State of the State: Fear and Uncertainty Continue to Torment My ICE-Torn Minnesota
- Minnesotans are rising to the occasion to support their immigrant neighbors. But challenges remain.
As the Commander-in-Chief (aka Liar-in-chief) was giving his State of the Union address, I was thinking about the state of affairs in my ICE-torn state of Minnesota. The rosy picture that was being painted is not our situation currently, but I have a feeling, to some degree, other areas of the nation are not feeling it either. Unlike the painter of the rosy picture, I am in touch with reality, and my address comes from experience working with people impacted by ICE operations.
ICE is still here in Minnesota contrary to what they claim. While they have adjusted their tactics, their actions remain unlawful, invasive, and brutal — they are being sneaky now and not making a spectacle out of it. They’re still following kids, parents, and teachers at schools, lurking around places of worship, sneaking into people’s homes, gaining trust (and access) by speaking in their victims’ native languages.
We cannot undermine the human cost of enforcement actions, whoever the victims are – legal, illegal, or those deemed illegal unlawfully by the federal government.
The impact is obvious. Families are falling apart, struggling to make ends meet as breadwinners face impossible choices: stay home and risk financial ruin or venture out to work and risk being caught and separated from their loved ones. The emotional toll is profound, with even U.S.-born children experiencing stress, anxiety, and uncertainty about their future.
As communities grapple with these challenges, donors are stepping up to provide support. We started with groceries, but the needs are now greater in the rental and legal assistance areas, to avoid eviction and keep paperwork updated (not that ICE cares) respectively. Pick ups and drop offs, doctor appointments (sometimes even home visits), toiletries .. It’s as if we have extra families to support. In fact, some of us are adopting families which means their overall wellbeing is our responsibility.
However, the need is vast, and resources are dwindling. Many organizations and individuals, initially equipped to handle the influx of requests, are now facing their own financial crises. The overall mood is indeed far from cheerful, with many feeling caught in a cycle of fear and uncertainty.
We cannot undermine the human cost of these enforcement actions, whoever the victims are – legal, illegal, or those deemed illegal unlawfully by the federal government. As ICE continues to operate, the urgency of immigration reform and humane treatment becomes clearer, yet solutions remain elusive. The only solace is what we are seeing in the polls — more and more Americans opposing ICE’s brutality. May humanity be the ultimate winner.
Padma Nadella is an IT professional who lives in Eagan, Minnesota, with her husband and 19-year-old son. She manages a Facebook group for Minnesotans to collaborate on events and activities related to health and fitness. The group now has over two thousand members. Jill of all trades, she enjoys playing volleyball, traveling the world, and entertaining, mostly, but dabbles in everything else.