#18 ¿Que pasó? with Señor B - week of 7/28

ICE Forgiving Student Loans?

Wild times we are witnessing… On one hand, we're watching the doors to student loan forgiveness close for millions of working-class professionals... the current administration has continued to gut these programs, leaving countless people worried about their financial future and defaulting on their payments.

On the other hand, we see a whole different story unfolding. This week, the Department of Homeland Security announced a new push to hire ICE agents. And they're not just offering a paycheck, but a massive $50,000 signing bonus and student loan forgiveness.

It’s a clear example of the hypocrisy we’re seeing in our country. They’re taking away relief for nurses, teachers, and other public servants, while offering huge financial rewards to the very groups that are actively terrorizing our communities. This isn't just a policy difference; it's a deliberate attack on the people trying to build a better life, while incentivizing those who dismantle our safety and stability.

It’s a slap in the face to every person who worked hard to get an education and is now struggling under the weight of debt. We have to keep our eyes open and speak out against these injustices, because this is about more than just money… it's about who this country chooses to value.

@senor_barragan

Our tax dollars going towards terrorizing of our communities #ice #lamigra #raids #loanforgiveness #immigration

Deportations of Parents Damages Young People

Videos como estos lastiman el alma. This week, images from New York surfaced that were absolutely heartbreaking. In the video, you can hear a child’s cries as la migra takes their father away. And of course, the agents are covering their faces, hiding from the very public they're supposed to serve.

It’s easy to look at this and just feel rage, but it’s more than that. It's a trauma that our young people are being forced to witness and endure. The damage done in that single moment will be carried by that family forever.

I know this pain too . The video brought me right back to 2011, when my own father was deported. The damage it did to my family is something we carry with us to this day.

We are told that ICE is here to protect us from "criminals," but the data tells a different story. The vast majority of people being detained by ICE have no criminal record. They are hard-working people, parents, and community members.

There has to be a better way to handle this. If the issue is simply people not having the proper documents, then the answer isn't tearing families apart. The answer is creating a realistic and accessible pathway to getting those documents. That's the only way we can move forward as a humane and just society.

@senor_barragan

No child should go through something like this #immigration #immigrant #ice #deportations #nycity

White House Memes Deportations

This week, we saw some horrible things coming from the official White House social media accounts. They are pushing memes about what is happening to our communities, and it's not only insensitive… it's terrifying.

The use of memes to make light of something as serious as deportations is a new level of dehumanization. They took a viral meme, the "Jet2 holiday" song, and put it over a video of people in handcuffs being put on a plane by ICE. The caption read, "When ICE books you a one-way Jet2 holiday to deportation. Nothing beats it!"

This isn't a joke. It's a calculated tactic to normalize something horrible. It’s an attempt to make us laugh at the pain of others, to make us look away from the human cost of these policies. When the most powerful office in the world uses a viral trend to mock the separation of families, it's a signal. It tells us that they see us as a punchline, not as people with lives, families, and dreams.

My heart breaks every time I see something like this because it's a clear sign that we are witnessing the wrong side of history. We are watching as cruelty is being repackaged as content. We must not let it become normal. We have to call this out for what it is: a dangerous and deeply disturbing new frontier in political messaging.

@senor_barragan

We are witnessing the wrong side of history in the making #whitehouse #meme #immigrants #iceraids #humanrights

They want DACA Recipients to Self Deport

Familia, if you're feeling a sense of unease right now, you're not alone. The Department of Homeland Security has once again brought DACA to the forefront, but not with a promise of protection. This week, we saw them make statements that have been widely interpreted as a call for DACA recipients to self-deport.

This is a slap in the face to the roughly half a million people, our friends, family, and neighbors, whose lives are built on the fragile foundation of this program. This isn't just talk. We've also seen other deeply unsettling announcements, from changes that will strip DACA recipients of access to public healthcare services, to new rules that threaten their financial support for university.

The constant fear and uncertainty is absolutely draining. We know the history here. The administration tried to dismantle DACA during its first term, and we successfully fought back. But the fight is never truly over. It's an endless cycle of anxiety for a community whose hard work and sacrifice the United States benefits from every single day.

We must continue to fight back against this fear-mongering. We have to stand up against this constant chipping away at the program that has allowed so many to build a life here. Our community, and every person with DACA, deserves a pathway to stability, not an open invitation to self-deport. We can't let them win.

@senor_barragan

Anyone else feel exhausted? #daca #dreamer #immigrant #undocumentedimmigrants #undocumentedandunafraid

Working on my Mental Series

Familia- this one is important to me. For a while, my job was really taking a toll on me→ mentally and physically. The work was amazing but also draining, and it left me feeling stretched thin, with little energy left for anything else.

This summer, I've made a conscious effort to change that. I've been spending parts of my time doing things that benefit my mental health, because if I'm going to keep showing up for our community, I have to first show up for myself. This week, that meant something as simple as going for a long walk in nature and just appreciating the beauty of the Bay Area. It was a small thing, but it was exactly what I needed to recharge and find some peace.

This project, and these conversations we have here, take a lot of energy. It's an important conversation to have, but it often gets far fewer views and less attention online. Your support means the world, and it's what helps sustain me to continue doing this work.

It's a reminder to all of us: we have to be intentional about what we give our energy to, and we have to protect our well-being. What's one thing you're doing to recharge this week?

@senor_barragan

What are you doing to work in your mental? #SeñorB #dreamer #immigrant #mexico #mentalhealth