The Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was announced to open March of 2003. Its initial purpose was to decrease the amount of illegal immigration. However, as of 2025–2026, the original purpose of the agency has been scrambled through the lines of hate and extreme acts of racial discrimination. Keith Porter Jr was a 43 year old father of two, shot on new years day for “shooting in the air.” The off duty ICE officer’s excuse was that he was responding to an “active shooter.” He was then fatally shot in front of his apartment. His family even reported that he was trying to leave and de-escalate the already aggressive situation, only to be shot and killed while doing so. Then, on 7th of January of 2026, 37 year old Renee Good was fatally shot in a residential section of Minneapolis. The officer claimed that she had tried to hit him with her car, which unfortunately resulted in her being shot three times.

These are only two of the three cases that have gotten attention in the past few months. These aren’t the only victims, there are thousands more who have experienced both sides of deadly force from ICE agents. Take Alex Pretti, who was shot and killed for protesting against the very incident that had unfortunately taken his life on the 24th of January, 2026. Or Emmanuel Clifford Damas, who died of an infection because ICE wouldn’t allow him to see a doctor, Jairo Garcia-Hernandez who collapsed even though they knew he had pre-existing conditions that would have been dealt with if proper care were administered. Heber Sanchez Domínguez and Victor Manuel Diaz took their own lives in ICE custody, due to unknown reasons. These incidents show the conditions and the mental strain ICE places on the people it withholds.

be for the children we have, and our children’s children. All we can do is fight back. Protests, speeches, online discussions; let the people who are in charge know that you are aware of the damage they’re doing. Sooner or later we will be in charge of this country, and the only way to keep it safe is to share as much love and support for one another for as long as we can, because that’s all we have. Support your classmates, support your neighbors, because the only way to fight hate is love.