Oklahoma Classroom Chronicles: Immigration Post-Inauguration

A small showing of hands popped up when asked who watched the 2025 Inauguration. I asked, “Who has questions, concerns, or would like anything clarified? It may feel scary; things may seem to be moving very quickly (because they are) and you may be excited or want to know: Can he do that?”

A kid in the back of the class raises his hand. He presents as male, smiles the entire time he speaks and asked: “Will I get 500 dollars a head if I report illegals?  I work with a couple, and I know for a fact they’re not citizens”.

I asked: Do they work in the same job that you do? “YES”. Are they minors? “YES”. Would your workplace be negatively impacted if you did that? The student rolls his eyes, and says, “I guess so.”

I reply: No, you cannot get paid for that. Perhaps, they are not citizens, but how do you know whether they are working on green card regulations of legal working status? Did you know immigrants pay taxes just like you do with the exception being that only you will benefit from their taxes until they are citizens?

I looked around my classroom when he asked this question. Most students looked shocked, a few scared.

I felt sick for the Hispanic students in my room. His question and his attitude had a very dehumanizing way of referring to real people, peers of his own age, his co-workers. His words created a deep sense of foreboding.

As a political science professor specializing in minority studies, violent extremism and democracy—along with understanding and expertise in the history of racism, injustice, discrimination and [again], violence—the student’s words felt surreal.

Is this how it begins?

When we have rounded up those not like us, detained humans on suspicion not evidence, locked them up for “processing” in the dark places out of public sight, looking the other way when we realize there was never a “where are they going” or “how will they get there” plan. Until one day, we remember that deportation we participated in, and take a peek inside those detention centers, only to find bones and ash.