By Jasmyne A. Cannick
This might come as a shock to some Black folks sipping their tea, minding their own melanin-rich business, and lounging comfortably in their FAFO suite watching Latinos get rounded up in full slave catcher cosplay—but let me remind you: FAFO is not a forcefield.
Let’s get right to it: I’ve been hearing a lot of Black folks shrug off what’s happening with ICE and our Latino brothers and sisters with a quick, “That’s their L.” And I get it—some of y’all are still recovering from watching folks wave Trump flags like they were auditioning for a deportation sponsorship. But this idea that we can stay quiet, stay cute, and somehow stay safe? That’s not strategy. That’s denial.
Yes. A whole lot of us watched in disbelief while some Latinos proudly hopped on the Trump train, waving flags and ignoring every warning we gave. And now that the train’s derailed and folks are getting dragged off it, some Black folks are reclining like, “Welp, you asked for it.” And listen—that part of the conversation is real. Actions have consequences.
But…
If you think staying quiet, uninvolved, or emotionally checked out is gonna shield us from the same mess? That’s cute. And dangerously delusional.
How does the African proverb go?
He who digs a grave for his enemy might as well be digging one for himself.
Your Citizenship Won’t Save You
Thinking your American citizenship, your clean record, your church attendance, and being “prayed up” is gonna save you?
I hate to break it to you, but it won’t.
This country is shifting. Fast. And not in our favor. What’s legal today can be criminalized tomorrow with a signature, a press conference, and a spin cycle on Fox News. And if you think that sounds dramatic, remember: we used to be illegal. Our bodies, our marriages, our votes, our very presence—criminalized. Legal status didn’t protect us then, and it won’t save us now.
You can’t outrun anti-Blackness with paperwork, paychecks, or prayers.
So no—don’t get too comfortable just because you’re not on the list today. History shows us that when they run out of folks to target, they make new rules for the rest of us.
And if you don’t believe that?
Ask a Black immigrant.
Ask a trans youth.
Ask a woman in Texas.
Ask a Palestinian protester.
Ask your ancestors.
That Assata Quote Won’t Cover Your Absence
And let me say this—especially to the brothas and sistas who love to call themselves “conscious,” “woke,” “revolutionary,” or whatever term is trending this week—while you’re sitting this one out, all quiet and unbothered, you’re sending a loud message to your Black immigrant cousins: you’re on your own.
And don’t hit me with the “that’s not my fight” nonsense.
Because if you’re out here quoting Marcus Garvey, rocking red, black, and green, posting Pan-African flags, but turning your back on Black folks being deported, detained, or banned from entering this country—you’re not conscious. You’re just curated. You’re not radical. You’re selective.
Pan-Africanism isn’t about vibes, fashion, or throwing up a fist on Instagram. It means all Black people everywhere. Even the ones who don’t sound like you. Even the ones who weren’t born here. Even the ones ICE is coming for at 5am
If your liberation has borders, it’s not liberation—it’s branding.
So, while you’re off somewhere being too “busy” or “neutral,” know that silence is a choice. And that choice tells your Black immigrant fam exactly where they stand with you.
And that’s the part you won’t be able to pretty up with a quote from Assata.
You’re Watching the Warning Play Out in Real Time
This was always supposed to be about the “bad hombres,” right? That’s what Trump said. That was the sales pitch. And no, that was never a good or moral argument—but at least that was the lie they told to get folks comfortable.
Fast forward to now—and they’re snatching people from their homes, their jobs, and their kids’ graduations. Broad daylight kidnappings dressed up as law enforcement. No warrants. No dignity. No shame. Just vibes, badges, and trauma.
So, if you’re still pretending this is about criminals—you’re not paying attention. Or you’re lying to yourself. Either way, they’re coming for you next.
Now, this isn’t the only reason Black folks should care and stay tapped in. But for the “I’m just minding my own Black business” crowd? This might be the best one I’ve got. Because what happens to immigrants is your business. What happens when systems get away with dehumanizing them is a blueprint for how they’ll come for you next. If history’s taught us anything, it’s that silence doesn’t protect us—it just clears the runway.
This moment calls for more than petty satisfaction. It calls for clarity, memory, and solidarity rooted in survival. Because history has shown us—again and again—that when the system finishes eating the folks it came for first, it always circles back for us.
Jasmyne Cannick is a political strategist and writer in Los Angeles. Find her at iamjasmyne.com.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of BlackPressUSA.com or the National Newspaper Publishers Association.
