This reminds me of what happened to a Japanese classmate of mind whose family was sent to a facility during WWII. They were not undocumented but were feared. This family was rescued and brought to Pella by a local businessman where they thrived. She was always very careful about what she said and did. The family would not have remained here without the kindness of many.
Locally I support those who have the know how to assist monetarily in their work that started with health checks for Latinos in our area. It has now progressed to ESL classes to help with language barriers to employment. Each step of the way I contributed knowing full well there would be no discrimination as to immigration status. My contribution of a hundred dollars here and there without the need of a 501c3 status I believe has helped get them to where they are today and increased the trust factor between the white community and the Latinos supported in these efforts greatly. The conundrum lies within the area of legality, same as during the days of the underground railroad. Does one risk his or her future over an unjust law and take action that may sacrifice that potential future or does one act to overcome this activity in whatever way they can? This is the difference between being a patriot or a terrorist! Depending on the outcome, you are either one or the other! Those who feel the need to act against such "laws" will likely be few, but important just the same. My father was one of the first people into the Dachau concentration camp, it forever changed him, seeing what could happen in a world where people simply followed and did nothing to stop this. He seldom spoke of his experience there, for obvious reasons, but I knew that until he breathed his last, it haunted him. Don't let what is likely to happen haunt you as well.
Thank you, Bob. I have been wondering what to do next as I watch the new administration prepare for exactly what they said they would do. I appreciate your experience and expertise so much. You make it seem like each of us can do something, not just sit idly by. As Joyce Vance says, we’re in this together.
"Even in the best-case scenario, it’s hard to see how this will go well." Here is a best case:
1. Priority given to documented law-breakers, including those who ignore their asylum hearings;
2. Voluntary return to country of origin preserves option to legally re-apply; otherwise not;
3. Deportation program, even if limited as above, deters the enormous march to the border.
My personal "canary-in-the coal mine" is Storm Lake (and similar industries) as Cullen has described--if left untouched then it confirms his campaign comments were hyperbole (similar to "Lock her up!" in 2016) and legal and economic practicalities hopefully preclude much of the rest.
Agree preparation makes sense even if little comes to pass.
"Speak your mind, even if your voice shakes". (Maggie Kuhn). Thanks for being a voice of reason, Bob. Driving these aggressive actions by the incoming administration is their mistaken notion that they have a "mandate" of the American people. Trump won the Electoral College decisively, but the popular vote only by a narrow margin. Indeed, fewer people voted for Trump than the sum of other candidates. I predict that six months in, you'll hear some voters' remorse from millions of people who only wanted a better economy, yet didn't realize the MAGA Master Plan (Project 2025) would result in the implosion of our system of government, and the migration toward a Christofacist nation.
Thank you, Bob, for highlighting this important issue. The picture of Manzanar is sobering. In Massachusetts, when an immigrant has a lawyer, it slows down the process a lot, but there are not enough lawyers stepping up. We will all have to advocate for those being targeted.
Thank you for this and the Open Letter to Senator Ernst earlier this week. Has the Senator responded? We are also watching her. Any ideas who her Dem opponent may be and from the right, if she makes Trump angry?
Robert, many, many excellent points. We have envisioned calamities from Trump, and as you say, if the worst does not happen it will be counted as a MAGA victory. The future, however, remains always unpredictable. The wise observe that "events" determine the course. A highly visible single atrocity (eg, George Floyd) can set the direction. Any day, we might awaken to the unanticipated happening that is elemental to the future, and right now is a period ripe for that something.
I do not know but I suspect that like many of the laws the Iowa and GOP and congress have passed and like previous actions they have taken, much will happen under cover of darkness. How sad that the common thread and the common threat to people is consistently given as police and military action. In that world view we are all seen as “necessary collateral damage” to set the world “right.”
Thank you, thank you! What else can we do? Prepare to shelter children? Will there be a central or several central foster organizations stepping up to coordinate placement? Shelter fleeing families? How might that work? Keep thinking and sharing! Your voice is mighty!
Thanks Linda. This post made me tear up that you are prepared to shelter. I've pondered if we can shelter people too. I'll ask the experts what we can do and share it.
All of this leaves me scratching my head, asking: "What happened to the Republican Party? Including the Eisenhower years?" The old saying "evil prevails when the good do nothing" has never been more true. I recently came across Heather Morris' book "The Tattooist of Auschwitz" and recommend it. Although listed as a novel, it could not be truer. Thank you for posting this.
