By Jamie Cho, Ph.D.
On Jan. 20, the current administration issued an executive order which now allows Immigration and Customs Enforcement to enter “sensitive locations,” including schools, hospitals and churches. In doing so, the president of the United States, perpetuated false narratives about the integrity of immigrants, and threatened vulnerable populations in spaces that should be safe. The Acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Benjamin Huffman stated, “Criminals will no longer be able to hide in America’s schools and churches to avoid arrest.” When government officials are calling children criminals, we must all take a hard look at ourselves, because if we can call children criminals, what does that make the rest of us?
Children, whether they were born in this country or not, have little agency in determining where they live, or their immigration status. Their livelihood depends on the adults in their lives who take care of them and ensure they have shelter, food, and safety. So why do those in power aim threats at children who are unable to cast a vote for their elected officials, have little say in who makes decisions in schools, and certainly don’t have the political clout to challenge an arrest. If this administration is so power hungry that they need to cast aspersions on children, then they have shown us how little they value democracy.
Throughout history, immigrants have been made to be seen as the villain. Beginning in the early 1860s with the first Chinese immigrants who came to America to build the transcontinental railroad, they were vilified. They were assigned to the most dangerous and life-threatening jobs, paid less than their white counterparts, and often physically assaulted due to anti-Chinese sentiment. This xenophobia, while directed at the Chinese originally, spread to include all Asian immigrants, and has persisted over the years, including to the present day when we saw a surge in anti-Asian hate during the COVID-19 pandemic.
When the labor of immigrants of color is needed to fuel the economy, build infrastructure, and create the technology of tomorrow, they are quickly exploited for capital gain. But when they assume that the basic rights of “Americans” extend to them, they quickly are denied. Criminalizing children in schools should terrify us all. How do we tell one child is a criminal and another child isn’t? Is their skin color? Maybe it’s their accent. Or perhaps it is whether they wear new shoes. The criminalization of children means that we all are subject to scrutiny, to the threat of deportation, and that the definition of American is up to those who often choose hate over love.
Like race, borders are social constructions that were created by those in positions of power. Today, we see those same rich white men drawing lines of distinction about who gets to be American, who has access to basic needs, and who gets to exercise their rights. We have the power to stand up and say no more. We will not let rich white men tell us that we do not belong in the country we labored to create. And we will let them make criminals of our children when those in positions of power are the criminals themselves.
Bio
Jamie Cho, Ph.D. is Director of Public Education in Beloved Community Initiative at Seattle University’s College of Education. In partnership with schools across Washington, she works with public school leaders to enact change that centers relationships, love and care. Her scholarship in education focuses on creating joyful, equitable, and just learning experiences for all children. An educator, she draws from her varied experiences to translate theory into practice toward realizing just educational systems.