Title: The ICE That Melts US All
By: Caitlyn Adesanya
One could argue that diversity, equity, and inclusion are three principles that the United States of America was built on. These ideals are the inspiration of the Bill of Rights, the thesis of the Declaration of Independence, and the backbone of the American Constitution When a country is known for its inclusivity being the key to its success, what happens when the very foundation of the country is threatened?
As of late, the United States of America has been under internal attack against its own people. Political leaders no longer value diversity, equity, and inclusion, but rather prioritize hierarchy, assimilation, and privilege The government has turned against its own people, in hopes of what seems to be assimilation and control The most current and prominent example of this are the recent attacks on the American people by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
DEI is characterized by its emphasis on fairness and equal opportunity for all varieties of people This includes any race, gender, or nationality America was once known as a “melting pot” of people, due to the vast blend of cultures and peoples found here This has taken a sharp turn as of late, as government policies in favor of decreasing the diversity throughout the nation have gained popularity At first, it was easily masked as a movement for the protection of American citizens and nationalism in the United States, but it is clear that ICE has gone past means of protecting anyone. Innocent lives are being lost almost weekly, and hundreds of thousands of lives are negatively affected by ICE every day And this is not because of high immigrant crime rates, overpopulation, or any other common excuse, but rather because of the determination of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement to expel those who do not meet the subjective criteria for appearing to be an American citizen Keith Porter, Renee Good, and Alex Pretti are all examples of American citizens who were publicly murdered by ICE, with no regard to their legitimate legal status Their lives , and several others, are more than simply statistics showing the failures and insensitivity of the US government They are an indication of the regression of our society in terms of civil rights, liberties, and plain humanity. Diversity, equity, and inclusion are all practices that have the potential to bring people together and establish a genuine sense of community, if done effectively Unfortunately, the United States has taken several strides that work against such things. Oppression, brutality, and lack of regard for human rights only increase the already growing separation among the American people.