The day President Trump entered office, he wasted no time creating his new executive orders regarding immigration and deportation. The news quickly spread to many countries, states, and cities. One of those cities is Waltham, Massachusetts. Waltham is a city with roughly 65,000 residents, and about 18.2 percent of those residents are Hispanic or Latino. Once word got around about Mr. Trump’s new rules and sightings of suspected ICE forces near neighborhoods and streets, everyone went into a state of panic. Hundreds of people were affected by this, and it would eventually lead to a protest on January 31, 2025, that involved countless Hispanic children, parents, adults, and even people of other races. There have been sightings of suspected ICE near neighborhoods and streets.
Video: February 2025 – 91 Chestnut Street, Waltham, MA
Video: March 2025 – 95 Crescent Street, Waltham, MA
Recently, the Trump administration ended a policy about being unable to make arrests in sensitive and public places like hospitals, churches, and schools. On January 24, 2025, the Waltham Public Schools community received a letter from the Office of Superintendent. Kate Peretz, a Human Resource Director of WPS and the author of this letter as acting interim superintendent, states that “ICE agents will not be allowed access to our schools without proper judicial warrants and will not be allowed to disrupt our educational programming in any way.” Many are afraid to step foot outside or let themselves be seen, but this letter can provide many immigrant kids and parents clarity and, in some way, comfort. They no longer have to be afraid to send their kids off to school or for local students to socialize with others.
We asked Waltham High School students some questions about this topic. Here is what they had to say:
(These quotes have been lightly edited for grammar purposes.)
Why do you think that immigrants choose to move to the U.S. over any other country?
Freshman – Cause it’s been like communicated that people succeed in America and how it’s a very good country with many possibilities
Sophomore – To either pursue a career, get away from an oppressive or negative environment, to live with other family members, or to just explore.
As immigration policies and enforcement in the U.S. are currently changing, do you think immigrants will reconsider coming to the U.S.?
Sophomore – This country is no longer as safe as it was for immigrants and I think it would be smart not to come here though it is a really difficult choice for many immigrants, especially those who have ties to the U.S.
Senior – Absolutely, they don’t feel safe here and are being threatened to be deported back home from the places they either escaped or needed a better life.
What are some downsides and benefits of immigration in the U.S.?
Sophomore – Immigrants hold a lot of agricultural and industrial jobs that US citizens often don’t want to do. Immigration also brings a lot of talent and knowledge from other countries that the US wouldn’t have otherwise
Sophomore – Immigration can let in criminals and threats but it can also let in amazing people and make this country even stronger and more diverse
What is your overall view of immigration?
Sophomore – Immigration is a necessary part of life. So many people immigrate, and I think in many cases the world needs to be more OK with immigration.
Sophomore – I love immigration, my parents are legal immigrants and have built a very positive impact on our community, local economy, and have not done anything bad in the 20+ years they’ve lived here. I think that the exact same scenario can happen to both legal and illegal immigrants.
What you can take from this article is that there will always be a problem everywhere, but whether it be as serious as this, we can always endure it. Every problem has an end.
If you are feeling afraid about this situation as an immigrant or as an ally, here are some sites you can visit:
https://www.immigrationhelp.org/ – Anyone who has questions about immigration or needs help with Green Card, Citizenship, Work, or Travel permits, all for free.
https://immigrantjustice.org/how-help – This helps you be more informed about anything happening with immigration (policies or alerts), and you can donate to people and families in need.
https://www.ilrc.org/red-cards-tarjetas-rojas#item-4477 – Red Cards / Tarjetas Rojas: All people in the United States, regardless of immigration status, have certain rights and protections under the U.S. Constitution. The ILRC’s red cards give examples of how people can exercise these rights in real situations, such as when ICE agents go to a home.
