My Historical Fiction Novel Has Become Real Again

Schools and religious institutions are safe havens for children. They are invaluable foundations in young people’s lives, offering a sense of community and belonging, where growth is possible and the American dream is fostered. But what happens if feelings of acceptance and security for all youth begin to disappear?

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As the Trump administration has lifted the ban on ICE (Immigrations and Customs Enforcement) being allowed to raid and make arrests at schools and religious institutions, those sacred spaces are quickly allowing fear and paranoia to enter through their doors. Undocumented children may be taken into custody by authorities and ripped away from their families, no matter how long they’ve lived here or how much they’ve contributed to our society. Sadly, this isn’t a new reality, but rather a resumed one.

When I first sat down to write All Mixed Up, a middle grade novel for young readers released in November of last year, President Biden’s term was just beginning and perspectives on immigrants were starting to veer in a positive direction. In 2020, a Gallup poll showed that the amount of Americans who favored immigration had surpassed those who opposed it for the first time in its recorded history.

As a born-and-raised New Yorker, the idea of immigration has never been foreign to me. My Indian father arrived in the United States in 1976. On my mom’s side, both my Puerto Rican and Italian ancestors entered over the past century. In my melting-pot upbringing, most of my friends or their parents were immigrants. I may have even known an undocumented immigrant or two, but I can’t say with complete certainty.

When the September 11th attacks occurred, I witnessed classmates of Middle Eastern and South Asian descent face abuse and discrimination at school caused by fear-mongering from parents, mass media, and our own government. Two decades later, when I decided to write a historical fiction novel based on those experiences, which features an illegal Pakistani immigrant as one of the story’s two main characters, I wanted to humanize an undocumented immigrant for readers in an effort to convey compassion and empathy toward people we’re taught to be afraid of.

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ICE’s efforts did not necessarily diminish during Biden’s term, as U.S. agents reported 21,000 arrests in November alone, and horrific conditions at detention centers were widely reported throughout his administration’s term. However, when Trump used his second election campaign as an opportunity to make aggressive promises toward mass deportation, he once again stoked the flames, labeling immigrants as “criminals” and “animals.” Now, only weeks into his return to office, as 14,000 immigrants have reportedly been arrested and more authority is being given to ICE, schools and places of worship are no longer safe zones in an era of unwieldy power.

Days after the election, I visited my father on Long Island, in the town I grew up and where All Mixed Up is set. I couldn’t help but notice more Trump flags and other patriotic signage than ever before on houses and in storefronts. Locals were dawning clothing that echoed extreme sentiment. I saw one person wearing a hoodie featuring an outline of the continental U.S. draped in the American flag, with large letters that read “F*CK OFF. WE’RE FULL.” Another sporting a T-shirt of Trump standing in front of the White House with the headline “DADDY’S HOME” written above. 

When my dad and I went to a local bar, a white man approached him speaking Spanish, assuming my dad was of Latin descent—something that had never happened before. Though I’ve previously detailed the prejudices I’ve faced on Long Island in my nonfiction work, including my memoir Colorful Palate, I felt more uncomfortable than I did in post-9/11.

As a writer who visits many schools and libraries around the country, my hope has been to share stories that offer a glimpse into my personal upbringing, in hopes that young readers will relate to my struggles but also feel confident forging solutions toward how we treat one another. But as of this moment, I’m not so sure we’re guiding our youth in the best direction. If our only hope for progress is to become a hostile police state, then we’ve lost our American civility. 

Learn more about Raj Tawney’s All Mixed Up here:

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