U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, better known as ICE, has existed since 2002, born out of the post-9/11 security state. The agency has claimed a mandate rooted in “public safety” and “national security.” But over two decades later, and especially under the current Trump administration, ICE has become immensely troubling, straying as far as possible from what it claims to defend. ICE is an agency operating with expanded funding, diminished oversight, and a growing record of violence that targets immigrants, children, and even U.S. citizens themselves.
ICE frames its work as necessary for protecting Americans (BBC, 2026). Yet this justification begins to fall short when we look into how its authority is actually exercised. ICE officers are legally permitted to detain individuals they suspect of being undocumented, a dangerously vague approach in itself, but they do not have the right to enter private homes without a judicial warrant (BBC, 2026). Still, reports continue to surface of officers ignoring these limits, misleading families about their rights, and also using intimidation tactics to gain access. In some cases, children have been used as leverage or lures to draw parents out of hiding, constituting a profound violation of human rights.Â
The consequences of the overprivileged resources of power given to ICE are not hypothetical at all. In the forty weeks following Trump’s return to office, at least 170 U.S. citizens, yes citizens, were unlawfully detained by ICE due to “suspected” immigration status (ProPublica, 2025). Simply put, these are systemic failures rooted in the foundation of American history, in racial profiling and a presumption of guilt that treats brown people as inherently foreign, despite their actual citizenship status. Renee Good was a mother and a U.S. citizen. In January, she was shot and killed by ICE agent Jonathan Ross. Her death was labelled a “homicide,” but once it became clear that a federal agent was responsible, the U.S. Attorney’s Office claimed exclusive jurisdiction, effectively blocking Minnesota officials from accessing evidence (Brookings Institution, 2026). When the state investigates itself, justice does not survive or result from the process.
One of the many heartbreaking incidents involving ICE abuse of power is regarding a five-year-old, Liam Conejo Ramos, who was detained by ICE after returning from preschool in Minnesota. School officials even reported that agents allegedly used Liam as a way to try to get others in the house to come out. Using a little kid as bait is obviously cruel, but ICE does not share this sentiment. A federal judge later ordered Liam and his father released and sent back home, clearly showing that detaining someone so young in the first place was completely harmful. This makes one consider the impact such incidents can have on kids. Aggressive ICE has violated Liams and other children’s sense of security.
Past this unlawful detention is also another crisis that receives far less public attention: mental and physical health inside ICE detention centers. I believe this to be such an important aspect. A study by Patler et al. (2025), based on a cross-sectional telephone survey of formerly detained immigrants, found that 56.7% of participants had a diagnosed mental illness, most commonly depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. Those with mental illness were significantly more likely to experience poor health outcomes, interruptions in care, difficulty accessing medical services, and exposure to solitary confinement. Alarming is the authors’ acknowledgment that ICE releases very little information about detainees’ health, making accountability nearly impossible.Â
In these moments, Latin Americans and the American public feel unsure of who to count on. Yet hope persists as some politicians work to support them. On February 8, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani signed an executive order directly limiting cooperation with ICE. The order requires city agencies to safeguard personal data and restrict information-sharing with federal immigration authorities (Cunningham, 2026). Mamdani’s opposition to ICE predates his mayoralty; he’s not new to this. In 2025, he physically placed himself between ICE officers and targeted residents. He has called ICE “more than a rogue agency — a manifestation of systemic abuse of power.” In what feels like a political landscape dominated by uncaring leaders, Mamdani’s contributions stand out as genuinely meaningful. He follows through. He is what we need from more Mayors and senators, as the Trump administration does not show any signs of righting any wrongs; only continuing them by funnelling more resources into ICE.
A few months ago, it was announced that Bad Bunny would be doing the halftime performance for the Super Bowl. The backlash was immediate, with a lot of hateful perspectives that an “American” should be performing. A Puerto Rican artist singing in Spanish on America’s biggest stage was apparently too much for some Americans. To this divisiveness, Bad Bunny reacted by offering unity at a time when the country needs it most. Last night, during the Super Bowl halftime show, the artist delivered a moment that felt radical in an ultimately joyous way. Near the end of his performance, he exclaimed “God Bless America.” But he didn’t stop there, he followed with a roll call of the Americas: Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Mexico, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Haiti, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Guatemala, the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. In doing so, he took the historically exclusionary notion of “America” created by the U.S into one of inclusion. Simply showing that America is not just the U.S. states, but a vast, diverse hemisphere where Latin Americans and other non-U.S. territories are not just a part of America, but integral to its identity.