Currently, it's free on Amazon Kindle Unlimited. And, it's a Peacock Original Series with Harvey Keitel and Melanie Lynskey -- although I've not yet located it.
Non immigrant Americans will lose their jobs. I’m thinking of teaching staff who serve in districts with large immigrant populations. When the money for those students disappears with them, many districts will be forced to cut staff. Approximately every 10 students is a whole teaching position.
The human toll will be traumatic. I never know as a teacher if kids are here “legally” or not, but I’ve had many students who were migrants. When I was pregnant with Noelle, one of my Hispanic students brought me homemade tamales. 😭 I just don’t understand (and I’m glad my heart is too big to not understand) why the right is so obsessed with dehumanizing migrants.
Provacative as usual. I have not heard anyone else raise this issue, so I don't know if I'm seeing something unseen or unrecognized. One perception I have of the immigration crisis and Trump solution is that the situation is a "leaky boat." Trump's solution is to immediately bail out the leaking boat on day one by rounding up all of the immigrants and deporting them. The boat is still leaking, as the border is not completely closed. There's only about 500 miles of border barriers for the 2200 mile US-Mexico border, and almost nothing for the even-longer US-Canadian border. SO! How does this work to immediately deport millions of immigrants-who already apparently know how to get into the US-and then still have a border that is not closed? The border won't be closed immediately, and in fact wasn't closed during the first four years of Trump, despite his promises to do so and with it all paid for by Mexico. Isn't the situation "bailing water out of the leaking boat while the boat is still leaking, only to have some of the water return?" The image of people in a leaking boat furiously bailing without fixing the boat first has been used in cartoons, but this reality version by Trump will be anything but funny. From another practical perspective, where does Trump send these millions of immigrants, who will take them, will the receivng sites have a choice, etc., and how much does this cost US?/us?
This reminds me of what happened to a Japanese classmate of mind whose family was sent to a facility during WWII. They were not undocumented but were feared. This family was rescued and brought to Pella by a local businessman where they thrived. She was always very careful about what she said and did. The family would not have remained here without the kindness of many.
Locally I support those who have the know how to assist monetarily in their work that started with health checks for Latinos in our area. It has now progressed to ESL classes to help with language barriers to employment. Each step of the way I contributed knowing full well there would be no discrimination as to immigration status. My contribution of a hundred dollars here and there without the need of a 501c3 status I believe has helped get them to where they are today and increased the trust factor between the white community and the Latinos supported in these efforts greatly. The conundrum lies within the area of legality, same as during the days of the underground railroad. Does one risk his or her future over an unjust law and take action that may sacrifice that potential future or does one act to overcome this activity in whatever way they can? This is the difference between being a patriot or a terrorist! Depending on the outcome, you are either one or the other! Those who feel the need to act against such "laws" will likely be few, but important just the same. My father was one of the first people into the Dachau concentration camp, it forever changed him, seeing what could happen in a world where people simply followed and did nothing to stop this. He seldom spoke of his experience there, for obvious reasons, but I knew that until he breathed his last, it haunted him. Don't let what is likely to happen haunt you as well.
You are a good man, Steve Hanken.
Thank you, Bob. I have been wondering what to do next as I watch the new administration prepare for exactly what they said they would do. I appreciate your experience and expertise so much. You make it seem like each of us can do something, not just sit idly by. As Joyce Vance says, we’re in this together.
"Even in the best-case scenario, it’s hard to see how this will go well." Here is a best case:
1. Priority given to documented law-breakers, including those who ignore their asylum hearings;
2. Voluntary return to country of origin preserves option to legally re-apply; otherwise not;
3. Deportation program, even if limited as above, deters the enormous march to the border.
My personal "canary-in-the coal mine" is Storm Lake (and similar industries) as Cullen has described--if left untouched then it confirms his campaign comments were hyperbole (similar to "Lock her up!" in 2016) and legal and economic practicalities hopefully preclude much of the rest.
Agree preparation makes sense even if little comes to pass.
Thanks Bob.
"Speak your mind, even if your voice shakes". (Maggie Kuhn). Thanks for being a voice of reason, Bob. Driving these aggressive actions by the incoming administration is their mistaken notion that they have a "mandate" of the American people. Trump won the Electoral College decisively, but the popular vote only by a narrow margin. Indeed, fewer people voted for Trump than the sum of other candidates. I predict that six months in, you'll hear some voters' remorse from millions of people who only wanted a better economy, yet didn't realize the MAGA Master Plan (Project 2025) would result in the implosion of our system of government, and the migration toward a Christofacist nation.
