On Sept. 8, according to the New York Times, the U.S. Supreme Court blocked a federal judge’s order, and in doing so decided that Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Los Angeles are able to legally stop, briefly detain and question people based “solely on factors like their ethnicity.” Another such factor, the ruling states, is if people are “speaking Spanish or speaking English with an accent.”
Amidst the court’s decision and its implications, the Pleiad must reiterate our commitment to spreading understanding, not fear.
Thank you for trusting us as we continue our mission for “accuracy, truth, integrity” and to represent “the diverse perspectives of Albion College students,” as is stated in our mission statement. And though it is a part of our mission statement to tell these stories “wholly, fairly and in an unbiased manner,” we feel it is important to state our support for our Hispanic and international communities.
The Supreme Court’s decision blocks the ruling of a judge in California, according to USA Today, which had legally prevented ICE from racially profiling in LA. According to the article, the now blocked ruling stated that “the government can’t rely solely on the person’s ethnicity; what language they speak; whether they’re at a particular location, such as a pickup site for day laborers; or what type of work they do,” as cause to question people on their citizenship status.
According to the American Civil Liberties Union, racial profiling is defined as “the discriminatory practice by law enforcement officials of targeting individuals for suspicion of crime based on the individual’s race, ethnicity, religion or national origin.”
The Pleiad believes the Supreme Court’s decision reflects deep-rooted racism and sets a dangerous, irresponsible precedent. The fourth amendment protects everyone in U.S. jurisdiction from unreasonable search and seizure without probable cause. The Supreme Court’s decision implies that someone’s race is probable cause to suspect they committed a crime – which is a racist, discriminatory, harmful sentiment and practice that the Pleiad condemns.
The Pleiad will continue to stand against discrimination, keep Albion accurately informed and proudly represent our diverse community.
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