Immigrant disappearances in Chicago: How to heed the call?

 [Earlier version published at https://jackcdoppelt.substack.com/p/immigrant-disappearances-in-chicago]

If you’re like me, you’ll find it hard to believe this story. Yet, it happened here in Chicago earlier this week, it was painfully predictable, and it leaves a deep boot print of what’s afoot. 

The CBS News Chicago headline: “ICE agents detain several people at immigration supervision program site in Chicago” only hints at the state of affairs. 

I sought out the story after I heard a report on WBEZ. In it, a person who was interviewed referred to the incident as “shameful, chilling and dystopian.” That caught my attention. 

Both accounts report that the vigilantes were masked, that they wore gear that had the words POLICE or HCI or both emblazoned on their riot gear. Videos confirm it. 

HCI is synonymous with the Hestafo (Homeland Security Task Forces), Trump’s reconstituted storm troopers. 

How did the Hestafo know when and where to round up immigrants? Easy ploy. They used databases to text official messages to immigrants, instructing them to appear for routine appointments that had been set up as part of the Intensive Supervision Appearance program that allows authorities to monitor those facing immigration proceedings without placing them in custody. Immigrants are summoned to the facility periodically to ensure they are complying with the conditions of their release from custody, and to make sure they appear in court when required. 

If they don’t appear? It’s an unforgiving violation of the law, making them subject to deportation. What would you do? 

Go on the lam and be a fugitive inching your way up the ladder to THE WORST FIRST criminal elements that ICE and Trump pretended they were after to make America safe or be duped into the trap they’d sprung for you as part of the evolving selective foreign eradication policies that are reinforced by increased aggressive policing and militarization of local law enforcement. Keep your eyes on the due processes that are the ones that now matter, as Trump: 

• transformed almost all aliens, including green card holders (lawful permanent residents), asylum seekers, refugees, and even some students on F1 visas into “illegal” immigrants. 
• ended temporary protected status for Afghans. 
• suspended the US refugee program the day Trump took office. 
• selectively grandrefugeed in South African whites for privileged admission into the US. 
• revoked student visas for international students, most notably at Harvard. 
• issued a travel ban on citizens from 12 countries - Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo-Brazzaville, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen, along with restrictions on citizens from other countries. 

ICE is touting, through Fox News, more than 2,300 immigrant arrests per day en route to Trump’s proclaimed goal of 3,000+ daily arrests. Yesterday’s devious smoke-out in Chicago took place at 23rd & Michigan in the south Loop and disappeared about a dozen people. Who’s to know? Not their families or lawyers. 

Or Chicago police who seem to have been bamboozled into appearing like they were part of the action. They were not notified of the trick. Officers showed up at the scene, the CPD says, to ensure that the confrontation didn’t get out of hand. Hard to pierce the subterfuge. Hestafo’s gear says POLICE in bold letters. Clever way to undercut the city’s sanctuary laws, its Welcoming City ordinance and Illinois’ Trust Act, which prohibit local law enforcement agents from collaborating with federal officials to arrest and detain immigrants. 

Almost a year ago, before Trump’s election but when it seemed pre-ordained, I reflected on who I would be and how I would act if it came to this. Painfully predictable, yet now what? I anticipated I’d need to confront the real portent of resistance. 

It was abstract. Here’s how I left it: 

“It is not something I know how to engage in. I have no playbook. When I think about it, it seems like a dystopian fantasy or the musings of a savior complex. When it goes beyond organized peaceful protests or legal strategies, its actions can’t be publicly shared or disseminated. Texts, email and social media would be mostly off-limits. 

If peaceful protesters are arrested, would I and others join in to swell the ranks to make arrests less feasible? If immigrants are rounded up for deportation, would I and others hide people in our homes? Would I and others seek out churches, synagogues and mosques for sanctuaries, solidarity and moral guidance? Do undergrounds form organically? 

I’m in uncharted territory here.” 

And now it’s real.

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Let your kid speak: Aftermath of Kent State

[Also available at https://jackcdoppelt.substack.com/p/let-your-kid-speak?r=bmiv]

Dr. Heing, Miss McDonald, Mrs. Nesbit, Mr. Fink, Mr. Myrent, inductees, parents and friends— 

We are gathered here today to witness the induction of the Mather Chapter of the National Honor Society. The Ceremony you are about to witness marks a distinguished achievement in the lives of these young people for in order to become a member of the society, each inductee had to have, in addition to a notably high scholastic average, outstanding leadership ability, fine character traits and an imposing record of many hours unselfishly devoted to some school service. Herein lies the purpose of this nation-wide society: to create an enthusiasm for scholarship, to stimulate the desire to render service, to promote good leadership and to develop character traits above reproach in the students of secondary schools throughout the United States. 

The development of one’s character is a step which alters a teenager, a youth, a student into an individual. The strength of people’s convictions changes an apathetic, silent majority into a knowledgeable society. Apathy is a word that has been tossed around Mather ever since I’ve been here. Lately, I have noticed the thoughts of my fellow students manifest into ideals. 

In the last few days with the change in strategy in Southeast Asia and the unfortunate, almost inconceivable deaths of the four students at Kent State University, I have witnessed the maturing of students’ thoughts into strong beliefs. There is no more an attitude of what do I care? Every student has taken a position and is backing up his convictions by action. Not violent action but action that has made an astonishing amount of sleeping thinkers wake up and ask, “What have I missed? There must be something I don’t know about the world.” 

That is the purpose of the Mather students who walked out of school at 9 am yesterday. We gathered together yesterday and first made it clear to ourselves what we wanted to show. There varied opinions on the war, varied possible solutions but one point was constant and that was …everyone wanted it known that he did have an opinion and was going to stand by it and convince others to carry out that opinion. 

Some students remained in school and they made their opinions perfectly clear by doing so. Many others wanted to have their voices heard but are being hampered by their parents’ demands to “stay out of trouble.” If there are any of you in the audience, please listen to something which I hope will convince you to let your “individual” be heard in a manner that he thinks will do the most good. 

Late yesterday afternoon, I went downtown for an interview with a person from a scholarship committee. I met my mother and we were to go together. My mother saw this armband, my way of showing people that I do have an opinion. She begged me to remove it, at least for the meeting. It might ruin my chance for a scholarship. I told her that if I had to throw away what I believed in, it wasn’t worth it. She finally agreed but was visibly disturbed. We entered the interview and discussed my beliefs. The interviewer told my mother how proud she should be of those who care to say something and do something and if people would learn to be tolerant of others’ beliefs, a worthwhile solution might be arrived at with the support of the majority—a knowledgeable and active majority. The pride in my mother’s face was enough to make me realize that we must be heard, in our own ways and that we mustn’t fear the consequences of an open mind. 

Today at 10 am, the students have decided we are again going to prove that we do care by meeting in Mather Park and walking peacefully to Loyola Park for a rally. We want to be heard, our purpose is clear. We would appreciate all of your support. Come with us if you are not clear on our purpose. I’m sure we can convince you we want something done, and done before our country, and not in a foreign land but right here dissolves into a land of puppets not by strings, but by ignorance. 

In any case, each individual should have an opportunity to do his share. Don’t hold him back. You will be gratified to know that your son or daughter has solid convictions and is now the individual you worked so hard to mold. 

Now I would like to introduce a man, who through working with him, I have realized how fortunate we at Mather are to have. He is the most cooperative, innovative, respected man I have known and I’d like you to welcome our principal, Dr. Heing. 

[This is taken from a talk that I delivered in the Spring of 1970 at the induction ceremony of the Mather High School Chapter of the National Honor Society]

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