The Department of Homeland Security was formed in 2002 in response to 9/11 just a year prior. DHS claims that it intends to safeguard the United States against terrorism. But with its history of criminalizing Black people, are they really protecting our community?
Unfortunately, Black immigrants are often a target of DHS. Despite making up around 7% of the non-citizen population, Black immigrants represent over 20% of those deported. DHS also manages a terrible deportation scheme.
ICE is an agency under DHS that enforces laws governing border control, immigration, trade, and customs. The militarization of ICE and their raids on communities have been heavily criticized for their blatant civil rights abuses. Harming people trying to survive in this country isn’t making us safer, but ICE’s reach doesn’t stop there.
Through ICE’s 287(g) Program, local law enforcement agencies can carry out duties usually reserved for ICE including investigating a person’s immigration status to holding them for transfer to ICE detention. This has further normalized racial profiling, expanded detainment, and aided prison profiteers that make money off incarceration.
DHS isn’t about keeping us safe. Black people in this country (citizen or not) are all impacted by these abuses. We must collectively resist mass incarceration from every direction.