Presentation by Jhon Sánchez following the screening of Borderland | The Line Within. The documentary not only exposes the profitable business of immigration and its human cost, but weaves together the stories of immigrant heroines and heroes resisting and showing a way forward, intent on building a movement in the shadow of the border industrial complex, recognizing the human rights of all.”
Thank you all for being here tonight. I may not tell you anything new that you haven’t already seen on TV or read in the papers, but this gathering serves as a call for action—to step out of your house and do something. We must protest Trump’s policies, which not only attack immigrants but also undermine the Constitution and fundamental rights.
Just three months ago, when I warned about the dangers of Trump’s proposals, many friends and relatives dismissed my concerns as exaggerated or unrealistic. A dear friend of mine, when I mentioned that Trump planned to deny citizenship to children born out to undocumented parents, said, “Oh yeah, they’re going to be citizens of space.” When I explained that this wasn’t just an exaggeration but a real concept in international law—statelessness—she snapped, “I’m not a fool. Don’t use your language to mock me.”
But then it happened—Trump signed an order limiting birthright citizenship, and the headlines proved my fears right. My friend’s reaction is just one example of how people cling to denial—until reality forces them to wake up. And just like her, millions are holding onto myths that blind them to the dangers ahead.
Tonight, I want to address the myths that people use to cope with this horrendous situation—myths that foster indifference, a false sense of security, and a lack of solidarity.
Myth #1: “We Need to Wait and See”
Some people argue that we should wait and see how Trump’s policies unfold before reacting. How delusional! We already know what happened during Trump I; Those are not new policies; they are an intensification of previous ones, now executed with better plans. During Trump’s first administration, legal obstacles, including opposition from the more liberal wing of the Supreme Court (when Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was still alive), prevented full implementation of many measures. But Trump also had to face a pandemic. Even though under COVID-19, the US created the Remain in Mexico Order for asylum seekers, it was so disruptive that it prevented the implementation of other policies.
Now, with five Trumpists in the Supreme Court and with no pandemic to slow him down, Trump has a clear path to trample the Constitution, doubling down on policies like:
the Wall
closing the borders
Denaturalization of citizens and attacks on birthright citizenship, which Stephen Miller has had in his eyes since 2019.
-anning residents, students, and workers who are visa holders from entering the US, which is an expansion of the Muslim ban.
Yet, some people still say, ‘It’s only the first day of his administration.’ No. We’ve seen this before. We know the chaos he caused. And this time, the damage will be even worse—unless we stop it now.
Myth #2: “I’m Safe Because Trump is Only Targeting Criminals”
This is not true. Trump’s immigration czar openly refers to “collateral arrests,” meaning that even individuals without criminal records are being detained. According to NBC News, of the 1,179 people arrested in a recent immigration raid on January 26, only 566 had criminal records.
In a way, Trump is fulfilling his promise to persecute criminals, and I’m being sarcastic here when I repeat what Karoline Levitt, the press secretary, said, “If you’re illegal, you are by definition a criminal.” One thing is crossing the border without immigration authorization, which is a mere infraction, just like driving above the established speed limits, and another very different thing is stealing, killing, raping, or, as in Trump’s case, falsifying business records. This is a word game, but let’s be clear: Under Criminal law 101, undocumented people are not criminals. To believe otherwise is preposterous. But Trump doesn’t care.[1]
The reality is that this is not just about deporting those with criminal records: He has authorized raids on schools, churches, and hospitals—places that for decades have been considered sanctuaries so people could study, pray, or get treatment without fear. Even elementary schools are not off-limits. A recent raid in a Chicago elementary school fulfilled its objective: terrorize children. For God’s sake, what kind of criminals can you find in an elementary school? Because elementary schools, obviously, are the epicenter of organized crime.
His terror machine doesn’t stop there.
Under the Laken Riley Act, recently signed by Trump, any migrant merely accused of shoplifting—without conviction—can be placed in deportation proceedings. Yes, under this law, a mere accusation—stealing an apple, a cigarette, anything—can trigger deportation proceedings. A person can be wrongly accused, maliciously targeted—choose any adverb you want—to justify their deportation. Easily, the police, ICE, or any person can fabricate the accusation of stealing candy to get a migrant or group of them deported. Imagine what employers who don’t want to pay wages and what landlords who want to evict their tenants can do with that. Remember the case of the nine-month-pregnant Mexican woman who was arrested over a minor traffic violation—only to be shackled while giving birth? Imagine what that sort of police officer would do against certain brown, non-English speakers who are just driving around in their cars loaded with groceries.
