Trump’s ICE crackdown spreads fear among immigrant communities

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — President Donald Trump following through on a campaign promise to deport millions of undocumented immigrants though sweeping executive actions. 

Among them is an order to suspend birthright citizenship guaranteed by the 14th Amendment and expanding places that US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) can arrest people to include schools, churches and hospitals.

“We have to get the bad ones out, we have many murderers, many very bad people in our country,” Trump said Tuesday.

This comes as major cities report ICE raids across the country.  

On X, ICE posted that around 1000 undocumented immigrants are being arrested each day.  

Amanda Boomershine teaches Spanish and linguistics at UNCW and is the head of the university’s Latino Alliance.  

Boomershine said she is worried about the impact ICE raids will have on children seeking an education.  

“I know some families will be apprehensive in sending their children to school fearing that they’re going to get caught up in a raid at school,” she said. “The challenge is, though, as far as school is concerned, you’re required to go to school in the US. So, if you don’t send your children to school, you’re going to face legal repercussions.”  

Boomershine also worries about the impact that deporting millions of undocumented immigrants could have on an already fragile economy.  

“Many of the homes being built are done so with immigrant labor, homes that are being cleaned; we have a large service industry in this area of the state,” she said. “A lot of that is done off the backs and with the hands of our immigrant neighbors, and so I think that that’s going to be very difficult for us.”  

Others—like Artie Hartsell with the ACLU of North Carolina—worry that immigrants that are here legally will be targeted because of their nationality.  

“Doesn’t mean that they’ll be deported, it just can create a lot of inconvenience and harassment and of fear,” Hartsell said. 

Though—Hartsell noted—President Trump’s executive actions won’t be without legal challenges.  

“The ACLU of North Carolina, all of our affiliates across the country, and the ACLU at the national level will be there with a full force of attorneys ready to take legal action,” he said. 

In a public statement, ICE also reiterated that it does not offer any monetary reward for tips, contrary to some misinformation online.