Soldiers are people who dedicate their bodies and their lives to protecting America. Yet this very group of people is now being targeted by ICE agents. One Marine recently shared a heartbreaking story about how his parents and pregnant sister were detained right at the gate of Camp Pendleton in California. He explained that they were stopped by ICE agents who were reportedly lurking around the base, waiting to arrest anyone they “suspected” of being undocumented.
The truth is, “suspicion” here was just another word for racial profiling. These agents had no solid evidence or legal grounds for what they were doing. They were simply targeting people because of the color of their skin. The Marine’s father was already deported, while his mother was still missing. None of his family members had broken any laws. They were all in the country legally and had pending green card applications. Despite following the rules, these law-abiding people were taken away without warning. It was as if they had been kidnapped right in front of Camp Pendleton, the very place their son was serving his country.
It was a truly horrifying and heartbreaking situation. Many internet users who heard the Marine’s story expressed their outrage and disbelief. They couldn’t believe that a man who had dedicated his life to defending his country now had to watch his own country turn against his family because of hateful racism.
One user wrote, “It was never about ‘doing it the right way.’ It was always about the color of their skin and the languages they spoke. The current regime has made that absolutely clear for everyone to see.” Another commented, “Disgusting. The man supports an entire country, but the country can’t even support him.”
Some users urged the Marine to take legal action, saying that what happened was a serious violation of due process. Many pointed out that ICE was completely in the wrong and that the agents involved had acted like thugs in uniform. “That Marine should go to the office of his Congressional Representative and demand help finding his parents. He should also go to every news outlet that will listen,” one person suggested.
Others used the moment to criticize the political climate that allows this kind of behavior to continue. Several commenters noted that ICE’s actions were never truly about protecting American citizens from criminals or stopping illegal immigration. Instead, it was about targeting anyone who didn’t look “white enough.” One user wrote, “That’s because it was never about getting criminals out. This is about Trump’s war on Latinos. He wants to make Latinos the new Jews, and he has his Gestapo-like ICE out there rounding them up.”
