The following essay was written by Joran, an eighth grade scholar at Alma del Mar, for the annual Frederick Douglass Public Speaking Competition in February 2025.
Ten days ago, Donald Trump was inaugurated as President of the United States. In that short time, he signed over 30 executive orders, some of which had already begun reshaping the lives of millions. One of the most devastating? Mass deportations of immigrants.
This isn’t just about people without papers. This will affect everyone—even U.S. citizens.
I’m standing here today to explain the real dangers of these executive orders. Maybe someone listening will learn something. Perhaps someone will be inspired to act. Either way, the truth needs to be said.
Let’s talk about what’s happening.
Groceries are getting expensive. People’s citizenship are being revoked. Why? What does this mean for our future?
You see, immigrants are the backbone of many industries, especially manual labor like agriculture and construction. But when you threaten them with deportation—when you make them fear for their lives and their families—they hide. They leave. And when they do, the economy suffers.
Think about it. If you walk into a supermarket—if you even feel safe enough to do so—you’ll notice prices skyrocketing. Eggs? Nine dollars. Milk? Just as bad. Sure, the Bird Flu plays a role, but a broken system and a disappearing workforce make things even worse.
And then there’s the raids.
ICE—Immigration and Customs Enforcement—now has the power to raid homes, workplaces, even in some cases schools. This doesn’t just affect areas in the South but hits cities like Brockton, where I’ve already seen it happen.
Imagine that fear.
Imagine knowing that at any moment, you or your family could lose everything.
I worry about that every day. And I know I’m not alone.
Some cities and schools are trying to resist. Some officers are standing up. Some countries are refusing to cooperate. But Trump holds another weapon—tariffs. He can impose economic penalties on any country that stands against him, forcing them to back down.
And what about the children?
ICE doesn’t care if you’re a kid in class or a mother working to feed her family. They’ll separate you. A child comes home from school only to find their parents are gone—taken, deported, never to be seen again.
Try to imagine that.
Being ripped away from everything you know. Taken somewhere unfamiliar, surrounded by people just as terrified as you. And after deportation? There’s no one left to fight for you.
Fear should never be used as a weapon.
Yet here we are.
Immigrants are going into hiding. Officials who try to protect them are running out of options. And in the coming years, many families will lose the only thing that keeps them together—each other.
“Terrible things are happening outside… poor helpless people are being dragged out of their homes. Families are torn apart; men, women, and children are separated. Children come home from school to find that their parents have disappeared.”
This isn’t just a quote from history.
It’s happening now.
And the question is—what are we going to do about it?
Thank you.