The moment Donald Trump took office, I worried about minorities’ rights as well as my own as a woman. I feared they might be vulnerable to the power of a man who doesn’t understand discrimination.

Trump has made a series of executive orders causing a considerable amount of controversy affecting an array of people. These threats have become a harsh reality within the last month.

One of his most recent earth-shattering executive orders is for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement to start deporting copious amounts of undocumented immigrants.

Customs prioritizes targeting people who have been convicted or charged with any criminal offenses and have been subjected to a final removal from the U.S.

Although I understand why this became a conflicting issue that many Americans disagree on, many forget that U.S. citizens are given a great number of opportunities that others can only dream of. This is an allure and significant reason why America has millions of undocumented immigrants.

Numerous people come to the U.S. in search of a better life for themselves and their loved ones because in many cases they have no other options.

In order to become an American citizen through the naturalization process, it costs roughly $595 for the application, and an additional $85 for a biometrics fee.

For a majority of Americans, $680 isn’t a ton of money to dramatically change one’s life. For some in Santa Barbara County, that’s only one month’s rent.

I understand why it has become urgent for some immigrants to be deported, especially those who have been convicted of or charged for violent crimes, or anything that threatens the safety of society. However, those charged for minor offenses shouldn’t be so highly prioritized. If anything, they should be closer to the bottom of the list.

Also, the manner of how this is being handled is concerning. Customs is taking advantage of immigrants that don’t know their rights by performing an invasive tactic to deport them. Some undocumented immigrants are unaware that customs needs a warrant issued by a judge to be allowed into their homes, and that they have the right to an interpreter if needed.

It doesn’t matter if undocumented immigrants don’t have the right to be in America. They have the right to be treated like human beings.