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Across the country, fear is spreading faster than facts.
The National Guard has been deployed to cities like Chicago and Portland. ICE agents are back on the streets, and families are being detained, some without warrants, some who are U.S. citizens, simply because of how they look.
The message from the highest levels of government has been clear: immigrants are to be feared, not welcomed.
And even here, in our own community, a place that has proudly declared itself a welcoming city, I have seen that fear and anger seep into local conversations. It shows up in our online comments, our Nextdoor neighborhood chats, the posts that treat humanity like a political argument.
As the Latina and founding editor of the Redwood City Pulse, and the daughter of Mexican immigrants, I cannot ignore that. I came to this newsroom in 2021 believing Redwood City’s greatest strength is its diversity, its ability to open its arms, not close its doors.
That is what this city reaffirmed this year when it renewed its promise to protect everyone who calls it home. And that is what we need to hold on to now, especially when fear is knocking at everyone’s door.
My parents came to this country decades ago looking for opportunity, and because of their sacrifices, my siblings and I built our lives here. One of my sisters is now earning her master’s degree at the University of Michigan, on her way to a Ph.D. That is what happens when people are given the chance to thrive. It is the American promise in action.
That is why it has been painful to watch anti-immigrant rhetoric creep into our national discourse, and lately, into our local spaces too. These are not harmless words. They chip away at the sense of trust and belonging that make this community strong.
Redwood City’s population is about 85,000, and according to the latest U.S. Census data, roughly 35% of residents identify as Latino or Hispanic. Immigrants and their children make up a huge part of the city’s workforce and cultural fabric, from construction and childcare to local government, education and tech. They are not outsiders. They are Redwood City.
It is also no secret that immigration enforcement activity is happening close to home. The San Mateo County Rapid Response Network has confirmed ICE operations in the area and continues to field reports through its 24-hour hotline. We have also covered incidents that raised questions about ICE involvement right here in Redwood City.
What is happening across the country is deeply concerning. From the deployment of the National Guard in major cities to reports of ICE detaining people, even citizens, based on appearance, we are seeing a disregard for fundamental rights enshrined in our Constitution. The erosion of those rights does not just harm immigrants. It harms all of us.
When people are arrested without warrants, when fear replaces trust, when neighbors turn on each other because of where they come from or how they look, that is not safety. That is division.
Redwood City and our larger county cannot afford to go down that path. Our strength lies in community, compassion and shared purpose. We must speak out against any rhetoric that seeks to divide or dehumanize.
I am not naïve. This is not kumbaya and it is not Mr. Rogers’ neighborhood. But it is about basic decency. Immigrants are not an abstract idea. We are your neighbors, your coworkers, your kids’ classmates, the people sitting next to you at the coffee shop. When you turn that into hate, you are not protecting anything. You are breaking what makes this city human.
Our motto says “Climate Best by Government Test.” I’ve always taken that to mean more than the weather — that Redwood City is a place that stays warm, even when the rest of the world turns cold.
Our country was founded on the idea of welcoming those who seek a better life. That promise is part of who we are and it is something we have to fight to preserve.
Being a welcoming city is not radical. It is what is right. It is what is human. And if we mean it, we cannot just say the words. We have to live them.
Michelle Iracheta is the founding editor of the Redwood City Pulse, launched in 2021 to serve the city with fact-based, community-driven journalism.
Thank you Michelle! This is so heartfelt and I so agree. I have a friend who came here legally from Guatemala because of gang threats to their oldest son. Yesterday at their regular ICE check-in the father was taken from his wife and 3 kids. We can’t find out what is happening but he has been sent to Bakersfield. This is so wrong. They are here legally, he was employed we were helping them to get out of their RV and into housing. They were so happy about this progress day before yesterday. We are all broken now and feel totally helpless.
This is WRONG. Thank you for this editorial Michelle. Becca Kieler
Thank you for speaking up, Michelle! I agree with you that our diversity is our strength as a community. Keep up your good work.