When Victims Become Targets: How ICE’s New Policies Betray Crime Survivors and America’s Safety

Felipe de Jesus Hernandez Marcelo’s story is not just a personal tragedy; it is a glaring indictment of a federal immigration crackdown that ignores the very victims who need protection most. Shot twice during an attempted robbery in Muscatine, Iowa, Hernandez survived against the odds, thanks to prompt emergency care. Yet today, instead of recovering with his family and contributing to his community, he languishes behind bars under Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody — detained indefinitely over a minor traffic warrant. How Did a Crime Victim Become an ICE Detainee? In a city where nearly one in five residents...