Immigration raid on New York Guyanese

Mar 11, 2025 Letters

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Dear Editor,

The current immigration raids in USA at job sites and on the streets are reminiscent of what took place during the 1970s on Guyanese and other illegals. Guyanese and other undocumented, especially in New York, need not be so fearful now as to completely hide and live in the shadows and not working or sending their children to public schools and take public transportation. They should continue to live a normal life without breaking laws.

Unlike in the 1970s, it is very difficult for ICE to identify illegal immigrants. The city is very cosmopolitan with over 300 nationalities and almost impossible to target any particular community who may have a cluster of illegals to round up for mass deportation. At any rate, there are not as many illegal Guyanese as there are of other nationalities like say Venezuelans or Mexicans or Central Americans.

In New York, several Guyanese who violated (overstayed or worked without permits) their visas were picked up in immigration raids, held in detention centers, and subsequently deported. Because there was no (10 year) bar then against those who violated visa rules, most deportees returned to USA (or migrated to Canada) directly (legally or illegally) with visa or through some kind of ‘back track’ scheme facilitated by smugglers.

Immigration raids in New York were frequent during the 1970s as agents sought to round up undocumented immigrants (those whose visas expired, foreign students not in school, and those working without authorization).  Indian (as opposed to African or Mixed or Chinese) Guyanese were natural targets for raids, conspicuous by their physical features and not known to have a history of legal (citizenship) status in America (except Indians in California) and even there they faced discrimination.

Blacks and Hispanics (except Mexicans and Central Americans) could be Americans because of their long history in America and as such not routinely targeted unless the accents of black West Indians betrayed their citizenship. Chinese or Orientals were not targeted because of their history as rail workers and out of sympathy for them having come from oppressive Communist countries which were not open to accepting deportees. But every Indian was thought to be potentially illegal and as such faced constant raids at factories. The legalized Indians were at professional jobs in the medical and engineering fields or as students in prestigious colleges and universities. If an Indian was employed at a low paying job or in a factory, he or she was thought to be illegal and subject to query by immigration agents.

There were daily multiple raids at factories (especially in the garment district), restaurants, and places of domicile (low-cost hotels and tenements where Guyanese were known to cluster). Most undocumented Guyanese were employed in low-paying jobs in factories and the hospitality industry. Legalized Guyanese worked as professionals in medical facilities (Africans and Indians) or as accountants (several Indians). Guyanese were also stopped on the streets and asked to show documents that they were legally in the country. This writer was stopped and asked for documents showing that visa was not violated; my valid matriculated full time student college ID satisfied the agents query).

Several Guyanese collaborated with the agents to report (rat) on fellow (illegal) Guyanese – as paid informers or out of jealousy or to protect themselves (quid pro quo) from being deported; yes, there were some selfish, terrible Indian Guyanese. Agents were known to knock on doors early morning or in the evening. One early morning in the Bronx agents knocked on the door of my family, telling us they got a report (from a fellow Guyanese) of an undocumented person (name given) at the home. The person was picked up and processed but because he was a candidate for a green card was subsequently freed.

There were many such raids at homes and detentions arising out of reports by fellow Guyanese; some led to deportations while others were granted work permits because they were sponsored and in line for a green card. And there were also raids at factories arising out reports by Guyanese on fellow Guyanese; the illegals were detained for violating visa rules. When raids were held, the employers tried to shield the workers, allowing them to escape or pleading for them or fabricating documents. At homes, Guyanese were known to jump out of windows to avoid agents, suffering injuries (broken limbs). Injured people avoided hospitals fearing exposure to immigration agents and detention to be followed by deportation. One had to bear one’s pain and stress from permanent fear of being arrested and detained.

Much like today, illegals lived in fear for they did not know when they could be picked up at home or at work and be deported. It was a difficult life then as it is now for illegals. But during the 1970s, the illegals took risk and went to work. They needed the money for survival and to send home to sustain the family. They traveled on mass transit, the subway and public buses as that was the cheapest means of transport. Now, illegals are fearful of riding the trains or buses and even to go to school; many seek transport in private vehicles or walk as much as possible.

Many students in the city have not shown up for public school fearing being reported to ICE and immigration enforcement actions — picked up for deportation. In some states, the court granted permits to ICE to raid schools for illegal students through whom they find their illegal parents and round them up for deportation. In NY, undocumented students need not worry about sending their children to school; minors are innocent victims.

New York protects undocumented children. ICE agents are not allowed in city properties unless they have a warrant to pick up a criminal. They are not allowed to question minors and no student’s immigration or citizenship status is known in a building. Minors are protected. Undocumented are also allowed to attend college and to obtain health services at public facilities. Providing immigration status is no longer mandated for education, health care, and licenses. The city also provides an ID for services with no question on immigration status. The undocumented should try as best possible to live a normal life and follow the law. Legalized Guyanese migrants are not sympathetic of illegals who commit crimes.

Yours truly,

Vishnu Bisram

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