Trump’s Immigration Crackdown Sparks Panic

Photo courtesy: ACLU

As President Donald Trump’s administration intensifies immigration enforcement, fear and uncertainty grip the everyday lives of immigrant communities in Chicago and across the United States. With reports of large-scale arrests, worry begins to flood, prompting undocumented residents to take precautionary measures such as arranging legal plans in the case of detainment, setting up childcare plans, and even leaving the country preemptively (AP).

The White House reported that the immigration officials had arrested 538 individuals, including undocumented immigrants, gang members, and a suspected terrorist. Mass deportations followed, with hundreds of detainees transported on military aircraft, fulfilling Trump’s pledge to crack down on illegal immigration. However, concerns emerged regarding unanticipated raids where Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents detained not only undocumented immigrants but U.S. citizens, including a military veteran without a warrant (CBS).

Amid Trump’s prioritization of immigration enforcement, undocumented individuals—many of whom have lived in the United States for years—remain caught between fear and uncertainty.