SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — On a recent afternoon, Giselle Garcia, a volunteer assisting an Afghan family, drove the father to a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) check-in, warning them to prepare for the worst. The father was arrested upon entering the office, just days after the shooting of two National Guard troops by an Afghan suspect, leading to increased scrutiny of Afghan immigrants.The family's journey had begun with fleeing Taliban threats due to the wife's father's collaboration with the U.S. military. Garcia witnessed the family's distress, noting the palpable anxiety and fear as they followed all legal requirements.
Since the incident, reports reveal approximately two dozen arrests of Afghan immigrants, largely in Northern California, including multiple arrests reported by local volunteers. Many of those detained had sought asylum within the last two years under Operation Allies Welcome, initiated during the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. The White House has since announced a re-evaluation of all Afghan nationals who entered during the previous administration. Critics argue that the heightened enforcement symbolizes a collective punishment against innocent families who risked their lives to support the U.S. military.
In Sacramento, ICE agents have been seen arresting Afghan men called to report to the office, many already wearing ankle monitors. This crackdown has left families like the one Garcia assisted shattered. As she listened to the father being handcuffed, his wife broke down in tears. With fears of detention and uncertainty swarming the Afghan community, it highlights the emotional toll faced by those who sought safety in America.
Since the incident, reports reveal approximately two dozen arrests of Afghan immigrants, largely in Northern California, including multiple arrests reported by local volunteers. Many of those detained had sought asylum within the last two years under Operation Allies Welcome, initiated during the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. The White House has since announced a re-evaluation of all Afghan nationals who entered during the previous administration. Critics argue that the heightened enforcement symbolizes a collective punishment against innocent families who risked their lives to support the U.S. military.
In Sacramento, ICE agents have been seen arresting Afghan men called to report to the office, many already wearing ankle monitors. This crackdown has left families like the one Garcia assisted shattered. As she listened to the father being handcuffed, his wife broke down in tears. With fears of detention and uncertainty swarming the Afghan community, it highlights the emotional toll faced by those who sought safety in America.