Those are not criminals. Those are elementary school children, people falsely accused of stealing candy. Being undocumented is not being a criminal. This rhetoric doesn’t just justify Trump’s policies—it fuels the violence of self-proclaimed patriots who see innocent workers as targets.
Myth #3: “Only Undocumented Immigrants Are at Risk”
This is another dangerous misconception. Trump’s policies target even those with legal status. For example:
He revoked Humanitarian Parole for Haitians, Venezuelans, Nicaraguans, and Cubans, leaving thousands in legal limbo.
He rescinded Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Venezuelans, stripping them of legal protections.
His administration has ordered federal agencies to compile a list of countries whose vetting procedures of its citizen are “insufficient,” to make its nationals inadmissible. This is expansion of the Muslim ban, where people with resident visas were unable to re-enter the country, for example. Those were people who were here legally.
Under one of Trump’s executive orders, ICE could deport any “alien” who expresses hostility toward the U.S. government, its citizens, and its culture. Recently, Trump even suggested revoking the student visas of those who participated in pro-Palestinian protests. We’re inches away from hearing that visas are revoked because of anti-Trump views. Just his words would cause a chilling effect on thousands who come to the land of the First Amendment, The freedom of expression, and the freedom of the press.
“We already see; it’s not just about undocumented individuals; legal residents and holders of any type of visa are also at risk, and apparently, anyone who dares to speak their mind.”
Myth #4: “Mass Deportations Will Follow Due Process”
Mass deportation under Trump does not adhere to due process.
Immigration raids are often conducted using administrative warrants, which do not grant legal authority for forced entry. In addition to that, the sheer scale of the raids and the speed of removals make legal challenges nearly impossible. Even if the raid was unlawful, what can an attorney do when their client, or dozens of them, are already in Guatemala, or Senegal?
Expedited removals allow deportations without a judge’s review. An immigration-police officer, to call them in a way, simply makes you sign a paper, and you’re on your way. What good are legal protections when people are deported before they can even fight back?
Deeming certain nationalities “inadmissible,” as in the Muslim ban, is a way to deport people without any judicial review.
Myth #5: “Cracking Down on Immigration Reduces Crime”
The claim that Trump’s immigration crackdown makes America safer is a lie.
Existing laws already allow for the deportation of individuals with criminal records. There is no need for mass terror campaigns targeting entire communities.
Moreover, statistics contradict the idea that immigration increases crime:
–A report from the American Immigration Council found that while the immigrant population doubled between 1980 and 2022, crime rates dropped by 60.4%.
The Cato Institute states that “federal incarcerations of undocumented people represent less than 8% of all incarcerations, and this percentage is not significant in comparison to the total crime committed by other individuals. In 2016, for instance, there were only 85 federal convictions for murder out of a [nationwide total] of 17,785 murder convictions that year, comprising less than 0.5 percent of all murders.”
Crime rates in New York City have been dropping for two years in a row—a true mystery, considering that DeSantis and Abbott have been generously shipping thousands of migrants here under false promises of jobs and housing. According to their logic, crime should be skyrocketing. But no, migrants have settled in, and with few exceptions, they haven’t turned New York into the lawless wasteland those governors warned about. Almost like… sanctuary city protections actually work. Who would’ve thought? Well, according to the Brennan Institute, they do.
Should we send a copy of the report to Texas and Florida? No, better yet, let’s send it to the news networks and see if they stop running nonstop coverage of every crime committed by a migrant—because if it were up to them, you’d think the Statue of Liberty was out here pickpocketing people on the subway.
-If security is really the concern, why not focus on the real threat—gun violence? Here’s a fact: From 2014 to 2022, there were 4,011 mass shootings in the US. These shootings don’t include those that occur during the commission of a crime. That means a crazy person or extremist gets up every day in the US and decides to go kill a group of people. And what has been done about it? Nothing. Ever. Instead, gun ownership is strengthened. After 19 children were slaughtered in Uvalde, what did Governor Abbott do, besides sending flowers and ‘praying’ for the souls of the dead? Well, he did something, he signed a law authorizing gun ownership without a license in Texas. Is that security?
