ICE Checks Compound LGBTQ+ Community’s Fears

President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement efforts reached St. John Sunday. LGBTQ+ activists in the territory said they and people in their community feared they may be the next group targeted.

Despite repeated requests for information, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials in Washington, D.C. did not respond to inquiries about the reported document checks at the St. John car ferry terminal. Photos and videos obtained by the Source appear to show federal agents in body armor detaining individuals at the scene.

News of the checkpoint spread rapidly, heightening concerns within the Virgin Islands’ LGBTQ+ community already on edge following a series of executive orders issued by Trump in recent days aimed at reversing diversity initiatives, prompting fears that additional groups could face scrutiny.

In his first days back in office, Trump rescinded 78 executive orders from President Joe Biden that emphasized diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in federal departments. Trump also revoked a 1965 order from President Lyndon Johnson that required government contractors not to discriminate based on race, gender, or national origin. The order was later augmented to include other often marginalized groups.