Earlier in November, members of Latino and LGBTQ+ communities in the United States were targeted with chilling text messages, sparking outrage and fear. The messages included threats of deportation and demands for individuals to attend "re-education camps." Authorities, including the FBI, are investigating these incidents, which have raised concerns about escalating intimidation against marginalised groups.
Anonymous Threats Sow Panic
Latino teenagers in Georgia were among the first to report the alarming messages. Santiago Marquez, a representative of the Latin American Association, said he received multiple calls from parents whose children had been targeted. The messages, reportedly sent to middle and high school students, warned of deportation by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), according to NBC News.
One such text read, "You have been one of the selected immigrants that is set to be deported. Our Executive ICE team will come and get you in a Brown Van." ICE firmly denied any involvement, stating that it does not send random messages to individuals. An ICE spokesperson explained, "Sending text messages in the blind is not how US Immigration Customs Enforcement operates. We do targeted enforcement."
LGBTQ+ Community Threatened with 'Re-Education Camps'
Diana Brier, a 41-year-old lesbian entrepreneur, also received a threatening message on November 10. The text instructed her to report to Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada on Inauguration Day for an eight-week "LGB re-education camp." The message described the programme as a means of "eliminating lifestyles that have been detrimental to our American way of life through re-education."
The text further threatened individuals who did not comply with forced labour in "transgender work camps." Brier, though shaken, expressed determination to stand firm. "When I open my business in Colorado, it will have Pride flags in the window. If those get smashed out because I'm gay, I will replace the windows and the flags," she said to NBC News. "I'm just going to create a safe space for my community because it's what I've always done."
FBI Investigates Broader Campaign
The FBI is investigating whether the same individuals or groups responsible for these threats also targeted Black Americans with similarly racist messages. Following Donald Trump's election victory, numerous reports were made of text messages sent to Black Americans, instructing them to pick cotton at "the nearest plantation," according to the International Business Times.
Brier contacted the FBI after receiving her text and was advised to encourage others in the LGBTQ+ community to report similar threats. However, she noted that the FBI was unable to confirm the origin of the messages or whether they were connected to the threats against other communities. "Every marginalised population just seems like they're going to be very embattled for quite some time," she told NBC News.
Fear and Uncertainty Among Immigrant Families
The wave of messages has left immigrant families in a state of fear. Gilda Pedraza, executive director of the Latino Community Fund Georgia, said many recipients are hesitant to report these incidents, fearing potential repercussions due to their immigration status. Pedraza revealed that families are uncertain about distinguishing between genuine threats and malicious pranks.
Pedraza described speaking with families who had mixed immigration statuses and revealed their anxiety was exacerbated by Trump's campaign promises of mass deportations. "The overwhelming feeling is uncertainty and fear of what could be true, what could happen and how to recognise what's the difference between a threat and a real thing," she said.
Marquez and Pedraza are urging families to share their experiences with trusted community leaders or school officials. They stress that speaking out is crucial to combating these threats and ensuring the safety of vulnerable groups.
Brier echoed this sentiment, urging members of the LGBTQ+ community to report similar incidents. "I really just want the community to know that it's OK to report these," she told NBC News. "Silence only empowers those who want to intimidate us."
