We join the Hawaii community at-large and our Filipino community in voicing our concerns over the May 6 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainment of a group of international teachers from the Philippines at their residence in Maui. The international teachers are employed through the U.S. Department of State’s J-1 Visa Exchange Visitor Program which allows them to teach in the U.S. legally.
Although the incident resulted in no arrests, there are lingering questions about the detainment and further ignites national debates over ICE’s heavy-handed investigations of nonviolent immigrants and racial profiling. Homeland Security Investigations officials said agents “executed a federal search warrant in Maui that was issued by a federal judge related to an immigration investigation.” One of the teachers detained said they were told by agents they were looking for a man who had lived there a year ago.
If ICE agents were looking for one individual male, then why were all the teachers detained, interviewed and had their names taken and run through background checks, as reported by one of the teachers. Many in the community called the investigative tactics excessive, unnecessary and frightening, especially given the atmosphere of fear and intimidation of arrests happening all over the nation. We agree with such characterizations.
Detail account of incident Homeland Security Investigations officials said, “For the safety of the agents and the occupants, residents of the home were briefly detained and interviewed in addition to the search.”
Sounds harmless. But let’s go over the personal accounting of one of the detained teachers, who is a U.S. citizen, told during a press briefing by HSTA. She explained that she was still in bed when the agents pounded on her window with guns.
“They rushed us downstairs and by the time I had gotten to the front, there were teachers out there that had wet hair, half the teachers were dressed, half the teachers were not,” she said.
“There were people there with blankets on because they didn’t have the appropriate time to put on clothing. I was really scared because it happened so quickly and I even asked if I could show them documentation or if they could show them documentation or if I could have time to just put a jacket on or something, and they wouldn’t even allow me to do that.”
“As time went on, they began to write names on a pad, and they were radioing the names to an agent in an unmarked van that I guess was identifying them,” she said. “In that moment, I began to notice that some of the people around me were shaking, and that one of the teachers, daughters, who was in front was crying, and I was really concerned.”
She added, “They finally let me go first in the group and when I was brought upstairs and showed the agent my passport, he was taken aback and looked shocked and apologized to me several times.”
“The whole situation was really overwhelming and traumatic for all of us but I felt the need to speak out because I feel it could have been handled better,” the teacher shared.
“I really do not want to see that happen again with teachers who are here to help our children, who are here legally as well.”
Public reaction, lawmakers and a school official reaction The question remains: why were the teachers forced through exhausted investigative measures – including having their names run through a check — if the suspect agents were in search of was one male individual who lived in that property in the past?
Although ICE officials deny the incident was racial profiling, some in our community believe it was. U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz said, “The reported interrogation and efforts to detain Filipino teachers in their home on Maui by ICE agents is outrageous. This is racial profiling and a shameful abuse of power. We are a nation of laws, but the broad ICE raids this week are clearly designed just to instill fear,” said Schatz, in a statement. “Our teachers, our visitors, and our neighbors deserve dignity and safety, not fear of seemingly arbitrary harassment.”
Senator Mazie Hirono denounced the operation, describing the incident in a floor speech before the U.S. Senate as “terrorizing people, plain and simple.” On her Meta page, she commented, “Deeply alarmed by ICE detaining and interrogating a group of teachers on Maui. Rather than making our communities safer, Trump is focused solely on sowing chaos and instilling fear in vulnerable communities.”
Hawaii State Teacher Association President Osa Tui said, “There was no public apology for the harm that was done. We encourage our students to take their time and do their homework. As we’ve seen across the country and now here in our communities, our government is not doing their homework and doing sloppy work, which jeopardizes lives and the well-being of those who live here,” he said. “We’re concerned that if this was a mistake, what other mistakes are being made or will be made affecting other innocent people?” Tui said.
We agree with all three reactions to the incident, that “racial profiling” was likely, that the incident was “terrorizing,” and that the investigation was “sloppy work.” Not only do we agree with them, but we also extend a thank you to these leaders in our state for their advocacy and courage to look after our community. And sadly, this is just one incident by ICE that many Americans across the U.S. find troubling. ICE must do better in enforcing immigration laws that are more respectful, less fear-evoking, and carried out safely for all parties involved.
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