Thanks Mark. A friend just called me to talk about the voters remorse.
Met w friends last nite who said a top Google search was "how do I change my vote?"
I saw that on twitter...
nice piece, nice writing, all scary.
Thank you, Bob, for highlighting this important issue. The picture of Manzanar is sobering. In Massachusetts, when an immigrant has a lawyer, it slows down the process a lot, but there are not enough lawyers stepping up. We will all have to advocate for those being targeted.
Robert,
Thank you for this and the Open Letter to Senator Ernst earlier this week. Has the Senator responded? We are also watching her. Any ideas who her Dem opponent may be and from the right, if she makes Trump angry?
Thank you. No response, unsurprisingly. I believe her staff saw it.
Robert, many, many excellent points. We have envisioned calamities from Trump, and as you say, if the worst does not happen it will be counted as a MAGA victory. The future, however, remains always unpredictable. The wise observe that "events" determine the course. A highly visible single atrocity (eg, George Floyd) can set the direction. Any day, we might awaken to the unanticipated happening that is elemental to the future, and right now is a period ripe for that something.
As always, thanks.
I do not know but I suspect that like many of the laws the Iowa and GOP and congress have passed and like previous actions they have taken, much will happen under cover of darkness. How sad that the common thread and the common threat to people is consistently given as police and military action. In that world view we are all seen as “necessary collateral damage” to set the world “right.”
Thank you, thank you! What else can we do? Prepare to shelter children? Will there be a central or several central foster organizations stepping up to coordinate placement? Shelter fleeing families? How might that work? Keep thinking and sharing! Your voice is mighty!
Thanks Linda. This post made me tear up that you are prepared to shelter. I've pondered if we can shelter people too. I'll ask the experts what we can do and share it.
All of this leaves me scratching my head, asking: "What happened to the Republican Party? Including the Eisenhower years?" The old saying "evil prevails when the good do nothing" has never been more true. I recently came across Heather Morris' book "The Tattooist of Auschwitz" and recommend it. Although listed as a novel, it could not be truer. Thank you for posting this.
Good question. Thanks for the book suggestion. Maybe I should read it for some hints.
Currently, it's free on Amazon Kindle Unlimited. And, it's a Peacock Original Series with Harvey Keitel and Melanie Lynskey -- although I've not yet located it.
Like you say: “This will be a humanitarian crisis.”
Non immigrant Americans will lose their jobs. I’m thinking of teaching staff who serve in districts with large immigrant populations. When the money for those students disappears with them, many districts will be forced to cut staff. Approximately every 10 students is a whole teaching position.
Thanks Lindsey, I never thought of this. It will result in lots of pain. I'm going to think more about it.
The agriculture industry is already lobbying to have their workers be exempt.
The human toll will be traumatic. I never know as a teacher if kids are here “legally” or not, but I’ve had many students who were migrants. When I was pregnant with Noelle, one of my Hispanic students brought me homemade tamales. 😭 I just don’t understand (and I’m glad my heart is too big to not understand) why the right is so obsessed with dehumanizing migrants.
Provacative as usual. I have not heard anyone else raise this issue, so I don't know if I'm seeing something unseen or unrecognized. One perception I have of the immigration crisis and Trump solution is that the situation is a "leaky boat." Trump's solution is to immediately bail out the leaking boat on day one by rounding up all of the immigrants and deporting them. The boat is still leaking, as the border is not completely closed. There's only about 500 miles of border barriers for the 2200 mile US-Mexico border, and almost nothing for the even-longer US-Canadian border. SO! How does this work to immediately deport millions of immigrants-who already apparently know how to get into the US-and then still have a border that is not closed? The border won't be closed immediately, and in fact wasn't closed during the first four years of Trump, despite his promises to do so and with it all paid for by Mexico. Isn't the situation "bailing water out of the leaking boat while the boat is still leaking, only to have some of the water return?" The image of people in a leaking boat furiously bailing without fixing the boat first has been used in cartoons, but this reality version by Trump will be anything but funny. From another practical perspective, where does Trump send these millions of immigrants, who will take them, will the receivng sites have a choice, etc., and how much does this cost US?/us?
Excellent perspective. thanks David.
I appreciate the thoughtful way you have laid this out.