Potential ICE raids sends Instagram users into a frenzy
By Jeannine Briggs
Since President Donald Trump announced his plan to implement ICE raids in major immigration cities. Instagram users fight back with messages of support and of what to do if confronted by an ICE agent.
If you have been on Instagram in recent weeks, it will not come as a surprise that people were scared and frustrated when news of the President Trump orchestrated ICE raids were to be put in place in the coming days.
Multiple post and stories were sent out sending messages. Some reminding undocumented people that there are Americans that are willing to put themselves at risk to protect them. Other messages of warning that included information on how to deal with ICE agents if approached as well as what rights one has in the situations. The third form of message one could notice are those of protest. Posts with words like: “Abolish ICE” and “Don’t open the door. Be calm. You have rights”.
One immigration lawyer, Frances Arroyo, resides in Los Angeles and is an especially active Instagram user who uses both English and Spanish to communicate her opinion on President Trump’s immigration plans as well as information for undocumented individuals.
“I have taken notice of the important role social media has taken in educating our society both US citizens and non citizens on how to handle an ICE encounter…Social media not only educates immigrants and citizens, it demonstrates a real life situation and how constitutional rights should be claimed” Arroyo said. “The ICE raids are primarily a political stunt that directly terrorizes and tears apart hard working immigrant and mixed status families. This is plainly wrong.”
However, civically active adults were not the only ones to use Instagram in reaction to the ICE raids. Young people and students became very interested and involved with the push against the raids through Instagram.
Yet another example of young people using social media to give their beliefs a platform. Several students used their Instagram stories to share their own personal views on the occurrence and once again what to do if confronted by an ICE agent.
Since researching for the article, President Trump has announced his plan to delay the ICE raids. Whether the President caved under the backlash is technically debatable although evidence points to the notion. It would not, however, be outlandish to consider the postponement a win for the Instagram community.
The fact that Trump’s plan is not in action, at least for the time being, is hope encouragement enough that social media can be used as a major platform for political influence.
