The horrifying stories in the article, “Men Are Impersonating ICE to Attack Immigrant Women,” are not isolated incidents—they reflect a deeper, long-standing erosion of human rights and protections for immigrant communities.

Immigrant women of color are disproportionately targeted and bear the brunt of the violence. Years of fear-driven policies and dehumanizing rhetoric have normalized hostility toward immigrants, creating a climate where some feel empowered to commit acts of violence without fear of consequences.

At the Tahirih Justice Center, where we serve immigrant survivors of domestic and sexual violence, we’ve seen firsthand for years the impact of dehumanizing language and actions by politicians and the media, leading to cruel policies and paralyzing fear that traps survivors in abuse. There’s no question that in the last six months, things have gotten much worse.

Now is the moment for all of us as citizens and neighbors to loudly declare that what’s happening to immigrants is unacceptable—whether through protest, contacting our representatives or walking with our immigrant neighbor as she takes her child to school so she’s not alone.