The fight for equality has always been a struggle in America, but over the past decade, peace and equality had finally started to feel realistic, that is, until the new immigration policies were implemented. We are taught our whole lives about strong activists who made a change for our future. So that makes me wonder, why does it seem like we are going back in history? Thanks to people who stood up when no one else would, our country has undergone a period of massive change, including the implementation of policies that protect individuals' constitutional and human rights. Yet, looking at our country in 2026, it seems we have backslid into a far less free, equal, and protected society. Instead of enforcing border control and opening up opportunities for legal immigration, they are repeating the parts of history that we are trying to learn from, reverting to violence and hate crimes.

     I believe that the inhumane behavior of ICE agents doesn't just stem from their lack of morality, but also because the Trump administration cut training for ICE agents to only 47 days. Not only is their lack of training a glaring red flag, but ICE agents are not required to have prior law enforcement experience. This means they're missing out on key training on de-escalation tactics or even advanced firearms certifications. Clearly, this lack of training leaves agents unqualified to serve the U.S. efficiently, and this is when we end up with situations like Alex Pretti or Renee Good being shot without posing any serious threat to agents. Additionally, ICE agents are earning six-figure salaries, and some are receiving bonuses of up to $50,000. I believe this money could be better allocated elsewhere, such as offering grants to help individuals secure immigrant status or visas.

     When visiting the ICE website to sign up to become an agent, Uncle Sam is the first thing you see. Uncle Sam began as a propaganda tool to recruit people for war, but now he serves as an icon of national pride and unity. Uncle Sam’s feature feels wrong, since ICE is in no way representative of national pride. Citizens, including me, are ashamed of what's currently being featured in the news and on social media. I've seen ICE agents arresting citizens, ignoring due process, entering homes without a warrant and refusing to identify themselves.

     This is how our nation treats people, even our own citizens, based on appearance rather than their rights. An ICE agent even arrested another ICE agent who was off duty. This shows the reality that ICE is acting recklessly and hurting innocent people. No matter your stance on how necessary immigration crackdowns are, the U.S. Constitution promises equal rights and due process to all people in the U.S., not just citizens, and ICE is ignoring all of this. Whether you like it or not, this actively puts you at risk, because if ICE can pick anyone up off the street and arrest or deport them without due process, it could easily be you in that situation.

     ICE first had the goals of protecting national security, stopping serious crimes, enforcing immigration laws and investigating immigration violence. This agency was not supposed to be an attack on hard-working and tax-paying immigrants; it was supposed to target people who truly threatened U.S. citizens. If we really want to make a difference in this world, we need to start by identifying the real problem and opening up pathways for legal immigration, not resorting to violence.