ICE activity has escalated since President Trump took office, and our minorities are living in fear. This issue has even reached our community. Posters have appeared on local light posts to spread awareness on ICE’s whereabouts, as well as an alert system. Local schools, including Cypress High School, have posted notices on school grounds regarding police searching on campus without a warrant. There have even been incidents right here in Cypress. A community watch team verified the presence of an ICE agent at a gas station located on Walker Street and Crescent Avenue on September 29, 2025. Especially with the new judicial ruling regarding racial profiling, ICE agents are allowed to stop and arrest people on account of suspicion based on race and mannerisms.
The Latino population in the US is 65.2 million American citizens as of 2023. “Alligator Alcatraz” has been facing allegations, numerous reports of unsanitary conditions, neglect of the people being detained, and concerns about the environment outside of the “detention facility.” Still, it remains in operation. There have also been cases of citizens being unlawfully detained and deported, despite claiming that they have documentation, as well as proof. A government page in the name of Dan Goldman confirms this. Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10) and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Congressman Lou Correa (CA-46), Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) and Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ) led the demand for the investigation of this.
People like Kilmar Abrego Garcia have also been wrongfully detained and deported. He had a court order protecting him, yet he was still deported. This is happening all over the country, separating families. In Chicago, on a 10-year-old’s birthday, his family was detained by ICE. Since then, his older brother had been released, yet their parents remain in custody. ICE has also been targeting places that Hispanic communities tend to frequent, for example, the Santa Fe Swap Meet. California Representative Derek Tran has also pleaded for the apprehension of violent criminals instead of community members. Even according to the Department of National Justice, undocumented immigrants have a rate of offending crimes less than half that of U.S. citizens.
Trishamae Mandap, a senior said, “I don’t know how I feel about it. It’s mainly negative, but it’s their job. I don’t feel morally good about it, seeing the way that they treat protesters. . . Why are they deporting American citizens too? I’m so confused. That’s not part of the job.”
Senior Nour Roumie said, “I just think it’s extremely unfair for the people who have built whole careers and lives here, and their families are all based here. All of a sudden, they’re just being sent back when they’ve done nothing but support this country and build lives for people.
Senior Debra Sixtos said, “I think it’s horrible what’s happening, I think it’s unfair for them [ICE] to take these people that have lived here for almost 25 years. Most of the people that I know who have lived here for 25 years are getting deported. I also don’t think it’s about getting criminals out anymore, but it’s just more of a race thing at this point.”
The Latino community is scared with the events going on in our own neighborhoods, and we have banded together to help one another, creating alert systems, spreading awareness, buying necessities to distribute for those too scared to leave their homes. The Latino community now faces more hardship than ever.
