‘I understand the need for border security, but there is so much racial stereotyping going on.’

Abigail Alexander is a Madison native and freshman at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee studying environmental engineering. Alexander shared views on the Trump administration’s mission with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE.

Caitlyn Nolan: What do you think about the Trump administration sending ICE officers to American cities?

Abigail Alexander: The way the Trump administration is forcing ICE agents into our cities is not at all acceptable. Beyond the fact that I don’t support what they’re doing, the way they’re doing it is inducing so much terror. I think the leadership is very corrupt, and I think the baseline motivations they have are not ethically sound. I don’t believe that people are “alien” on land that was not white people’s to begin with.

Caitlyn Nolan: Do you think there are any circumstances under which ICE could benefit people if we were under a different organization? Or do you think ICE would always end up being what it is now?

Abigail Alexander: To be honest, I don’t have a fully formulated opinion on the immigration issue as a whole. I don’t have an answer to how our immigration process should be. I understand the need for border security, but there is so much racial stereotyping going on. I do not support ICE being at the border.

Caitlyn Nolan: Should schools be educating students on what to do if they encounter ICE and what ICE is meant to be?

Abigail Alexander: Yeah, I definitely believe that schools should be teaching students what ICE is, what their role is, and what is and is not within their jurisdiction. I think a lot of people are confused about what ICE should be doing — that’s not clear. I also think they should be educated on what to do if they encounter ICE or any other serious government body.

Caitlyn Nolan: How would you like to see UWM continue to react to the Trump administration in regard to anything that could threaten them?

Abigail Alexander: I am not the most active member of the UWM community, to be honest. I would like to see UWM be intentional about educating students and telling them what their rights are.