Miedo Sin Fin

By: Gabriela Guzman

Every October, neighborhoods fill with spiders, skeletons, and glowing pumpkins. Children dress

up as ghosts, vampires, zombies, and monsters, playfully scary characters, only meant to scare us

for a moment. People watch movies about fictional characters and lay scared for a couple of

hours. On Halloween, fear is light-hearted, controlled, and temporary. By November 1st, the

decorations come down and life returns to normal.

For many immigrant families, particularly those who are Latinx, this fear does not disappear.

Their fear is not only felt for a single night. In fact, many immigrant families live in a constant

state of uncertainty. This is not a fictional fear, but a real monster that continues to terrorize

immigrant families. It is the fear of raids and family separation. The attacks by Immigration and

Customs Enforcement (ICE), along with the anti-immigrant rhetoric in today’s political climate,

have fueled this ongoing atmosphere of anxiety. The profiling and discrimination have made

many Latine individuals feel targeted and shamed for simply existing.

In my personal life, I have seen how this fear shapes daily behavior. Some Latinx individuals

have begun avoiding wearing cultural clothing to prevent being profiled. Families lower their

music during gatherings, worried that drawing attention could invite unwanted law enforcement.

In grocery stores, people refrain from speaking Spanish in public spaces. Many censor

themselves in an attempt to blend into a culture that already marks them as different.

This is not the first time a specific race has faced discrimination in the United States. Some

might say, “history is repeating itself,” but it’s not. Sure, the circumstances may seem familiar

but this time is different. The question is how we respond.

For first generation children, the fear can be rather heavy. Many grow up translating their

parents, helping them navigate workplaces, hospitals, and legal systems. Now they worry that

their parents could be detained at any moment. Those attending college far from home may not

know where their parents are throughout the day. A missed phone call can trigger panic. Instead

of fearing monsters under the bed, families fear traffic stops and even unsuspected knocks on the

door.

We are told we live in the “land of the free” yet many families do not feel free to celebrate their

culture or speak their language. Living under this constant fear affects not only individuals, but

families and entire communities. As researchers, it is our responsibility to use our power to

document these lived experiences and amplify these voices. By sharing these stories, we

challenge the narratives that ignore the struggles of immigrant communities. We remind others

that behind policies and harmful rhetorics there are real families living with fear.