After the election of President Donald Trump, many undocumented immigrants knew there would be a push for mass deportation. The new president had promised it, again and again. The recent escalation—including Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids at homes, restaurants, car washes, and Home Depot parking lots across Los Angeles—has left many immigrants in California on edge. Protests erupted across the country. Police clashed with activists. And, in the aftermath, a national headline took hold: a battle in LA.
But that familiar framing—of dramatic raids and acts of resistance—overlooks a quieter, more insidious reality: the daily dread of life under ICE surveillance in Los Angeles. For many, it means sheltering in place—avoiding work, social life, or even a walk outside. Here are the stories of people like Maria, Bob, and others—who are using pseudonyms—navigating the quiet, constant pressure of simply trying to live.
Story pitch, photography, and reporting by Brandon Tauszik.
Published in Mother Jones.
“I feel like they’re just scaring us and desensitizing people from these things, getting us tired,” says Maria, an undocumented 22-year-old who worries that she will lose her job from sheltering in place. She says she is often afraid.
Eiden, who came to the United States as a child, has taken up painting to pass time at home. “I do tinker with the idea of moving to Mexico. My mom and dad pitched the idea that we all go back. But I really do find home here in Los Angeles.”
Ana, 32, who is undocumented, has been reading books to pass time at home. “Communities are fearful because of the ICE raids, which are happening in areas that are predominantly Hispanic. People are being deported without due process,” she says.
Bob practices bass guitar at home. Even though he has been naturalized, he worries about his citizenship being taken away. “One of the things that they can use against you is if you’re considered a terrorist,” he said. “So if I’m out there protesting against Donald Trump—‘oh, you’re a domestic terrorist.’”