On a Wednesday afternoon, after a long day of classes and studying, I went to TAP for a refreshing smoothie and well-deserved break. While waiting for my smoothie, I went to the men’s restroom, and as I walked into a stall, there it was, written in black sharpie on the right wall of the stall: “bit.ly/report-illegals.” When I followed this link, I was directed to the U.S. Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) website — more specifically, it sent me to a tip form meant to report the whereabouts of illegal aliens. In disbelief and disgust, I exited the restroom, got my smoothie and sped towards my dorm. I was hurt and felt targeted because I come from a family of immigrants and have various friends who are immigrants. Why would someone write something so xenophobic?
This hatred and vandalism was a disappointment, but not a surprise. Considering that Stanford is not a sanctuary, the fear of deportation is real for all my undocumented brothers and sisters. The saddest part was that this bigotry was written in Old Union, where El Centro, NAC, The Markaz, The A3C and DGEN are all located. These facilities are supposed to be centers where minorities and immigrants can feel safe and be in a worry-free space, yet this hate and discrimination is still persistent just outside these doors.
Deportation and separation is nowhere near new to me. Coming from a family of immigrants, I have faced hardships from not being able to visit family members in Mexico to witnessing my uncle’s deportation. The struggles that immigrant families have to endure are horrendous. And what many people fail to recognize is how long and hard it is to actually gain citizenship. Many undocumented immigrants have to wait up to 25 years to gain citizenship and learn English even though there is no official language in the U.S.
Trump’s anti-immigration policies and prejudice continue to increase xenophobia in America. Examples of this hate speech are not new: From chants of “build the wall” to “go back home,” this prejudice severely affects immigrants. Immigrants from Mexico, Central America, Haiti, Vietnam, Nigeria, Syria and countless other “shit-hole countries” have helped build this nation. Immigrants continue to work laborious jobs that white Americans simply refuse to do. We are the backbone of America.
Let’s also never forget who was here first. The various Native tribes such as the Lakota, Cherokee, Navajo and many more thrived on this land before Columbus came and instigated one of the worst genocides in history. Destroying communities and cultures while taking land, Europeans were the first real aliens of this land. Did they come here legally? Did they have to take a citizenship test? These questions oppress the thousands of hard-working immigrants that are just searching for a better life.
When does one draw the line between hate speech and freedom of speech? Stanford needs to become a more welcoming environment for undocumented immigrants. The targeting of minorities and immigrants on the Stanford campus must be dealt with. How can a student feel safe when they face harassment from their own peers? Where will Stanford be when the next student gets deported? On the outside, Stanford seems to be a perfect university that is welcoming for all, but in reality, it faces various issues regarding discrimination.
Contact David Hernandez at davidh80 ‘at’ stanford.edu.