What do you think of when someone says vacation?
A serene beach with soft white sands and clear water?
Or maybe you’re more of a mountain person: lush greenery as far as the eye can see and the smell of sunshine and dirt.
When you’re on vacation you want to feel relaxed. Free from the everyday hustle and bustle of life.
Fear is not a word that you would imagine feeling.
With summer approaching, travel is a hot topic. Families planning their yearly vacation, friends visiting from all around the world, and a variety of exciting events usually take place during the summer months of June, July and August. But this year, something has changed for inhabitants of the United States.
In recent months, political tensions have been building due to the Trump administration’s ICE deportations. According to the Office of Homeland Security as of Jan. 20, over 605,000 deportations have occurred in the United States in a 12-month period. Although the Trump administration assures citizens and non-criminal individuals they are not under scrutiny, several have been targeted by ICE, including Native Americans. Deaths, including Renee Good and Alex Pretti who died of fatal gunshot wounds inflicted by ICE officers, have sparked outrage and protests across the country to end ICE raids including a demonstration on Jan. 30 by UCLA students.
Tensions with border control and ICE have caused many Americans to reconsider their travel plans despite their citizenship. Several UCLA students shared similar concerns when asked their opinions on the Trump administration’s deportation policies.
“[Trump] is wrecking utter havoc on the American people in a way that makes me ashamed to be an American, not that I was that proud to be one given our nation’s continued mistreatment of people of color,” said Blaire Christmas, a second-year student studying political science. “His policies are unjust and, frankly, cruel towards the very people who make our country the melting pot that it is supposed to be.”
Other students voiced their concerns around their own safety.
“I’m scared I will be profiled. Even though California is progressive, we don’t have full control here and the government is pulling the strings,” said a third-year psychology student who wishes to remain anonymous.
In light of these recent events it’s entirely possible travel will decrease both in and out of the country in the coming months and even years as concerns around safety escalate.
