ICE has existed for only 20 years. In that time, it has developed a record of masked street raids, home entries without judicial warrants, deaths in custody, and documented medical neglect. Independent reviews have found falsified wellness checks in a majority of investigated death cases. Communities have watched neighbors disappear into detention centers while parents grow afraid to send children to school.
At the same time, public schools in our state are underfunded. Districts are being forced to cut counselors, special education supports, after-school programs, and classroom resources. Educators are stretched thin. Families want safe, fully funded schools.
Congress cannot claim there is no money for education while continuing to allocate billions to ICE. Budgets are about priorities. If lawmakers say funding is limited, then dollars should be pulled from agencies that destabilize communities and redirected into classrooms.
This is not a partisan issue. Parents across the political spectrum support strong public schools. Children deserve investment. Communities deserve stability. It is time to fund schools, not ICE.
Rosemary Seifert-Graf
Cummington