end theirs with dignity, comfort, and pride.
And so I keep speaking out. I keep showing up. Because as American born citizens, it’s our duty to push for justice, equality, and compassion. We can’t stay silent when people are suffering simply because of where they were born. Especially when immigrants and Latinos are helping build and sustain the very economy we all depend on. They are small business owners, farmworkers, teachers, health care workers, and neighbors who contribute not just dollars, but heart and community. My parents’ story and the stories of so many immigrant families fuel my determination. I will always fight for those whose voices are silenced and for the chance to make this country a place where everyone, regardless of their immigration status, can live without fear.
Down below will be different links to a document filled with resources with how you can help and for those in need during these times.
Eyes of V 
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