Documents Please!

Today’s Crock ‘o Soup is a longer, semi-regular feature to inspire self-care, quiet (or loud) activism and peaceful solutions. Dig in!

There is an increasingly disturbing trend in the news cycle regarding ICE raids, detentions, and deportations without due process of immigrants, international travelers, and American citizens. This post offers several snapshots about the trend to increase awareness and inspire practical safety measures. Many journalists have stated that when due process is removed from anyone on US soil, it is removed for everyone on US soil. It is time to be proactive about documentation for travel and proof of citizenship. At the end of this post, you’ll find practical steps to get documents in order. First, let’s take a look at why this is important.

In my post entitled “We’re Citizens” and dated May 5^th, I shared the harrowing story of a woman (Marisa) and her three young daughters who were traumatized by government agents breaking in through their front door in search of evidence related to human traffickers. The agents ransacked the home and confiscated the family’s computers, cash, and cell phones. Local television station, News - KFOR updated the story on May 12, reporting bureaucratic discrepancies that suggest a lack of due diligence prior to the raid. Marisa and her daughters are US citizens.

According to the New York Times, United States tourism is in a steep decline and on track to lose an estimated $12.5 billion dollars in international travel spending. The International Trade Association reported a 17% decrease in European tourism. European travelers are feeling unsafe and unwelcome in the new atmosphere of fear and intimidation at border crossings. In March Germany began ‘monitoring’ how German nationals were being treated in the US. In each circumstance described in this article, detainees either had valid US citizenship (Green Card holder) or proper travel visas. Fabian Schmidt was eventually able to return to his home in New Hampshire, while Lucas Sielaff, and Jessica Brösche returned to Germany. Their stories have made news in Germany where they warn friends not to travel to the United States. Can you blame them?

Ximena Arias Cristobal, aged 19 and her father were detained in Georgia, and are now facing deportation. Adriana has been living in the US since age 4. In her interview on PBS News Hour, she said that being detained was more like being in prison than in a detention center. Carol Mayorga, mother of three in Missouri, is facing deportation to Hong Kong after living in the states for 20 years. The community in her hometown is a Trump stronghold but has risen up in support of Carol. One attendee to a recent fundraiser in her honor said, “. . . I support Trump, but this is wrong.”

On June 1^st officers entered Congressman Jerry Nadler’s (D-NY) office, and handcuffed a crying female staff member who had tried to block their entry, telling them they needed a warrant. The agents were searching for “harbored rioters” from a protest taking place outside the office building.

This 10 minute YouTube from Democracy Now shows that from Milford, PA to San Diego, CA, from Missouri to Massachusetts, outrage over ICE raids and detentions are rising. Human rights advocate, Adriana Jasso, describes an escalation in fear tactics and aggressive use of force during raids at restaurants, construction sites, and farms. She is an advocate for due process, civil rights, and human rights. The recent raid in a popular San Diego Italian restaurant brought an entire community out to protest the 20 (or more) agents armed with flash bang devices and in heavy tactical gear.

Arizona governor, Katie Hobbs, is expressing concern about ICE agents posing as electric company workers to track a woman in Tucson. In New York, ICE is arresting people who show up at courthouses for their scheduled immigration status hearings. This is resulting in those who are diligently working toward legal citizenship to avoid going to their hearings.

Finally, if you have some time to go deeper, this article in The Guardian includes photos of the faces and stories of people being denied, detained, and deported. A French scientist, a barber, a British graphic artist, a Canadian entrepreneur, a British punk band, an American lawyer, university students, children. I followed the link for Jasmine Mooney, a Canadian woman who detailed the humiliation and horrors of being detained in California and Arizona detention centers (and jails) after confusion over her work visa.

This is outrageous in a country that used to be known as generous, progressive, and welcoming. It is all taking place while MAGA politicians and news anchors think it’s a winning strategy. Many think it’s entertaining and funny. Be careful with your searches for news about these topics, or you too might stumble upon a YouTube of the GOP or MAGA faithful gleefully reporting how great America is becoming now that all the criminals are being deported.

Take note that due process is not being upheld in many of these denial, detainment, and deportation cases. There is also a recently announced international travel ban. What is happening here is a constitutional failure. As noted in my Love and Resilience post, pairing this type of information with any level of personal grief or stress, can result in feeling anxious, helpless, or paralyzed in fear. A Stoic philosophy principle is to hope for the best but prepare for the worst. With that in mind, and in the spirit of resilience, please consider taking these important safety measures.

• If you are visiting and/or working in the US under a passport, travel, student, or work visa, you must be prepared and informed about your due process rights. Be aware of your surroundings; obey local, state and federal law; and do not assume that the rule of law will be followed in case of being detained.

• Here is a resource for travelers that includes a section on what to do if you are sent to secondary inspection.

• Green Card holders can travel internationally, but has unique rules and risks (some are noted in this video). Green Card holders need to be aware of the new One Strike Immigration policy introduced by Secretary of State, Marco Rubio. The policy allows the U.S. government to revoke visas from foreign nationals after a single incident that is deemed disruptive, threatening, or contrary to American interests.

• If you are hosting a foreign exchange student or employ workers from another country; and/or if your country of origin is other than the USA, it is imperative to carry documentation and understand your rights. Immigration Defense Project has details.

• If you have friends or family traveling to visit the US from other countries, let them know that they need to have iron clad documentation including proof of citizenship in their home country.

• Their passport must be valid for at least six months beyond their planned departure date from the US.

• They will want to understand our Visa Waiver Program (VWP) that enables most citizens or nationals of participating countries to travel to the United States for tourism or business for stays of 90 days or less without obtaining a visa.

• They must have a valid Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) approval prior to travel and meet all requirements.

• They will also want to have documentation of return travel plans and financial support in case they experience secondary screening at a port of entry.

• Born in the USA? This article by author, John Scalzi, will give you lots of reasons why you will want to have an original (or certified copy) of your birth certificate, valid passport, a passport card, and an up to date REAL ID.

• Scalzi highly recommends both a passport and a passport card as 2 forms of ID.

• As of May 7, 2025, everyone should also have a REAL ID (even if you don’t plan to travel by airplane or cruise ship).

• If you plan to travel outside of the US, do visit the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) web page to learn more about protocols for re-entry.

My closing thought today is that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. So, get those documents in order as soon as possible for peace of mind in this new era. Who would have thought this would be where we are now? Remember that the midterms are only 514 days away. Breathe. Drop your shoulders. Breathe again.