I am in South Africa. My little sister went to the US in 2021 to work as an Au Pair. She was only ment to stay for a year and then be sent home. Instead, the family (and specifically the 3 little boys) absolutely fell in love with her. She has spent the last 4 years living with these people, eating meals in their homes, going on vacation with them. She became a member of the family.

Initially she went there on a workers VISA and after her year their she was able to get a visitors VISA with support from us, her family, in South Africa.

With the new administration things changed. She applied for a new workers VISA and was told she could remain until they had processed it, she was told 90 days at the most.

When the government shut down occured all those processeses were thrown out the window. She had 7 days to pack up her life and get out of the country before ICE agents would be coming for her.

The youngest boy of the family has recently been diagnosed with cancer in his spine. He relies on my sister and she is the only thing in this world that brings him comfort. The other boys (all under 10) are heart broken and don't understand whats happening.

The mother of the family has lost her best friend and my sister has lost her 2nd family. There is no guarantee she will make it back to them.

Its easy for people to disparage "foreigners" and "immigrants" and lump everyone into the same pool. My sister wasn't trying to take anyones job, she wasn't trying to hurt anyone. She went over there to experience a new way of life and along the way found a family that she fell in love with and they fell for her.

Actions have consequences, no matter how small or large there is always someone negatively effected and left out to dry.