There is so much chaos unfolding in the refugee and immigrant world right now– refugees being deported to their countries of persecution to immigrants imprisoned in an El Salvador prison– literally mocking the need for due process by the Trump administration. We all are overwhelmed by the constant executive orders and their real impacts on immigrant communities. As this is being drafted, Trump administration is reportedly bringing “White Africans” as “Refugees” from South Africa! But that’s not what we want to talk about today.
The terror filled high pitched scream of a 16 year old has gripped Worcester. It happened a couple of days back, while her mother was being arrested on the executive order by the President. It is still reverberating and has divided the community basically into two factions. Those who don’t see the need of due process and those who do. Those who see the black and brown faces as criminals and those who don’t.
This mother did not have 34 felonies on her name like the President. Unlike the President she was not found liable for sexual abuse by the jury. Unlike the president she does not have any stalled criminal cases. But still the broad anti immigrant rehtoric Trump administration is circulating is painting her as a criminal. The painting of immigrants and refugees as criminals has dehumanized all of us regardless of our status. By the evening of the ICE arrest the social media was full of people accusing this Brazilian mother of 3 of being a “criminal!” despite a shred of evidence.
But, even amidst this chaos, this mother looked resilient. Her girls are informed enough to ask for a warrant from ICE. And when they are not provided any, they are strong enough to stand to protect their mother, smart enough to gather the community, brave enough to run in front of an ICE vehicle stealing their mother from them right before the mother’s day.
I know there are people questioning the emotional health of the 16 year old daughter who ran to stop the ICE van instead of talking about the gross human rights violations in the name of keeping u a safe. I want these geniuses to understand that the absense of the due process should be what we should be questioning. This 16 year old is a fighter! Her pre-frontal cortex is going to take another 10 years to fully develop and even when that happens research shows that the human mind is predisposed to the fight, flight or freeze response in crisis. I hope she remains the fighter she is now. Those of us who are 26 or older need to picture our mothers being hauled by ICE into a van without a warrant and deported without any due process. Yes, you possibly are never going to see your mother again. Try using your analytical brain, while your mother is being detained, without showing any emotions with your fully developed brain.
Worcester is a city that is literally running on the blood and sweat of refugee and immigrants. I have never met this mother who was raising her three daughters but I have met many tigresses like her in this city built by immigrants just like her. Through this post, I want to celebrate these mothers, especially this mother picked by ICE– without a warrant – that shook the core of Worcester and all those mothers in the community who are finding strength to stand up to protect their neighnours during this chaos by standing up and fighting for the rights to due process for all.
Happy Mothers Day!
ARISE Inc 