We are not okay

Ten years ago on Jan. 7 Ofelia Valdez, now Ofelia Rumbo, of Storm Lake, stood up at a campaign rally for GOP presidential candidate Ted Cruz at King’s Pointe. She identified herself as one of the hundreds and thousands of immigrants who arrived or stayed in the country illegally, but have been allowed to remain and work under President Barack Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. Cruz responded that by definition, a DACA recipient was brought to the U.S. illegally “and violating the laws has consequences.” The entire exchange went nationwide via various news outlets.

Today she writes:

I remember that day vividly. I stood among a community I love, only to hear the room erupt in applause as Ted Cruz called for the deportation of people like me. Two things still haunt me: the lone person who extended his hand to show me a little compassion, and the realization that everyone else cheered for our removal.

This isn’t about partisanship; it’s about basic humanity. While I’ve stepped away from being as outspoken as I used to, I will never stop speaking up for what I think is right and humane. It took everything I had to find my voice that day, but being brave today feels even harder. Even as a U.S. citizen, the fear of being targeted remains—the fear of families being separated and being labeled a criminal simply because of the color of our skin.

Whether documented or undocumented, we are not okay. The immigrant community is grieving, and my heart is heavy for the allies who have sacrificed everything, even their own lives, to stand with us. If you feel the need to justify the current ICE actions in Minnesota and other states, please keep it to yourself.

This is is the exact nightmare I always feared. I pray for grace, for an end to this cruelty, and for the protection of our immigrant families and allies.