In a harrowing account shared with MILENIO, Mexican migrant Jesus Hernandez recounts how he and his American citizen son were confronted by ICE agents on their way to buy groceries in Chicago. Despite being a US citizen, Hernandez's son was treated as a detainee, illustrating the harsh realities of immigration enforcement. Hernandez, originally from Veracruz, emigrated to the US over 27 years ago in search of the American dream, which he now describes as having turned into a nightmare.

After being apprehended, Hernandez was taken to the Broadview Detention Center in Illinois, where he faced six weeks of uncertainty, while his son was separated from him and held for only a few hours. The separation not only heightened the emotional turmoil for Hernandez but also showcased the often brutal nature of immigration raids that impact families indiscriminately. At home, his wife and other children faced the stress and anxiety of not knowing about his safety and future.

Following his release, Hernandez now wears an ankle monitor and is under constant surveillance, a situation that he describes as a permanent reminder of his trauma. His story raises critical questions about the treatment of migrants by the US immigration system and the implications of such detentions on families, particularly when American citizens are also caught in the crossfire of enforcement actions.