It’s worth noting that being a migrant is not a factor that determines the demographics of perpetrators in mass shootings. I think the opposite might be truer: being a non-migrant is a factor in committing mass shootings. Mass shooters are overwhelmingly not migrants—and certainly not undocumented people, who can’t even buy guns legally. If we’re serious about safety, we should stop scapegoating immigrants and start addressing the real problem.
When a migrant killed and raped Laken Riley, lawmakers rushed to pass a brutal law that deports migrants suspected—not convicted—of crimes as minor as stealing a cigarette. No trial, no due process. Yet when a mass shooter slaughters children in a school, nothing changes. This so-called ‘security’ is nothing but hypocrisy. Dangerous migrants; harmless guns. What impeccable logic! How much is a migrant crime worth in political capital? And how much are the lives of the 19 children of Uvalde or the 27 from Sandy Hook worth? Apparently, not enough.
Myth 6: Fifteen hundred a day is not a mass deportation.
Some people claim that deporting 1,500 people per day is not a “mass deportation” – and that at this rate, Obama would have deported more people than Trump. However, there’s a big difference between a strategic plan to detect and deport individuals who have committed offenses, and the persecution of entire communities. It’s like comparing a surgeon who operates with precision to a bulldozer that destroys everything.
In any case, mass deportation is not just about numbers; it’s about the devastating impact on lives and communities.
The family separation leaves children without parents, practically orphaned.
The chilling effect on businesses. Businesses suffer as immigrants become too afraid to go out—to restaurants, bars, or even the local convenience store
The violations to the American freedoms. Migrants have the right to due process and many came here believing in freedom of speech. But under Trump, both rights are under siege.
The creation of legal chaos. The uncertainty about keeping a legal status disrupts not just personal relationships but entire economic structures. How many people cancel their vacation plans, fearing they won’t be allowed back into the country? How many may put off their wedding plans, and their studies because it would be insecure just to do it in the United States, as Trump can strip away your legal status, declare natives from your country inadmissible or just order your deportation based on Tik-Tok Trump dislikes
But what we do get is more private immigration prisons. For-profit prisons where justice is a business and the lives of migrants are just another commodity.Trump’s policies enrich private detention giants like GEO Group and CoreCivic—now even outsourcing detention to Bukele’s government, where U.S. legal protections don’t apply. They think, “Just ship them off, let our corporate friends profit, and best of all—no accountability. If families want to sue? Good luck taking on Bukele.”
Myth #7: “This Is Our Country, and We Must Protect It”
This country is not just what we see—it’s neither Roosevelt Avenue nor the Statue of Liberty, no matter how much you love or hate those places. This country is its Constitution, its founding principles: equal opportunity, freedom of expression.
Some people feel like they won a golden ticket because they were born before 2025. But the Constitution isn’t a lottery—it’s supposed to uphold rights for everyone, not just the lucky ones who arrived before an arbitrary deadline.
The U.S. was never meant to be a place where people are afraid to speak up or seek medical care, but that’s exactly what will happen if citizenship is denied to children of immigrants without permanent legal status.
We can’t become a land full of invisible people, stripped of their rights, afraid to participate in society. That’s not the America I know. That’s not the America you know.
No, we—the so-called “invaders”—are not the ones stealing this country. Open your eyes. The ones violating the Constitution, stripping away freedoms, and stealing your rights are Trump and his cronies.
Don’t shrug off what is happening. Don’t repeat empty slogans without thinking—without looking at the reality in front of you.
We are in a constitutional crisis, and I finally understand what that truly means. A constitutional crisis is a crisis of trust.
Attorneys can’t give proper legal advice because the White House is in chaos.
Employers don’t know if their workers will show up tomorrow.
Parents are choosing to have their children outside of hospitals—afraid that a medical record will become a deportation notice.
Because we don’t trust. And without trust, the system collapses.
[1] The New York Times reports on February 10, 2025 that according the government’s statistics “details of those arrests have been scarce, leaving it unclear whether the criminals being targeted make up a significant share of those being captured.”
