As a Jew, I was raised to honor the words of Pastor Martin Niemöller:

First they came for the Communists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Communist
Then they came for the Socialists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Socialist
Then they came for the trade unionists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a trade unionist
Then they came for the Jews
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Jew
Then they came for me
And there was no one left
To speak out for me

These words hold a special place for Jewish Americans like me. My immigrant grandmother’s parents and siblings were killed in the Holocaust about 25 years before I was born. My family and my Jewish community raised me to be politically active and vigilant against discrimination and the scapegoating of racial, religious and other minority groups. I believe that many American Jews were inspired by these historical experiences to join the black civil rights movement in the 1960s — often well before it was popular to do so — and other social movements advocating for equal rights and treatment.

While I have devoted the last 17 years of my life to talking about the economic benefits of immigration, especially to Metro Detroit and Michigan, my Jewish values are what compel me to object to the actions of the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency and why I believe Jewish Americans need to raise their voices and oppose what is happening.

The actions in Minnesota were allegedly launched to battle fraud incidents implicating roughly 90 individuals, many of whom (but not all) are Somali Minnesotans. These fraud crimes deserve action and were resulting in criminal convictions before ICE arrived. But fraudulent activity in Minnesota doesn’t justify demonizing an entire ethnic group. In discussing the ICE surge, President Trump referred to Somali Americans as “garbage” and claimed that “They contribute nothing. I don't want them in our country. I will be honest with you. Their county is no good for a reason. Their country stinks.” We Jews ought to pay close attention whenever an entire group or class of people are scapegoated and targeted for the actions of a few.

Here are the recent government actions that make me think of Niemöller’s poem:

Deploying Masked ICE Agents in Paramilitary Gear and False Claims of Absolute Immunity. In his second term, President Trump removed the prohibition of immigration enforcement actions in “sensitive locations” including courts, schools, churches and hospitals. Not long after, ICE agents began to show up patrolling streets with masks and without identification. The visual images are evocative of secret police used by authoritarian leaders. More recently, Vice President Vance falsely claimed that the agents who killed Renee Good were protected by “absolute immunity” because he was “doing his job.” Vance has since walked back this claim, but these tactics run counter to our traditions. The government must protect our Constitutional rights — which is why elected officials, ICE agents, police and military swear an oath to the Constitution.

Targeting Immigrant Citizens of Color. Over 100 Somali refugees with legal status have been arrested and removed to a detention facility in Texas, while investigators hope to find errors on their immigration paperwork to deport them. According to lawyers at Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota virtually none of these targeted individuals have any criminal records beyond a traffic ticket. None of them are connected with the alleged fraud related to food assistance and childcare that appears to be the pretext for ICE’s Operation Metro Surge in Minneapolis.

Brooklyn Park, Minnesota’s Police Chief Mark Bruley said his office is receiving endless complaints from U.S. citizens that ICE agents are using racial profiling tactics to single out people of color and demand proof of legality. "They're being stopped in traffic stops or on the street with no cause," Bruley said. "We started hearing from our police officers the same complaints as they fell victim to this while off duty. Every person who has had this happen to them is a person of color." 

Disrespecting Human Dignity. The demonizing language that immigrants or undocumented persons are “vermin” or “invaders” who are “poisoning the blood” of America empowers ICE to behave in cruel ways and evokes that kind of prejudice that gave rise to the Nazis. The use of Liam Ramos, the five-year old pre-school student with an angelic face and floppy winter hat, as bait to lure his family out of the house to be arrested is an image exemplifying the cruelty of this moment.

Trampling Our Constitutional Rights and Traditions. Government whistleblowers leaked an ICE memo telling ICE employees that they can ignore the 4th amendment and break into homes of immigrants who have final orders of removal without judicial warrants.

The FBI agent who was investigating the killing of Renee Good resigned last week after being pressured to stop the investigation. Six Department of Justice prosecutors also resigned due to inappropriate governmental pressure to investigate Good’s wife.

The Supreme Court’s endorsement of what are now called “Kavanaugh Stops” seems to allow ICE to detain anyone who looks Mexican, dresses in work clothes and speaks with an accent in a Home Depot parking lot or other area where immigrants congregate.

Detaining Native Americans. Native American tribes and organizations are reporting that tribal members are being abducted and detained by ICE. “Across Indian Country, we are seeing Native American people illegally stopped, abused, or detained by ICE agents. It is hard to miss the irony of locking up the first people of this land in an immigration sweep,” said Native American Rights Fund Executive Director John Echohawk. “It’s indicative of the racial profiling that is happening, and we refuse to stand by while the United States government abducts Native people.”

Republicans have added $75 billion to ICE’s $10 billion annual budget ballooning the ICE budget to three times the annual combined budgets of the FBI, DEA and ATF. The resources allocated to the ICE budget exceed that of all but 15 nations’ military budgets. ICE has more money for its operations than Iran, Brazil, Italy or Israel has for its defense budget.

Americans value immigration and want more control of our borders and to deport violent criminals, but do we have to subvert our Constitutional rights and traditions and target and demonize minority groups to accomplish these goals? Prior border enforcement efforts under Obama and even Trump’s first term suggest these tactics are unwarranted and unnecessary.

The persecution of my ancestors based on their religion undergirds my love for America and fidelity to our Constitution. It makes me sensitive to the targeting of racial, ethnic or religious minorities in America and across the world. I have committed myself to a career in social justice and public service out of the legacy left to me by those Jewish ancestors who perished and those who survived the Holocaust. And it’s that legacy and my understanding of Niemöller’s words that has me gravely concerned about this moment. I call on my community to raise our collective voice.