A few days ago, we discussed with our child what we would do if ICE stopped him. We told him to obey orders, not to resist, not to run away. Hopefully ICE won't throw him to the ground. He only had a student ID card with him. We have to have this conversation because I saw the photo of 5-year-old Liam Ramos being detained by ICE. But this is just the tip of the iceberg. ICE has detained thousands of children during Trump’s second term. Anyone who does not look white should prepare their family to face ICE because they are using racial profiling. ICE is surging in Minnesota right now, but I read that Oregon is next. I expect ICE thugs will flood the streets of Portland at some point. If ICE kidnaps him, we will find our son and get him out. This is complete bullshit because he was born in a hospital two blocks away. But that’s the reality of life in America today.
Photo of Liam Ramos being detained.
Next, we discussed what to do if Ms. RB40 and I were detained by ICE. We made a list of people on the whiteboard that he could ask for help in case we disappeared. He could also call some friends who live nearby to see if they can help. There was little chance that ICE would take either of us. Ms. RB40 is law-abiding and she will follow instructions. However, ICE likes to detain people first and then release them. They might put all detainees on a list for future elimination or something like that. But who knows? They might let Ms. RB40 go because she sounds so “American.”
More likely than not, ICE will stop me when I go out alone. There was no way I was running errands around town with my American passport. Whatever. This is Portland, not Nazi Germany. U.S. citizens are not legally required to carry proof of citizenship in their daily lives.
In Minnesota, ICE sets up checkpoints, seizes minorities from grocery stores and restaurants, goes door-to-door without warrants, and randomly snatches people off the street. I expect ICE will use the same strategy when it comes to Portland. An encounter seems inevitable. Being a U.S. citizen does not offer any protections. ICE has killed 2 U.S. citizens and detained many non-white legal residents and citizens. I will comply and try to minimize the harm. However, they seem to enjoy brutalizing minorities, so we'll see how things pan out.
My strategy when ICE blocks me
- Take out your phone and start recording.
- Said: “I am a U.S. citizen. I don't need to carry a passport to do things. You have no right to detain me. I have the right to remain silent. I do not consent to the search.”
- Hand over a Know Your Rights card. My attorney's information is on the back.
- Hand over my driver's license. This isn't the REAL ID version, but I hear ICE doesn't care.
They may detain me after this. I will comply and will not resist. I don't mind spending a few hours or days in a cell. They can waste time with me if they want. Come on, put me on your list.
Our strategy when ICE comes knocking
- Don't open the door.
- Take out your phone and start recording.
- Ask them through the doorbell camera if they have a search warrant. Tell them they are being recorded.
- Tell them to slide the search warrant under the door.
- Sliding my Know Your Rights card under the door to them.
- If they force entry. Do not resist and state, “I do not consent to this search. I am a U.S. citizen. You are here illegally.” Then remain silent.
When I see ICE nearby
- Start recording.
- Call PIRC to report the presence of ICE. (Portland Immigrant Rights Alliance). 1-888-622-1510.
- Whistle. I have not. I will order a box of whistles to hand out.
- Stay at least 10-15 feet away from them.
this could happen to me
ICE removed a U.S. citizen from his home in his underwear. They forced entry into his home without a search warrant and refused to see his identification. ICE took him to a remote location, dropped him off, photographed him, and then released him home after confirming he was a U.S. citizen. Soon, you'll be seeing me in the news.
All in all, I'm ready for ICE. I will comply and do my best to stay silent and avoid getting hurt. If they want to waste their time with me, that's fine with me. I'm retired. I don’t have anything better to do anyway. If they violate my constitutional rights, my attorney will file a lawsuit.
Trump's approval rating for immigration is about 39%. It's amazing how many people support ICE. I think they have no problem with legal residents and US citizens being persecuted if it doesn't affect them personally. Maybe they think violating the constitutional rights of minorities is a price we should be willing to pay. Or maybe they believe all the lies told by Kristi Noem and other Trump cronies. I would love to cut those people out of my life.
I don't want to live like this. I don’t want to rehearse legal scripts before a business trip or teach my kids how to survive an encounter with federal agents. I want to walk around my community, raise my family, and enjoy my retirement without fear. But this is not the country we live in now.
I will not carry my US passport because I refuse to normalize it. I will know my rights, I will document everything, and I will do everything I can to protect my family. If that means patrolling my neighborhood, blowing whistles, or attending protests instead of enjoying a relaxing retirement, so be it.
This is not who we should be. I'm not going to pretend this is normal until things change.
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