Any views or opinions expressed in this column are of the individual, group, or entity who submitted it and not the publication, owner(s), its advertisers, or affiliates.
Hatred of immigrants is complex, but often boils down to fear of change. Economic worries play a big role. Some believe immigrants take jobs or strain resources.
There’s also cultural tension, where rapid demographic shifts make folks uneasy about losing traditions.
And honestly, misinformation fuels hatred. People hear exaggerated stories and assume the worst. Fear of the unknown hits hard – humans cling to familiarity.
Data shows immigrants often boost economies long-term, but short-term perceptions stick louder. It’s tough.
Headlines haven’t helped. Too many politicians lean into fear-mongering instead of facts. And social media? Echoes every bad take. But here’s the thing. Most immigrants just want the same as anyone else… Safety and opportunity.
Beneath the noise, there’s always the human side. The thing is when people aren’t scared… they tend to get along just fine. Yet, the dehumanizing stuff gets in the road. Like, calling them “illegals” instead of people fleeing hell – or worse, locking kids in cages. It’s not just policy, it’s cruelty disguised as protectionism. Makes me wonder how we forgot basic empathy. On the bright side, younger folks seem less bought into it. So, maybe there’s hope.
The main legal reason the U.S. government can detain immigrants in cages within facilities without the full due process you’d get in a criminal case is that immigration detention is classified as civil and regulatory – not punitive like prison for crimes.
Under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), Congress gives ICE broad authority to detain noncitizens pending removal (deportation) proceedings. The Supreme Court has upheld this in key cases.
• In Demore v. Kim (2003), they said mandatory detention during proceedings is okay for certain people (like those with criminal history) because it’s short-term, tied to the case timeline, and prevents flight. Congress can set stricter rules for noncitizens than citizens.
• In Jennings v. Rodriguez (2018), the Court ruled the statute doesn’t require periodic bond hearings or time limits, so detention can last months without automatic release consideration.
The Fifth Amendment’s due process clause does apply to all “persons” in the U.S., including noncitizens, so they get some protections/ This means notice, a hearing before an immigration judge, chance to present evidence, and limited review. But it’s way less than criminal due process. There are no free lawyers, no jury trial, no “innocent until proven guilty” in the same way, and the government doesn’t have to prove everything beyond reasonable doubt.
Why the difference? Courts say immigration is about sovereignty and border control, not punishment for crimes. So the government can hold people to sort out their status quickly, even if conditions are harsh. For people caught right at the border or shortly after entry, it’s even more limited – treated like they’re “at the border,” with minimal rights.
Right now in 2026, with the second Trump term, detention numbers are way up, and there’s pushback from courts on overly broad mandatory policies, but the core authority still stands. It’s civil enforcement, not criminal prosecution. That’s the legal hook. Frustrating as hell, but that’s the framework.
All immigrants are not criminals, or sucking on unemployment and other social net programs. In fact many immigrants pay social security taxes and have no way to obtain any of its benefits.
And that leads to the big lie? The government is supposedly rounding up criminals and rapists to make our towns and cities safer. Yet the federal government agencies hiring thousands of new enforcers to do just that are in fact not rounding up criminals and rapists They have no investigative arm. That remains the job of local and state police coupled with the courts.
Rather the federal government is concentrating on terrorizing those of us who live in Democratic leaning states (Pennsylvania has a Democratic Governor). They are rounding up law abiding people who have been in the U.S. for years, sometimes since birth; or are five years old; or have jobs, families and are good neighbors; or are on the way to their annual immigration check-ins as scheduled by the courts; or are waiting to be sworn in at the immigration office. These callous agents of the federal government are going into schools, churches, standing outside court houses, bursting into homes without search warrants, and acting outside the rule of law.
And all of this has nothing whatsoever to do with Donald Trump’s call to “arrest rapists and murderers”, as “rapists and murders” have been and continue to be handled by our local and state police forces.
Bill Gindlesperger is a central Pennsylvanian, Dickinson College graduate, Pennsylvania System Of Higher Education (PASSHE) Governor, former Shippensburg University Trustee, awarded numerous patents, as well as Founder and Chairman of eLynxx Solutions. eLynxx provides cloud-software for automated sourcing and managing of mail marketing, swag, packaging, and all things print. He is a board member, campaign advisor, successful entrepreneur, published author and commentator. He can be reached at Bill.Gindlesperger@eLynxx.com.
