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In Puerto Rico, U.S. immigration agents have been arresting many Dominican migrants, and it has caused public anger.
The situation got even more attention when famous music star Bad Bunny saw the arrests happening in Carolina, near San Juan. He recorded a video and shared it on Instagram, angrily calling the agents “sons of bitches.” He said the raids were harming families.
Since January, over 500 people have been arrested by ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) in Puerto Rico. About 75% of them are Dominicans.
Many local people, including Pastor Dolores Espiritusanto who was born in the Dominican Republic, believe these arrests are unfair. They say ICE is mainly stopping people who have darker skin or speak with a Dominican accent. Some raids are happening in sensitive places like homes, churches, hospitals, and job sites.
ICE officials and Puerto Rico’s Republican governor, Jenniffer González-Colón, claim the arrests are legal and based only on immigration status—not race. But many in the community don’t believe that. In Dominican neighborhoods around San Juan, people are now scared to go out in public.
Dominicans are the biggest group of foreign-born people in Puerto Rico. Around 100,000 live there, often working in jobs like construction, health care, and cleaning.
Community leaders say what’s happening is racist and unfair. They are asking officials to stop targeting people based on skin color or how they talk, and to respect their legal rights.
Sources: DailyKos.com. Instagram.
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