You don’t even have to pick up a newspaper or watch television to see it. If you speak with the slightest bit of an accent, you’ve experienced it. No matter what your status is in the states, you may find yourself affected by an anti-immigrant sentiment. This is especially troublesome for those without papers. Without a doubt, the hostility has become even more pervasive here in Texas.
A police dashboard-camera video obtained by the ACLU illustrates the tragic reality with which undocumented immigrants are confronted with more and more each day. The video shows a Texas State Trooper stopping a woman for a minor traffic violation. Truth be told, it appears the police officer really wasn’t all that concerned with the car’s operation.
Sitting in the back seat of the car is the woman’s five-month-old baby. Meanwhile, the baby’s father sits beside the child’s mother in the passenger seat. He is undocumented. Seemingly out of nowhere, the Trooper requests the father’s visa. He has no papers to produce.
Despite desperate pleas from the woman with the officer not to alert Border Patrol, the pleas fall on deaf ears. Without question, she knows the consequences. Nevertheless, the man is handed over to the agency. If there was ever any doubt that the attitude toward undocumented immigrants in Texas, and throughout the country, is becoming more hostile, stories like this should eliminate them immediately.
The Risks of Anti-Immigration Sentiments
You might be inclined to shake your head when you hear this story. Perhaps it is a fear of your own. Meanwhile, you may decide to shrink further under the radar. The last thing you need is the prospect of deportation. And, an anti-immigration sentiment certainly suggests that it is a grave possibility for many.
Many immigrants are used to a certain level of aggression, For some, it is a racist comment here, and an idle threat there. While these actions are abhorrent, they have carried little weight in the past. Now it seems these attitudes are starting to infiltrate policy and you and your family need to protect yourselves. More than ever, you need a plan in place in the event that you are picked up and placed in a detention center. And, an immigration bond will also serve to buy you some time in the case you are ultimately deported.
In the past, the kind of traffic offense for which the woman was stopped was mostly met with a ticket or a fine. More often than not, there would be no cause to ask about a passenger’s immigration status. Now state troopers are hand-delivering immigrants to federal agents—even if they aren’t the ones driving. In a climate where resentment and aggression are directly informing the law, it’s critical that you and your loved ones understand what you could be facing.
Part of An Overall Trend
Texas law enforcement has invested more and more resources in apprehending undocumented immigrants whenever and wherever possible. During the fiscal year 2017, which ended on October 1, ICE arrested 143,470 immigrants. This accounts for a 25 percent spike from the last fiscal year.
Until very recently “catch-and-release” was the prevailing practice for undocumented immigrants stopped for petty traffic violations, clean records, and US-born children. However, undocumented immigrants in Texas are finding more and more that this is no longer the case. It’s downright scary.
When it comes to you and your family as undocumented immigrants, your concerns are plentiful. You don’t want to wind up in a detention center. By the same token, you don’t want your loved one to spend any time there at all. You need to prepare.
Unfortunately, the risk of deportation is becoming graver and graver. You’ll want to spend as much time with your loved ones as possible. This means setting aside money for an immigration bond. At the very least, you’ll want to spend time together while you wait for the hearing date.
Contact Freedom Federal Bonding Agency Today
We can help! Freedom Federal Bonding Agency offers affordable, flexible and accessible immigration bonds for those facing deportation. Contact us today so we can help you secure your freedom and take care of your family.