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Southeast Valley D15 Dems Democratics Queen Creek, San Tan Valley, Southeast Mesa

ICE is Vanishing People in Plain Sight. Arizona is Letting It Happen.

Photo by Mario Tama / Getty Images File
Photo by Mario Tama / Getty Images File

It’s easy to think this kind of thing only happens in big cities. That ICE raids and secret detentions are a border-town problem or something you hear about on cable news. But lately, we’ve seen something different and more dangerous, and it’s reaching communities like East Mesa, Queen Creek, and San Tan Valley.

International students. Farmworkers. Visa holders. Legal residents with families, jobs, and homes. People who spoke up. Who showed up to community events, or posted about Gaza, or helped their neighbors. People who believed they belonged.

Then, they were gone.

No notice. No charges. No lawyer. Just disappeared into a system that doesn't have to explain itself. ICE, often backed by local law enforcement, is detaining people with little accountability and no real due process.

This isn’t speculation. This is happening.

Why This Matters Here

We’re not immune out here. ASU Polytechnic is just down the road. Queen Creek's farms and construction sites depend on immigrant labor. San Tan Valley's health clinics and schools serve multilingual families every day. Many of our neighbors are on student visas or work permits. Some are green card holders. Others are still navigating the process but have lived here for years.

This isn’t about border security. It’s about fear and control.

ICE isn’t just targeting undocumented people. They’re targeting those who speak out. Who organize. Those who challenge the status quo. If you’ve ever marched, signed a petition, or posted a strong opinion, don’t think this won’t affect you.

What’s Really Going On

This isn’t random. It’s calculated. It’s meant to send a message: keep your head down or risk vanishing. It’s about making people afraid to engage, afraid to belong.

And if it works, it won’t stop at immigrants. Environmental organizers. Labor leaders. College students. They could all be next.

They want us to be quiet. They want us isolated. But we don’t work like that.

Photo by Jerod MacDonald-Evoy | Arizona Mirror
Photo by Jerod MacDonald-Evoy | Arizona Mirror

What Arizona’s Leaders Can Do

Attorney General Kris Mayes has the power to step in. She can investigate ICE activity in Arizona. She can demand records, file lawsuits, enforce sanctuary protections, and stand up to federal intimidation.

But she won’t act unless we speak up.

What We Can Do Right Now

  • Call AG Mayes. Ask what her office is doing to investigate secret detentions and protect due process. (602) 542‑5025 | Contact Form | Sample Script

  • Contact your state legislators. Demand laws that block local law enforcement from working with ICE. Even though these legislators are Republicans and may not agree with us, it’s important they hear directly from their constituents. Pressure is effective when it’s consistent and localized. | Sample Script

  • Support legal defense. Help fund clinics or volunteer with groups assisting immigrants and visa holders.

  • Tell the truth. If this is happening to people you know, don’t keep it quiet. If you’re a student, a nurse, a teacher, or a neighbor. Use your voice.

This is not normal. And we don’t accept it as the future.

We know our communities. We know our values. And we know what happens when people stay silent.

Arizona Democrats believe in showing up. That means standing up, even when it’s uncomfortable. Especially when it’s close to home.

 
 
 

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