In 2017, Guadalupe Plascencia arrived at the police station and was informed by officers that there was a warrant out for her arrest due to her failure to testify in court, a testimony of which she had not been informed. While in police custody, she was asked to sign several documents from ICE regarding her citizenship. Despite showing proof of her American citizenship, she was still detained by ICE the following day as she attempted to leave the precinct.

In my opinion, Ms. Plascencia’s rights as an American citizen were disregarded based on the suspicion that she was not a legal resident. Even if she had not been a citizen, she was still entitled to rights under American law, which she did not receive.

I learned about this situation while working on a history project titled “Rights of the Accused” in 2018. Since then, I have observed that Trump’s immigration reforms have led authorities to focus heavily on deporting anyone they suspect may be an illegal resident. This creates a significant risk that American citizens could be swept up in these actions.

Reforming such a serious miscarriage of justice requires dismantling certain areas, defunding specific initiatives, and establishing a report system that the public can access. Advocating for ICE reform is about empowering individuals to regulate their own autonomy within the government, not about promoting an end to law and order.