Mireles: We should oppose mass deportations for reasons beyond cold economic rationale

Last week, hundreds gathered in the Rio Grande Valley to demonstrate against the current presidential administration’s effort to conduct mass deportations. Walking through the crowds, one could see people passing out water bottles with “know your rights” printed on the labels, pamphlets with nonprofit resources, and homemade signs that gave a good sense of what the Valley stands for. One sign stated a bible verse from Exodus:  Do not mistreat or oppress a foreigner, for you were foreigners in Egypt.

Not long after the demonstration, a coalition of Rio Grande Valley mayors released a statement declaring ICE raids bad for business. Given the Rio Grande Valley’s personal and painful experience with deportation schemes of the past, such as 2018’s family separation policies, it is important that our community members and local leaders stand in opposition to mass deportations. It is equally important, however, that we stand in opposition to mass deportation for reasons beyond cold economic rationale.

Undocumented people play a vital role in our local economy. This statement, while true, presents an appealing argument for self-described moderates, keeping the immigration debate within a framework of cents and dollars. To some, this framework may be seen as a strategy to win over those who are intimidated by any immigration stance misconstrued as “far-left.” But we should be cautious of the box we put ourselves in when trying to downplay the impact of mass deportations on our community. To argue that we should grant immigrants a pathway to citizenship simply because they are employed here is not as convincing an argument as we might expect and certainly does not consider the full weight of the loss our people are experiencing. The argument loses its luster when we take into account that the majority of undocumented people in this country are employed and have been an integral part of the American workforce for generations. Had this been a presiding factor for decision-makers in Congress, we would have seen a mass bestowal of work visas long ago. Are we so convinced that the current administration will reverse course on its immigration plans because the Valley’s economy took a hit? Did the current administration consider the Valley when threatening tariffs over Mexico? This campaign to harass and instill fear in our immigrant communities is cruelly public with the exact purpose of encouraging people to self-deport. Why some people do not accept the explicit goals this administration states in interviews, press conferences, the President’s social media accounts, and the Department of Homeland Security website is strangely and profoundly naive.

ICE’s hostile push into our local panaderias and tortillerias, into the neighborhoods off Conway and the stoplights on “107”, is more than just a hit to our local economy. It is an attack on the identity we have cultivated as a result of our complex history along the Texas-Mexico border. This identity, one that does not mesh well with the shifting orders of our President, proudly proclaims that immigrant communities like ours make our country great. As ICE infiltrates virtually every corner of the Rio Grande Valley to arrest folks from their homes and workplaces, we must ask ourselves: is this the Rio Grande Valley we want to live in?

Now is not the time to have a “moderate” take on the issues affecting the Rio Grande Valley. We are living in one of the most turbulent, uncertain legal landscapes this community has ever experienced. To appease everyone―to be fearful of offending anyone―is tantamount to having no opinion at all. And so, I ask those who are speaking out against the ICE raids to go beyond economic interest as a talking point. Do not condemn mass deportations because of their impact on the economy. Condemn mass deportations because they are wrong. Condemn mass deportations because immigrants, with papers and without, are what make the Rio Grande Valley the vibrant, unique community that so many of us call home.

Editor’s Note: The above guest column was penned by Michael Mireles. Raised in Alton, Texas, Mireles is the son of migrant farm workers. He manages issue-based campaigns in the Rio Grande Valley.

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