Code Switch How undocumented families are navigating the looming threat of ICE
Nov 19, 2025
Jasmine Garsd, an NPR immigration reporter, shares poignant insights into the lives of undocumented families facing the looming threat of ICE. She discusses how Florida's strict laws have led families to limit their movement and live in fear. Garsd recounts personal stories, including a mother named F who experienced detention and separation from her husband. The episode highlights the mental health toll on families, especially children, and explores the tough decisions parents face regarding self-deportation while protecting their American-born kids.
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Living In Constant Shadow
- F described hiding in a dimly lit living room with supplies stacked and curtains drawn to avoid leaving home.
- Her husband disappeared after an ICE encounter during a fishing trip, leaving her anxious and monitored.
Florida As A Policy Bellwether
- Florida under Governor DeSantis enacted strict laws that push immigrant communities into hiding.
- These state policies create a local model for harsher enforcement nationwide.
Fishing Trip Turned Detention
- During a fishing trip an officer asked F's husband for a driver's license and then ICE arrived, leading to family detention and separation.
- F was released with an ankle monitor and told to leave the country in three months while her husband vanished.