It’s extremely disturbing that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement would target a shelter in our community. Rising Hope Mission Church shelter addresses issues of homelessness, hypothermia and providing care to those in needs. Anyone seeking those resources should not be targeted further. In the case that ICE officers targeted specifically Latinos here and restrained them is appalling. Especially since they were detained without cause or allegations of criminal activity. This blatantly violates basic human rights and rights of this country, and to make matters worse, the underprivileged were the victims of these violations.
It does provide little comfort however that members of the Fairfax community will not stand for this targeting behavior. Religious leaders took to the ICE offices to continue serving and helping those previously at the Rising Hope Mission Churches shelter. This is a testament to the good hearted nature of people in this community. They will not stand for this insinuation of fear and threats of ICE and they are advocating for their rights. If ICE is permitted to continue this profiling and targeting methods it will be a detriment to the community. Innocent Latinos have already been victims of this harassment based on racial prejudices and on appearances. As a community we must encourage ICE to conduct their searches for individuals violating immigration laws in a humane manner.
Drew Sigman
Fairfax
Senior at James Madison University