ICE Fuera de Madison

While Heart Consulting is not partisan and typically does not make political posts, I do not believe in standing by while watching our neighbors suffer. With the recent increase in ICE activity in our community, I felt it was necessary to share some perspectives on my work with immigrant families with children with disabilities.

Throughout the last ten plus years of working with people with disabilities in a variety of roles, I have supported countless families who moved here for a variety of reasons. Some were escaping dangerous war zones, some were looking for better medical care for their son or daughter, some were looking for better services and opportunities for their son/daughter with a disability. ALL were amazing, courageous, grateful, and generous people.

In many countries, services for people with disabilities just don’t exist. I once worked with a young woman whose disability was caused by poor medical care during birth, who then had a teacher decide on the first day of school she could not return because she could not be taught. In our community, she received an education and opportunities for employment, recreation and leisure activities, and proper medical care.

These families deserve our support, not deportation. They add value to our community by bringing diverse ideas and cultures. They are not here to steal our jobs or commit crimes, they are here for the same reason everyone else is: to have the opportunity to improve their lives and the lives of their loved ones.

If you or someone you know has been affected by ICE, please contact Dane County Immigration Affairs Specialist Fabiola Hamdan at (608) 242-6260. In addition, check out the ACLU and this article from USA Today on knowing your rights.

Looking to help more? Check with your local elementary school to see if they have any families affected, some schools are collecting supplies and groceries for these families.

You can also give to the Dane County Immigrant Assistance Fund here.

You can follow organizations like Voces de la Frontera and Centro Hispano for more updates, resources, and ways to help.

We are all just working as hard as we can to provide a better life for our families and loved ones. Whether someone has proper documentation or not, they deserve to be treated with compassion and fairness, rather than as assumed criminals.