MCALLEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — As the national crackdown on immigration continues, fears of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids at schools and other sensitive areas have spread in Texas’s Rio Grande Valley.
“Afraid of what is happening? Not really, but I do feel a little sad because they are Latino brothers, not just Mexicans. People who have been facing many dangers and many problems and the situation is not easy since they literally work like donkeys,” said Jorge Sierra, an American citizen from Reynosa, Tamaulipas.
He says he does not fear being detained since he is an American citizen. However, he knows many others, including children, are fearful of ICE agents entering schools and churches.
He adds that people should not panic because this is nothing new.
“This is not the first time it has happened, we have been here before,” Sierra said.
Psychologist Dr. Christopher Carcamo says fear has grown due to the overexposure of these issues in social media. He says all this can be traumatizing for both children and adults.
“With the current political climate, there’s a lot of people that have a lot of different mixed emotions, conflicting emotions, and we also have to recognize that sometimes, not just on an individual level, but on a family level, on a cultural level, on a societal level,” Carcamo said.
He advises families to talk about any fears they have with each other. He also believes that all children, no matter their age, should be provided with important information to have with them when away from their parents.
“Having physical copies of things like birth certificates, maybe even writing down important information that the kids can take with them to school on a card, like their address, phone number, all these kinds of things,” Carcamo added.
He says creating a strong support system is important during times of social stress.
“You’re not alone,” Carcamo said. “Make sure that you remember that. Make sure to stay as important as you can. But also, don’t be afraid to reach out.”
Carcamo says he would not be surprised if he were to see an influx of patients seeking therapy because of the ongoing uncertainty.
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