I agree entirely with Theodore Bosen’s letter to the editor, “ICE’s actions here and elsewhere are unconstitutional.” I’m so sick and tired of people calling them “illegal.” Trump labeled them all during his campaign as just that and it remains and is spread as fact by the uninformed right-wing population who take Trump’s words as gospel. I wish there was a way to inform our entire population in this country that being found undocumented or possessing outdated documents is a civil infraction, not a crime. The civil charge is not a criminal charge, so calling them criminals is not warranted or correct according to our Constitution.
ICE agents show up without warrants because there are no existing criminal records for most of these people they decide to pick up. When our landscapers don’t show up, I know ICE is in the area. They all have ICE detection apps on their phones, thankfully, and know places to avoid. It’s a sad situation and it has to stop.
Even Market Basket seems to have a pall hanging in the air for the usually good-natured, lovely people who work there. I’m sure they all have green cards to be working, as the Demoulas family wouldn’t want ICE disrupting their business, but it’s still affecting their workers. It’s so evident. I applaud Market Basket for giving immigrants the opportunities to work and begin a successful life in this country.
– Valerie Fredette