Daijiworld Media Network - Minneapolis
Minneapolis, Jan 31: A south Minneapolis mother was forced to watch her daughter prepare for high school graduation from afar, unable to attend the ceremony in person due to fear of deportation amid a massive immigration enforcement operation in the city. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has reportedly arrested around 3,000 people in Operation Metro Surge, prompting many non-citizen residents to stay indoors.
Dressed in a white dress and cowboy boots, the girl—a nod to her parents’ native Mexico—received a tearful send-off from her mother. “Take my coat so you can bring a little of me with you,” her mother said in Spanish.
The family, whose adult children are U.S. citizens, has been living under constant fear. The mother, 53, has not left her house for two months, while the father, 58, has remained indoors for almost three weeks after closing his small service business. Daily activities, like taking out the trash, have become fraught with anxiety, and even the family pets remain largely indoors for safety.
Pastor Sergio Amezcua of Dios Habla Hoy Church has been assisting the family through a mutual aid network, providing food and essentials to nearly 28,000 residents afraid to leave home. “To hear a big strong man crying, asking for food, is horrible,” Amezcua said.
The parents’ dreams of starting a small catering business and pursuing a more settled life have been put on hold. While the daughters navigate graduation and future plans, the parents continue to live in fear of being detained, with even letters, packages, and daily routines tightly controlled to avoid drawing attention.
Despite their hardships, the family remains committed to giving their children a better life in the U.S. The father reflected, “I came here to give them a different life,” underscoring the sacrifices the couple has made while navigating the uncertainty of immigration enforcement.
The graduation, like many milestones for families in similar situations, will be livestreamed, a poignant reminder of the human cost of enforcement actions on immigrant communities.