Stop Tearing Families Apart

A Clear Plan for Immigrant Families

I’ve been to the U.S.-Mexico border several times. I’ve stood next to the wall. I’ve walked through migrant shelters. I’ve looked into the eyes of people who traveled hundreds, sometimes thousands, of miles just to find safety for their families.

And here’s the truth:

What politicians say to score points is not what’s actually happening.

They talk about chaos and danger.

What I’ve seen are families.

Mothers holding their children. Fathers trying to find work. Teenagers who have survived more than most of us can imagine. People looking for a chance to live without fear.

I’m running for Congress because I believe we need an immigration system rooted in truth, not fear.

Right now, we have a system that tears families apart.

Children are separated from parents. People are detained for long periods with little clarity about their future. Entire communities live with the constant fear that one knock on the door could change everything.

That’s not security.

That’s trauma.

And it’s being enforced by a system that was built to punish, not to serve.

We need to be honest about that.

ICE, as it exists today, has become a symbol of that system. Raids, detention, and family separation have created fear far beyond the border. That’s why I believe we need to abolish ICE in its current form and replace it with a system that is focused on safety, due process, and human dignity.

We also need to face another truth.

There are millions of people already living here, working here, raising families here. They are part of our communities.

Keeping them in legal limbo doesn’t make us safer. It just keeps families in fear.

That’s why I support amnesty for those who are already here.

Not as a political talking point, but as a recognition of reality and a commitment to stability.

Because no family should have to live like that.

This isn’t about being “soft.”

It’s about being honest about what works and what doesn’t.

We can have a system that is both orderly and humane. One that processes asylum claims efficiently. One that treats people with dignity. One that reflects the values we say we believe in.

But we won’t get there as long as fear drives the conversation.

Politicians use immigration to divide us. They tell stories designed to make us afraid of our neighbors. They turn human beings into talking points.

And it works, because fear is powerful.

But it’s also a choice.

As a pastor, I’ve sat with families who live with that fear every day. I’ve prayed with people who are trying to build a life, one step at a time. I’ve seen what happens when people are treated with dignity instead of suspicion.

Everything changes.

Communities get stronger. Families stabilize. People contribute, belong, and build.

That’s the kind of system we should be working toward.

We don’t have to choose between security and humanity.

We just have to decide what kind of country we want to be.

Because right now, we are tearing families apart.

And we don’t have to.