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We are in the middle of The Latino Newsletter’s 52nd week. This is our 269th post.
I had promised that for our one-year anniversary, I would try to go back and write a little more before we move to our next phase later this summer and bring in a small team to help.
For today, I wanted to share a bit about my latest MSNBC opinion piece, which is in the What We're Reading section below. There is no doubt that immigration under a second Trump administration is dominating American media headlines. The images and stories across all our screens are hard to ignore.
Over the last couple of weeks, I have been wanting to write an opinion piece that puts the current mood in the immigrant rights community into some context. When I was assigned a piece about ICE arresting people in courtrooms, I felt I could at least bring in a perspective that rarely gets discussed on a much larger platform.
For that reason, I contacted several immigrant rights groups via email (using a BCC list, as I was on a deadline last night). Here are the questions I asked:
Americans talk a lot about protecting due process, but when it comes to immigrants, due process does not exist. Why do you think so?
Also, do Americans care about this issue, or are we witnessing a desensitizing of cruelty against people? Please elaborate on your reasons.
What hope do you have, if any? Is the fight to save due process a fight worth fighting for? Why? Why not?
These were the answers I received from those who replied. While I used parts of two of these quotes for my opinion piece, it was important for me to share all the answers I received. Here they are, in the order I received each response last night.
Vanessa Cárdenas, America's Voice Executive Director
“Watching the sheer volume of the cruelty and chaos on display in recent months and seeing the mounting costs to American communities and our economy, the American people are already starting to recoil from Trump’s immigration agenda, including the way he’s weaponizing immigration as the ‘tip of the spear’ for a broader assault on core constitutional pillars such as due process and the separation of powers. Americans want things fixed, not destroyed—that includes our broken immigration system that has been desperate for an overhaul for decades. And now there’s a growing conversation oriented around the fact that Trump’s overreach and ugliness are moving us in the wrong direction on immigration, away from the real solutions America needs.”
America’s Voice shared a link to their recent poll about American public opinion and immigration.
Beatriz Lopez, Immigration Hub Co-Executive Director
“Who says [due process] doesn't exist? When you ask most Americans if people deserve an opportunity to make their case in court, most people believe they deserve that shot. And that’s due process regardless of your immigration status. The Trump administration knows that, and that's why they go out of their way to make false claims about the people they are detaining and disappearing to foreign prisons. Most Americans don't agree that Kilmar Abrego, Andry Hernandez Romero, Victor Andres Ortega Burbano, and the many more who are being indefinitely detained or deported should have been denied their right to due process. It's all the more reason why it’s so important to say their names, keep talking about what's happening to American families across the country, and hold the Trump administration accountable. The more the American public learns about these stories, the more that Trump's approval numbers keep taking a hit.
“Most Americans are NOT anti-immigrant; they're just anti-chaos. The media and even some Democrats have accepted the premise that Trump was right on immigration. Look, there was never an ‘invasion’ at the border; there were never a bunch of undocumented gang members running amok in our neighborhoods or voting in elections. There were, however, more contributions from immigrant workers to our economy. Lost in the headlines was the fact that our economy survived a major pandemic thanks to the jobs and high GDP that more immigration brought to our country. Lost in all the misinformation was the fact that most people, especially Latinos, want their family members to have a shot at a pathway to citizenship. We had two stories, one of abundance and one of scarcity and harm—and, sadly, it was the latter that got the most airtime. Trump and Republicans created a version of America that played on people's fears on the economy and public safety. Democrats failed to deliver a vision forward on the economy and immigration while failing to counter these attacks. Again, it’s all the more reason why it's so important to keep reminding, keep talking about what's happening to immigrants in America and their family members. From those disappeared without due process to the kids in their Sunday dresses who are being zip-tied by masked ICE agents… none of it is something you ignore. These are real-life stories that are certainly triggering our collective senses.”
“My hope is unyielding regardless of the challenges. Due process is a fight worth having, but even more than that, democracy and the people who make up that democracy —and that includes immigrants— are worthy of our efforts. I don't take for granted two lessons of the past: 1) almost all authoritarian regimes start by targeting the most vulnerable populations before they go after the rest of their people; and 2) my parents survived a war and fled a dictatorship to give my siblings and I safety and a shot at the American Dream. That's why I refuse to be a bystander. The freedoms and opportunities my family found here aren't guaranteed—they require each generation to stand up and protect them. This moment demands nothing less than our full commitment to the values that make America a place worth fleeing to, not from.”
Kica Matos, President of the National Immigration Law Center
“Everyone in the United States, regardless of our immigration or citizenship status, has the constitutional right to due process. This is for good reason—it prevents the government from acting arbitrarily and ensures that individuals are treated fairly. While the Trump administration has been engaging in actions that deny due process for immigrants, what is clearly being constructed is both the infrastructure and compliance that will facilitate a broader loss of rights for all Americans. All of us should be concerned.”
“The truth is that Americans have been sold a lie about immigrants by extreme politicians to gain political points. We, the people, are the ones who stand to lose basic constitutional rights. But I have hope, because people are waking up—we are seeing communities assert their rights to protect themselves and their neighbors. We all need to band together to push for real solutions that help all of us thrive, and to hold our government to account.”
Iván Espinoza-Madrigal, Executve Director, Lawyers for Civil Rights
“Americans often praise the U.S. Constitution, but in the current climate, fundamental protections are eroding for immigrants and others who come into contact with federal officials. From breaking car windows and pulling passengers out of vehicles to rushed deportations to far-flung jails in El Salvador, the federal government is denying people their day in court. That’s what due process and the rule of law are about: your day in court. Pushing back against federal overreach is essential to preserving access to justice, dignity, and fairness.”
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What We’re Reading
Eradicating Due Process: This is the final version of my MSNBC column, which features some of the statements I shared at the top of this newsletter post.
Julio Ricardo Varela is the founder of The Latino Newsletter. He is also its current part-time publisher and executive director. Email him here.
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