‘Reminiscent of the round ups in WW2’: ICE raids are already tearing apart communities across the states

President Donald Trump is moving ahead with his pledge to carry out mass deportations following the signing of several executive orders relating to immigration shortly after he officially took office.

Reports indicate that on Trump’s first full day in office, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) carried out 308 arrests. By Jan.24, deportation flights had begun, with hundreds of “illegal immigrant criminals” being flown out of the country on a military aircraft. Communities are now on edge amid reports of ICE presence in schools and churches, places previously considered safe from immigration enforcement.

On TikTok, user Erika (@erikaslitlife) posted a PSA, alerting her followers that there are reports of ICE parked outside a high school an hour north of Chicago where the student body is predominantly Hispanic. Per Erika, the report claims ICE agents are “stopping the kids” and calling their parents, and as soon as the parents arrive, ICE takes the entire family. She adds, “Going after the kids. This is a whole other level of evil.” Erika is sharing the information to spread the word about what’s happening in certain parts of the country.

Many sounded off in the comments section, expressing their anxiety and heartbreak over the report. One commenter called it “reminiscent of the round ups in WW2,” while another morbidly added that “this is just the beginning!” More users from different parts of the country commented, adding that they’ve seen ICE in their areas as well, including Utah, New Mexico, and Missouri.

Erika didn’t provide the name of the school, and in another TikTok post, she said that she would have shared it if she had the information. Some users questioned why the incident wasn’t reported in the news, but Erika explained that the information came from a woman claiming to work at the school where it occurred. The woman chose to remain anonymous out of fear of losing her job. Additionally, two local residents corroborated the story.

The Trump administration revoked a policy dating back to 2011 that immigration enforcement can’t be carried out in “sensitive locations” such as schools and churches. The Department of Homeland Security released a statement regarding the policy change, saying that the ICE can now enforce immigration laws in said places, adding, “Criminals will no longer be able to hide in America’s schools and churches to avoid arrest.”

Communities around the country are preparing for the ICE raids, and immigrant and Latino politicians are condemning the new policy. New York Rep. Nydia Velazquez pointed out how cruel the decision was, saying, “You got to be heartless to say publicly that we are going to send ICE to our schools — heartless.” Texas Rep. Joaquin Castro, during the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, said, “I would ask you who he [Trump] believes among those kids is a criminal sitting in a first-grade class. Who are the criminals that he’s going after in the Catholic Church, in the Presbyterian Church, in the non-denominational churches?

In response to the growing threat of mass deportations, communities are organizing and sharing vital know-your-rights resources. At the same time, some school districts are stepping in with educational initiatives to guide families and school personnel to ensure they know what to do, and what not to do, in the event of an ICE raid.