Families ripped apart. Workers taken from job sites. People pulled out of their homes.

Since Donald Trump took office, he has been on the warpath, taking executive action to strike out at not only the Mexican community, but immigrant communities across the nation.

Among his first actions was to remove previous administrations’ policies concerning where immigration police could arrest the undocumented. Schools and churches, once safe havens, are no longer protected.

Then immigration raids started shortly thereafter in big cities like New York and Chicago. This has impacted the Colton community, affecting people’s work and education ethic, making their priority one of hiding in fear.

It has been a strange time here at Colton High. On Feb. 6, Colton High hosted a student forum event attended by over 800 students to share the district policies pertaining to the protection of students and their records from the possibility of visits to campus by ICE officers. The event was also attended by CJUSD officials, including superintendent, Dr. Frank Miranda.

The week before, families were notified via district email of the board policies regarding immigration. The message shared “our district’s unwavering commitment to providing a safe and inclusive learning environment for all students, regardless of their immigration status or sexual orientation/gender expression.” It also provided a phone number to CJUSD Student Services for families seeking counseling support for students struggling under the pressure of Trump’s policies.

An Instagram post shared by @hijosdeinmigrantess encouraged students and their families to participate in the “Day Without an Immigrant” protest. Students were encouraged to miss school, adults to miss work, and everyone to avoid shopping on Feb. 3.

Here at Colton High, we had 484 absences on Feb. 3. On a normal Monday only about 200 students are marked absent. On a normal day, there are 1700 students on campus, the number we received was far from a normal day at CHS.

One student who wished to remain anonymous due to fear of deportation shared with the Pepper Bough about her concerns: “As a daughter of two immigrants, I know the amount of hard work and sacrifices my parents put into giving my sister and I a stable life in the US. Ever since the raids started I’ve noticed how much my family and others live in fear, constantly thinking that their family members can be the next one to be taken. I think we’re all immigrants in a stolen land, so Trump should really think about the negative impact his actions are putting onto the real people who run this country.”

Not every student wished to remain anonymous regarding their criticism of the current political climate surrounding immigration. Ashley Guardado Pacheco shared, “I think [the Trump administration] are really stupid. At the end of the day it is going to affect Americans more than anyone else. I just feel like they’re going about it in their own way because they’re making families live in fear, and taking parents away from their children.”

Both legal and undocumented immigrants now feel unsafe in places they’ve lived their whole lives. An estimated 733,000 student-aged children are undocumented in the U.S. and many more student-aged children are citizens, but their parents aren’t. 

However, even that citizenship is under attack. Along with where arrests can take place, Trump’s executive orders have also tried to redefine who can be arrested. Via executive order on his first day in office, he attempted to remove birthright citizenship rights for children of undocumented residents, a right guaranteed under the 14th Amendment of the Constitution.

Currently, organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), are fighting these executive orders in court. The ACLU has filed several suits in a number of cases since January, including his administration’s enforcement of the Alien Enemies Act, and the fast-tracking of deportation. And on Mar. 31, the American Immigration Council filed suit against the administration for a policy that would require millions to register with the federal government and carry proof of that registration at all times.

Another student who wished to remain anonymous, said about the Trump administration: “I think it’s devastating that they don’t put this amount of effort into trying to find missing children, child predators, and criminals.”

What can be done to protect families? CJUSD has notified students through the student forum and via email that any attempts by ICE to access students on campus will be referred to the district office, and no one will be given access to student records without court-approved subpoenas. It’s a start, and good to see the district ready to protect vulnerable students.

Outside of district resources, an item called a “Red Card” is being circulated. These are wallet-sized cards that have instructions for dealing with immigration law enforcement. Instructions are in both English and Spanish.

Lastly, there are law firms and legal organizations in the Inland Empire dedicated to helping undocumented families. Here is a list of organizations and advocates providing legal services.

While things might be scary right now, there are things you can do to protect yourself and your family.