In a recent appearance on the Raid Podcast, Paul Ong, director of the Center for Neighborhood Knowledge, discusses how current immigration enforcement is reshaping both policy and identity in the United States. Drawing on his research on ICE arrest rates and raids, Ong explains that the country is at a pivotal moment, with a significant transformation underway in how immigration is defined and enforced.

He highlights the concept of “othering,” noting that efforts to narrowly redefine who is considered American have evolved over decades and accelerated under the Donald Trump administration. Ong also emphasizes how enforcement strategies, including deportations, are part of a broader political agenda, compounded by limited available data. Reflecting on his own family’s experiences with deportation fears, he underscores the lasting impact of immigration policies on communities of color and the nation’s demographic future.

“I do not see the administration backing away from pursuing mass deportation,” Ong said. “What I do see is them changing their strategies and tactics to minimize the push back.”

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