The fear is real for undocumented families

About 10 years ago, our son invited us to attend a Hispanic Mass where his Hispanic choir was performing. The only place for us to sit was facing the audience behind the piano our son plays for this choir.

Throughout the service I noticed many of the people looking at us nervously. When the service was over, I asked one of the choir members about it. He smiled and said they just thought we might be from immigration.

Last week I learned one of our Hispanic friends, on his way to pick up a relative to go to work, was apprehended by ICE. Both he and his relative were taken into custody for being “undocumented.” When ICE determined that he had been here 20 years, had raised a family with two teenagers, and hadn’t “sold drugs or raped anybody,” he was released. However, his young undocumented nephew was deported.

What a terrible way to live: no matter how long you have lived here, constantly in fear of ICE, even when going to work or attending your place of worship.

It is easy to turn your back on what our leader is dictating, unless you are acquainted and really know these hard-working family-oriented people.

Our country welcomed the Italians, Swedes, Vietnamese, and, yes, even we rowdy Irishmen. How can we Americans treat our fellow human beings like this? I always thought, and still believe, we are better than that.

This story was originally published January 18, 2018 at 3:37 PM with the headline "The fear is real for undocumented families."