Okay, so get this: for years, churches, hospitals, and schools have been these unofficial “no-touch zones” for immigration officers. It’s like they had a secret handshake: “We don’t go in, you don’t make a scene, everybody wins.” But now? Nope. That handshake? It’s gone. Instead, we’ve got ICE agents saying, “Hey, Jesus, mind if we bust in real quick?”
And the kicker? This isn’t some isolated thing. This is an actual policy change. The Trump administration looked at places where people feel the safest and thought, “You know what this needs? Fear. Just a little sprinkle of existential dread. Spice it up!”
Let’s start with churches. Churches! These are places people go to confess their sins, not worry about getting cuffed at communion. Back in the day, during the sanctuary movement of the ’80s, churches were like the original Airbnb for people fleeing violence. But instead of getting five-star reviews, they got federal investigations. And now? We’re back to square one. The sanctuary movement is crumbling faster than my last diet.
Then there are schools. You’re telling me parents now have to wonder if dropping their kids off at school means risking deportation? Imagine trying to explain that to your kid. “Mommy, why are you crying?” “Oh, sweetie, because your math test isn’t the scariest thing happening at school today.”
And hospitals—hospitals! The one place you should feel safe to show up even if you’re bleeding out. Now undocumented folks are asking themselves, “Do I want to get this broken arm fixed, or do I want to play a fun game of ‘Hide from ICE in the MRI Room’?”
But here’s the real irony: we’re doing all this in the name of being “tough on immigration.” Meanwhile, we’ve got religious leaders, medical staff, and teachers all screaming, “What are you doing?!” Like, when the people who dedicate their lives to helping others are calling you out, maybe you’re not the good guy in this story.
And let’s not forget the community fallout. Parents scared to send their kids to school, people avoiding hospitals, faith leaders saying, “Sorry, we can’t help you—we’re worried about a raid during Sunday service.” It’s like the government’s new slogan is, “Making America Scared Again.”
Look, this isn’t just a policy. This is a bad reality show we’re all being forced to watch. And spoiler alert: it doesn’t end well. Churches used to be sacred. Schools were for learning. Hospitals were for healing. Now? They’re battlegrounds. And the soul of the nation? It’s caught in the crossfire.
