Introduction to the Issue
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Daniel Ríos was at lunch time at the John Hancock College Prep high school when he received a message from his mother who tormented him the rest of the day.
She was anxious after listening that the officers of the Immigration and Customs Control Service (ICE) were close to their neighborhood. Ríos, a first -generation American, said he felt helpless. His mind watched over his school work, fearing that the next message would bring terrible news.
"All day I have been thinking about what he said and all I can say is, ‘be careful," said Ríos. "It made me close, in a way, and be constantly looking to make sure you don’t receive any notification of my phone that I said, ‘Oh, they grabbed me."
Ríos was one of more than a dozen Chicago teenagers who participated in a round table last week on how the application of immigration and the threat of a deployment of the National Guard were affecting their mental health.
They expressed feelings of helplessness, frustration, fear and an increasing desire to get more involved with their communities. The students, representing more than 10 schools in the city, also shared ways in which they can avoid feeling overwhelmed.
Chicago school teenagers participate in conversations in the offices of Mikva Challenge, located in the LOOP, on Thursday of last week.
Tyler Pasciak Lariviere / Sun-Times
Effects on Students
The event was held in the LOOP and was organized by United Communities, along with Voices of Youth in Chicago Education, Mikva Challenge and Hana Center.
Tykwon Billups, first -year student at the University of Illinois in Chicago, said many of his close friends at University share the anguish of Ríos.
"They are trying to continue their education, but with the fear of their family at home … Being afraid that one day they can receive a call saying that their mother or father is no longer at home," said Billups. "That fear is so within them that they cannot effectively grow as people or academically because it is on them as a cloud."
Billups said he also feels affected to see the impact on his friends and wants to help, but he doesn’t know how or if he can.
"It’s hard to be that external person knowing that you can’t do anything," he said.
Tyler Pasciak Lariviere / Sun-Times
Reactions to Raids and Deployment Threats
Other teenagers talked about the negative emotions they feel when they see some of the reactions to the raids in social networks.
"People talk about ‘Oh, I voted for this’, but when you put it in perspective it is like: Are you voting to separate families? Are you voting for children to be lost throughout that deportation?" Jessica García said, who also attends Hancock College Prep.
President
