ROWAN COUNTY, Ky. (LEX 18) — The increased presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement across the U.S. has many minority groups in a state of panic, including in Rowan County, where one woman is working to help those most vulnerable to deportation.
Ann Colbert, a retired physician, created "Concerned Citizens for Migrants," six years ago. A group that helps Rowan County immigrants with everyday needs like groceries and transportation, as fear of detention grows in their community.
"It's very stressful for them," Colbert said.
She speaks from experience. Years ago, Colbert spent time in Tijuana, providing medical care to migrants and refugees who didn't have access to treatment.
"I lived in a country where I was the only white person for a while. Just feeling like an outsider is depressing. You know, it's stressful. It's every day you're the minority," Colbert said.
She expressed concern about immigrants being taken from their homes by Immigration and Customs Enforcement without warning.
"It's disheartening, I guess that's the best word to use. That we could treat other people like that," Colbert said. "It's racism."
The fear in the community has reached such high levels that when a member of Colbert's organization visited a local lumberyard to distribute educational cards about handling ICE encounters, migrants mistook the ally for an ICE agent.
"That's the kind of type of fear that's going on," Colbert said.
Colbert believes that deporting immigrants sets a dangerous precedent for all citizens by fostering prejudice.
"I think it affects how you interact with other people, your relationships with your children. People that migrate here, who are seeking asylum, and people who have been offered refugee status, come here to have a better life. And that's not a better life," Colbert said.
When asked if the current situation reminds her of segregation, Colbert reflected: "You know, I was a little young for all the civil rights. But that's what I feel like, is that slaves were treated without respect, without humanity. And that's kind of what is happening here with asylum seekers and refugees. You know, they have done all the right things. They're not criminals."
As ICE continues operations in Kentucky and across the country, Colbert remains committed to supporting those who feel isolated in her community.
