View from the inside: What happens when ICE raids

If violent gang members threatened your 10-year-old son to join them or they would take him, what would you do? The threat was real. It had already happened to many others. This was the gang’s method of recruitment.

This is the kind of life and death scenario that families from Central America and elsewhere are faced with. They make the best decision they can under the circumstances. They flee, hoping for a better life in a country that has always stood for freedom, welcome and opportunity for immigrants.

There will not be any names or faces with this article. People are fearful and stressed after raids by ICE and Border Patrol on Amelia Island on June 12 that rocked the entire Hispanic community. That community numbers in the several thousands.

Through a friend, I was able to interview a longstanding member of that community on condition of anonymity. I thought it was important for people to hear what it feels like from the inside. We hear news reports from various sources. We see posts online. We hear reports that violent criminals have been released from prison elsewhere to flood our country to commit crimes here freely. I thought knowing personal stories might inform our perspective.

Before I could even ask a question and before he even sat down, my interview subject started talking. Clearly, he was anxious to share what was on his heart and mind in the hope that increased understanding would help the members of his community. He and his wife are here legally with work permits that are valid for 5 more years. Those papers are on his person at all times.

He said, “We come here for one reason: for the opportunity for a better life for our families.”

He has been in this country for half his life — more than 20 years. He is now a leader within his community and in his church. On Thursday, his phone blew up with calls and texts from people who were very scared. Reports of the raids' whereabouts were circulated. He personally knows at least 10 people who were picked up. Yesterday, he and his wife did what they could to help. They picked up children from daycare and took them home. They took food to people too afraid to leave their homes. They communicated comfort and understanding. They networked through their church.

He told a story about one of the men who was taken away. He is Honduran. He takes his son to daycare and goes to work in construction. His wife cleans offices at night so they can share child care. Their son has many physical problems and needs to go for therapy in Jacksonville weekly. The wife is now on her own. How will she keep working? How will she get her son to the therapy? She has no idea where her husband is or when she may see him again. She is afraid to drive to Jacksonville in case she gets picked up along the way. What would happen to her son then?

How is the Hispanic community doing? They are paralyzed with fear and sadness. Many are too afraid to go to work, to leave their families. Many work in construction. Those job sites are quiet.

Another contractor told my subject that the framers, drywall installers and painters who live in Georgia will not come to the island now. Companies cannot get their jobs done on time. They are losing money or will lose it.

The strain is enough to make grown men cry. They are back to living with fear day to day, like they did back in their home countries. Some have thought of leaving, just going back, even though it would mean starting all over again.

My subject acknowledged that those who are here illegally have broken the law. Otherwise, they are peaceful; they pay taxes; they work hard. My subject said his day begins with prayer, then he goes to work. And he works all the time. He enjoys the freedom to express himself that he finds here. He likes celebrating holidays with his extended family and church family. In his home country, no one can depend on the government for help. Only those rich enough to have high fences and to pay for protection are safe.

I asked what he would like to see from the wider community. He said, “Help us wake up from this bad dream.” They need information about their rights and about what help is available.

Immigration lawyers are expensive. The community needs to help find affordable legal representation.

There is a small group that is working on immigration issues. Because of the sensitivity of what they are doing, they do not want their names disclosed. They don’t even tell each other who they are working with. They do share applicable resources. More than 1500 “know your rights” cards have been distributed.

As we ended the interview, I asked my subject if he would like to pray. He took off his cap and bowed his head, and I took his rough workers’ hands in mine. He prayed in Spanish. I thanked God for love for each and every person, no matter what country they are from. I prayed for safety for him and his family and for the members of his community. I asked God for guidance as we continue to work together to support and strengthen the Hispanic community, which has a lot to offer everyone.