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Passage of the MAGA-backed reconciliation bill in Congress would increase Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s removal budget to $14.4 billion, and the detention budget will rise to $45 billion. These are massive increases.
During the first 100 days of the Trump regime, ICE has been averaging 656 apprehensions per day. Their goal is 3,000 per day. They’re apprehending more than the criminals that President Donald Trump promised he’d target.
Many of the people being apprehended are people like Dylan, a Bronx high schooler, asylum seeker from Venezuela, who worked as a delivery driver to help support his family. He appeared for a routine immigration hearing and was arrested.
Or Carol, a longtime resident of her Missouri community, mother of three who worked at a restaurant in town and was active in her church, who drove the three hours required for a check in and was arrested and jailed.
And the pastor in Florida who was a community leader who appeared for a legal check in and was arrested.
Hatred of the “other” and Trump’s apparent need to burnish his “strongman” image likely are the impetus for these hateful policies.
There may be some criminals swept up in these raids in our towns, but mostly their actions will leave gaping holes in communities all across America, and leave the country diminished in myriad ways.
Mary Ann Larson
Bangor