‘As an undocumented mother, I can’t help but worry for my son’s safety first. As an organizer, my worry turns to resolve.‘
Editor’s note: This article was originally published at Truthout. Click Here
I sit in my living room, staring at my son’s backpack, a small reminder of the life we’ve built here, piece by piece. He’s a U.S. citizen, born and raised in a country that has always been his home. As the news blares about the election results, I think about his future. Donald Trump has won again, backed by a Congress and state-level MAGA officials ready to carry out his Project 2025 plans and mass deportation agenda. As a mother, I can’t help but worry for my son’s safety first. That’s true of all moms. We would do anything for our babies, and I fear for all the children who are at risk of seeing their parents violently targeted. But as an organizer, my worry turns to resolve. And I am fueled by the conviction to move mountains to protect myself, my son and my undocumented community.
I’ve heard Trump’s rhetoric about people like me, and I know all too well what it means when he talks about “cleaning up” our communities. For my son and me, it’s not politics; it’s the risk of separation, the looming threat of deportation, the pain of being forced apart. I am filled with a fierce determination to keep us all safe because I know that my story isn’t unique. There are countless families just like mine — mothers, fathers, children — who wake up every day, care for our communities and work to build a liberated future here.
The results of this election lay bare a truth we can’t ignore: We can never count on the federal government to prioritize the needs of families like mine. It was up to Democrats to make a compelling case to voters, to show that they’re committed to building a future where all of us — especially immigrants, people of color, LGBTQIA communities and working-class families — can thrive. But instead, they tried to meet Republicans in the middle, and in doing so, lost sight of us.
Meanwhile, Trump propelled immigration to the center of his campaign, demonizing people like me and promising to carry out mass deportations on day one.
But make no mistake: My home is here. My son’s home is here. We belong here just as much as anyone else, and we are a central part of our communities, our schools and our neighborhoods.
I know where I will be on day one of Trump’s presidency. I will be standing hand in hand with my undocumented community, proudly declaring that we are here to stay. This moment, however, begs the question of our allies: Where will they be on day one?
To those who are feeling despair at this moment, who are asking how it’s possible that a fascist, rapist and impeached former president has made it back to the White House, I say this: Let the rage you’re feeling catalyze you into action.
This moment requires all of us — including our allies, our friends, our neighbors, our coworkers — to step up, to make a bold public pledge to protect immigrant families like mine, and to show through action that we will not tolerate mass deportations, raids and tearing families apart. We need to fight to prevent Trump’s authoritarian vision from becoming our reality. Now, more than ever, we need all hands on deck and to remember that together, we are more powerful than Trump.
Our communities are not new to hardship — but we have survived even the harshest conditions, and in those moments, built even more power. We know how to organize, how to protect one another, how to support those facing the brunt of the threats. For every policy aimed at criminalizing us, we will respond with an even stronger commitment to our right to stay, to thrive and to raise our families without the constant threat of separation.
The truth is that democracy cannot survive if it is built on exclusion and division. For too long, Democrats have thought it was enough to be the party that is simply “not Trump.” They failed to show a clear, compassionate alternative. They failed to listen to the young people who begged for a future built on justice and equality. Instead, they focused on keeping moderates and Republicans comfortable — and even through that strategy, they have failed. They have left families like mine in the crossfire of Trump’s violent agenda, but we were never betting on them to save us; we have always bet on ourselves.
My community, my family, my son — they are my reasons to keep fighting. When I look at my son, I see the future of this country. I see a future where he can proudly call this place home, without fear that his mother will be torn away from him. To achieve this, we need everyone to join us. We need local electeds — from governors, to mayors, state representatives and city council members — to deliver protections for the immigrants who call their cities and states home. We need allies and neighbors to make bold commitments and to stand with us to prevent mass deportations and family separations.
As we face these ominous times, we are not defeated. We know there are more of us who want to see a future of compassion, unity and justice than those who want to tear us apart. So let us rise up, let us protect each other and let us build a movement that transcends borders — one that fights not just for survival but for the right to belong, to contribute and to dream. We are undocumented and unafraid, and together, we are ready to resist Trump’s agenda and fight for a world where families are never forced apart.
Our freedoms and our rights are interconnected, and that unity is our greatest strength. To those reading this, I ask: Will you join us? Will you help protect families like mine? Because we cannot afford to face this alone. We’re here, we’re ready and we’re fighting for a future that includes all of us.
This article is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0), and you are free to share and republish under the terms of the license.
Sandra Avalos is an undocumented mother and leader of United We Dream Action’s Squad.
