When Law Neglects Humanity
The quiet removal of people from our communities—people who have lived, worked, prayed, and raised families here—is happening all around us, and far too few are speaking out.
Across the United States, the federal government is expelling immigrants, primarily of Hispanic ethnicity and Catholic faith, without warning, compensation, or due process. These are not anonymous figures—they are our neighbors, coworkers, fellow parishioners. In the dead of night or with little notice, families are being torn apart, homes dismantled, livelihoods destroyed.
And we, a nation that so often claims to stand for liberty, due process, and human dignity, are watching it happen in silence.
The United States has not yet institutionalized overt religious or political persecution. We are not jailing priests for their faith or executing dissidents for their views. But we are engaging in something deeply corrosive: a selective abandonment of human rights. These expulsions are being carried out under color of law, but they strip people of the very protections our legal system is meant to ensure.
This is not immigration policy. This is state-enabled disruption of lives.
It is tempting to look away. We are exhausted by a news cycle that never rests, and by a culture that numbs us with the next crisis before we’ve fully processed the last. But becoming accustomed to injustice is itself a form of complicity. We must resist the normalization of cruelty—even when it is bureaucratic, quiet, and efficiently executed.
If we are to understand why so many have fled their home countries, we must look beyond our borders and beyond our assumptions. The book Strangers Among You by John Washington, available on Amazon and in Spanish as Extraños Entre Ustedes, offers a sobering, deeply human account of the reasons people from Central America have sought refuge in the United States. These are not opportunists or criminals—they are survivors of poverty, corruption, gang violence, and systemic instability. Many have risked everything for the chance to live in peace.
To send them away without due process, without notice, and without compassion is a rejection of not just their humanity, but our own. This isn’t about political ideology—it’s about whether we still recognize our moral obligations to one another, regardless of citizenship or status.
Our immigration system is broken, yes. But more urgently, our moral compass is faltering. We must demand that any system of enforcement be paired with accountability, fairness, and above all, humanity.
Silence in the face of this suffering is not neutrality—it is endorsement. Let us raise our voices now, before these injustices become just another part of the American routine.
Here are ten documented cases across various U.S. states where individuals were detained during Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations, leading to significant distress and, in some instances, temporary uncertainty about their whereabouts:
1. Oxnard, California (May 2025)
A man was apprehended by ICE agents at a gas station in Oxnard, leaving his two children—one a minor and the other a 19-year-old—stranded in his truck. Witnesses reported that the agents did not provide information about the man's destination, causing distress and confusion for his family. SFGate
2. Spring, Texas (March 2025)
ICE conducted a raid on a warehouse in Spring, Texas, detaining several individuals. Witnesses observed agents refusing to identify themselves or allow detainees to make phone calls. Family members were left searching for their loved ones without information on their whereabouts. Houston Chronicle
3. Danbury, Connecticut (March 2025)
Following a raid on a suspected brothel in Danbury, Stanlin Daniel Vasquez-Salinas was arrested and later taken into ICE custody. His failure to appear at a scheduled court date led to confusion about his location, with officials uncertain of his custody status for a period. News Times
4. Las Cruces, New Mexico (February 2017)
An ICE raid in Las Cruces led to widespread fear among the immigrant community. The day after the raid, over 2,000 students were absent from school, with many families going into hiding. Social workers reported difficulty locating families, indicating a climate of fear and uncertainty. The New Yorker
5. Bean Station, Tennessee (April 2018)
A significant ICE operation at a meat-processing plant resulted in the arrest of 97 workers. Many detainees were transported out of state, and families were left without information about their loved ones' locations, causing widespread anxiety in the community. The New Yorker
6. Mississippi (August 2019)
In one of the largest workplace raids in U.S. history, approximately 680 workers were detained across several food processing plants. Families were left without information, and many children returned home to find their parents missing, leading to community-wide distress. Time
7. Worthington, Minnesota (December 2006)
During the Swift & Co. meatpacking plant raids, numerous workers were detained and transported to out-of-state facilities. Families reported not knowing where their relatives were taken, and some children returned home to find their parents absent without explanation.
8. Greeley, Colorado (December 2006)
Similar to the Worthington case, ICE raids at the Swift & Co. plant in Greeley led to the detention of many workers. Community members reported a lack of information about the detainees' locations, causing fear and uncertainty among families. Wikipedia
9. Hyrum, Utah (December 2006)
ICE raids at the Swift & Co. plant in Hyrum resulted in the detention of numerous workers. Families were often left uninformed about the whereabouts of their loved ones, leading to significant emotional distress and community upheaval. Wikipedia
10. Marshalltown, Iowa (December 2006)
In another coordinated raid on Swift & Co. facilities, workers in Marshalltown were detained and moved to various detention centers. The sudden nature of the raids and the lack of communication left families scrambling for information about their detained relatives. Wikipedia
These cases highlight the profound impact ICE operations can have on individuals and communities, particularly when detainees' locations are not promptly disclosed, leaving families in distress and uncertainty.