The presence of ICE agents in major cities around the country has rightfully struck fear in so many hearts. This includes parents, who fear even as they send their children off to school. Especially for parents of brown children who may be scrutinized or harassed by ICE on a more prevalent level, things are incredibly scary out there. One fearful Colorado mother took to TikTok to share the drastic measures she had to take to protect her son.
Andrea Brambila (@brambila_bits) frequently shares parenting content on her TikTok. A lot of it is feel-good, heartwarming, and real. But her most recent video really just breaks your heart if you’ve been paying attention. In it, Andrea says she took her 12-year-old to get a government-issued ID. Why? Because he “doesn’t look white.” She, like so many other parents, is scared for her son if he’s confronted by ICE and can’t back himself up with proper documentation.
Andrea goes on to say that her son is “Native American and Hispanic, just like his dad and I are.” She’s worried that his features, including black and curly hair, will get him profiled by ICE when he’s out and about. It isn’t far-fetched at all, seeing as minors are not exempt from ICE’s reign of terror. As Andrea says, ICE is “now showing up outside of schools and waiting for kids to be dismissed.” Because they’re detaining children and families based on how they look, she’s terrified for her son.
Andrea looks forward in disbelief as she affirms, “My son doesn’t look white. So, he needs a government issued ID. That’s where we’re at at this point. So, I don’t know. Are we great again yet?” You can hear the anger in his voice. Any mother in this position should be mad.
One commenter stated, “I had to teach my 4-year-old to say ‘I’m an American citizen, both of my parents were born here.’” This is so disheartening that, as a parent, it breaks your heart. It’s soul-deep. Another commenter shared, “I remember my grandparents telling me that people, including kids, had to carry ID around back in 1930/40s Europe, just in case they were stopped by the Gestapo. I used to think that sounded so scary. And now this is happening in America in 2026. Wow.”
