I can’t stop thinking about how quiet most people are while our government is literally snatching people off the streets. Do you realize how terrifying that is? Some of these people aren’t criminals. Some aren’t even immigrants. And yet, too many Americans shrug because they think it will never happen to them.
But here’s the truth: if we let due process disappear for some, we’re fooling ourselves if we think it won’t eventually disappear for all.
The Illusion of Safety
I get it. If you’re an average white American, you probably don’t walk around worrying about being profiled. You probably assume you’ll never be dragged into a van by men in uniforms without explanation. But what happens when the rules no longer apply?
In Chicago this summer, ICE launched what they called “Operation Midway Blitz.” Sounds like a video game, right? Except it wasn’t. They grabbed people at bus stops, even a flower vendor—people who had no criminal records at all (Washington Post). No judge. No questioning. Just—gone. That’s not law enforcement. That’s lawless.
And it’s not just immigrants. A Cuban asylum-seeker named Jenny walked into her court hearing in El Paso, did everything by the book, and was still snatched by masked agents on her way out (The Guardian). College students with legal visas have been dragged from their apartments. Even American citizens have been detained and shuffled into this machine because the system has stopped caring about evidence first, rights second.
Why This Should Scare Everyone
Here’s what I wish people understood: due process is not a luxury. It’s the bare minimum that separates a democracy from a dictatorship.
Maybe right now you think you’re safe. But what happens when this culture of “detain first, ask questions later” spreads beyond immigration? What happens when it becomes acceptable for police—or any authority—to treat you the same way?
Imagine walking out of a store after buying a coffee, and some masked man grabs you, cuffs you, and says you’re a shoplifter. No questions. No explanation. Just like that, your rights are gone. That’s the slippery slope we’re standing on.
This Is Bigger Than Immigration
The Supreme Court recently lifted restrictions on ICE, giving the agency more freedom to profile people based on how they look, how they speak, or what job they do (Guardian, AP News, Vox). Once the courts normalize stripping rights from one group, where does it end?
Over the past decade, more than 160,000 people have been deported without ever seeing a judge (Stanford Law). And as of this summer, 59,000 individuals were in ICE custody—many of them with no criminal record at all (VisaVerge). Those numbers should send a chill down your spine.
Don’t Wait Until It’s Too Late
Look, maybe you think you’ll never be targeted. Maybe you’re white, middle-class, blending in just fine. But what happens when the rules are already broken? When due process doesn’t matter anymore, it doesn’t matter for anyone.
Today it’s a flower vendor. Tomorrow it could be you at the grocery store, accused of shoplifting with no chance to speak. Tell me—how safe do you feel then?
If we stay silent now, we’re not just failing immigrants. We’re failing ourselves.
Don’t sit this one out. Speak up when you see injustice. Share these stories. Support legal aid groups fighting for immigrants. And most importantly—hold your representatives accountable. Because if due process dies quietly, democracy follows right behind it.
👉 To find your representatives and their contact information, visit:
📢 Want to do more? Consider supporting organizations on the front lines:
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ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) — fighting for civil rights and liberties, including due process protections.
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RAICES (Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services) — providing free and low-cost legal services to immigrants and refugees.
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NILC (National Immigration Law Center) — advocating for policies that expand and protect immigrant rights.
