ICE On The American Dream: South Asians In The US Unpack Their Recent Experiences

The names of all sources interviewed for this article have been changed to maintain anonymity. 

In his seminal work, The Epic of America, James Truslow Adams defined the ‘American Dream’ as “that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone.” This dream wasn’t just for the rich or those of European descent but for everyone, “regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position.” In the almost 100 years that have passed since Adams published these words, the concept of the ‘American Dream’ has gone on to shape the United States’ identity. The United States of America takes pride in being a land of opportunity, of freedom, a melting pot of identities and cultures where anyone can have it all.

Last weekend, millions of Americans across all 50 states in the USA participated in ‘No Kings’ protests to fight for this dream. Just days before, aggressive ICE raids at workplaces sparked large-scale protests across Los Angeles. Although the National Guard and Marine troops were deployed against the protestors, their message could not be quelled. The United States is made great not by those at the top of the food chain, but by the people; the dreamers working hard to create a better life for themselves and future generations.

According to the Pew Research Center, Indians are the third-largest group of undocumented immigrants in the United States. We’re also the country’s largest source of international students, with over 330,000 students enrolled in the 2023-2024 school year. Over the past few months, the news has been brimming with horror stories about the Trump administration’s crackdown on these two groups — in February, over 100 Indians were deported in shackles; in March, Columbia PhD student Ranjani Srinivasan had their visa revoked for sharing pro-Palestine sentiments online and allegedly participating in a protest they said they had no part in. Just last week, a video of an unidentified young South Asian man being pinned to the ground and detained at Newark airport went viral, with commenters debating over his visa status to determine whether the violent reaction was warranted. 

Lines are blurry; the law is stringent in some cases but flies out the window in others. Studying in the United States is an immense privilege, and yet, current international students feel a looming sense of fear. Shreya, an Indian international student studying in a city neighbouring Los Angeles, decided to study in the US because, “...there’s more prestige associated with it, more doors open in terms of us being able to work wherever in the world that we may want to.” Like hundreds of thousands of other international students, she was compelled by the academic and career-based opportunities available in the US, stating, “Our idea of the American dream might not be what it was for previous generations, but there’s a lot more innovation and early exit opportunity in the United States.” 

Yousef, a Pakistani national who pursued his higher education in the USA and is now working there, says that, “What drove me to study in the US was the idea of the freedom that the US education system entails.” He had the chance to take diverse classes, meet new people, and explore his interests with world-class resources, shaping not just his career but also his sense of self.

Now, the international student experience has changed for the worse. As the Trump administration cuts back on federal funding and attempts to ban Harvard University from accepting international students, students can feel a target on their backs. “I’ve definitely had to be a lot more cautious, and there is an air of intensity and fear surrounding international students on campus,” Shreya notes. Her inbox is full of emails from her school’s administration, telling her to bring extra documents when travelling, and detailing her rights in case she’s faced with ICE. She’s heard stories of peers given 48 hours to leave the country for innocuous reasons. She knows they aren’t mere rumours because it happened to one of her friends. “We’re hoping there’s a chance he could come back,” she reflects, “but he might just have to restart his life at another college.”

All she can do is be cautious. Considering the rising tensions in Los Angeles, which she typically visits at least once a month, she has decided not to travel down to the city anymore. After hearing about students being deported over minor traffic violations, she says, “I’m even a bit scared to get my license, just in case I make a mistake driving in a new country and under new laws.” Her greatest fear is being snatched off the streets and detained, which first happened to a Turkish international student from Tufts University, Rumeysa Ozturk, back in March. Although she refrains from speaking out politically and abides by the law, Shreya is afraid.

Yousef was drawn to the USA seeking certainty and stability in what he wanted to do with his life. He now has a job, just signed a lease for the next year, and has built a beautiful community of artists and like-minded people around him in New York. However, in an increasingly tumultuous political climate, he said, “I just don’t know if living in this sort of uncertainty, in this country specifically, is worth it for me.” While he had a plethora of creative opportunities at his disposal immediately after graduating from college, Yousef now envisions himself returning to Pakistan, “working on film, making art, doing something totally different” around his friends and family, and where his visa status wouldn’t be at risk. “Wherever you’re happiest is where you should go,” he considers, “but a lot can change in a year.”

Even second-generation immigrants — American citizens born to immigrant parents — feel affected, in terms of identity, if not safety. For many, their parents’ journey to the United States, in pursuit of a better life for their family, was a point of pride. The roads to their lives were paved by sacrifice and hard work. But now, some feel disillusioned. One person told us, “Trump’s administration has empowered dormant voices — like I thought America had moved past most of this stuff, I thought we were the 'land of the free' or whatever, but clearly that was naive of me. I used to think being American meant experiencing a melting pot of diverse cultures and backgrounds, but I don’t think that anymore.” Another said, “Our parents made the journey here, so it feels to me like we have an obligation of sorts to continue the ingratiation into American society. But I’m split on it. I don’t know where else to go.” 

The estimated 5 million protestors that participated in the ‘No Kings’ protests on June 14th were driven by a similar emotional incongruence. As international students lose freedoms, immigrants are targeted, and several other vulnerable minority groups in the United States are put at risk, it’s no surprise that the ‘American Dream’ is falling apart once more. In reality, the ideal of the ‘American Dream’ has proven its flaws time and again, starting with the country’s colonial inception, and continuing through its oppression of minorities and wars waged across the world. 

And yet, the United States is a beacon of hope for so many; a chance at a better life. This is why so many hard workers and great minds find their way there, seeking freedoms and opportunities they may not get elsewhere. The public’s anger is a protective response, and in this case, a way to channel fear into making change. Protestors fight because they know they know they have something worth fighting for: their neighbours and classmates; the uncles at the corner shop; their favourite teachers; the millions of people they’ve never met that keep the country going. 

Whether you’re a citizen, student, immigrant, or an international bystander, there are ways to help. 

Learn about the Immigration Defense Project here.

Learn about the National Immigration Law Center here. 

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