Rebuilding Rob

As WordPress continues to recycle old prompts, I pulled another prompt from The Coffee Monsterz Co to respond to today

What is troubling you the most, at this moment?

I really didn’t want to talk about this. Partially because I’m still processing my feelings, and partially because—for the first time—I am truly afraid of retribution from my own government. But right now, the actions of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) are troubling me the most.

The Cost of “Enforcement” in Minnesota

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know that Alex Pretti, a VA nurse, was killed at a protest yesterday in Minnesota. Video footage indicates he was stepping in to help a woman being harassed by ICE agents when they turned on him. He was disarmed of a weapon he was legally allowed to carry, pistol-whipped, and shot while defenseless. This says nothing of the ICE agent who killed Renee Good in her car earlier this month in Minneapolis.

I am choosing my words carefully. This is the first time I’ve feared the government coming after me for exercising my freedom of speech. But something has to give. I could go on ad nauseam about the “reforms” Donald Trump has enacted in just twelve months. He is destroying the fabric of this country and damaging our international reputation, perhaps beyond repair. I’ve felt for decades that his influence was a cancer—that everything he touches dies. I just never thought he would be able to destroy the United States.

The Questions We Aren’t Asking

What kills me about the talk of “illegal immigration” is that it’s a hot-button issue politicians have “kicked down the road” for years. But no one asks the central question: Why? Why do people feel the necessity to come here illegally? Why are things so bad where they live that they are willing to put their lives in jeopardy for the journey, only to face this government upon arrival?

And let’s be honest: how can we be so hypocritical? We want things done cheaply. We want low prices at the grocery store and on our service bills, which creates a demand for cheap labor. But we also have to realize that “cheap labor” is usually done “under the table” and illegally. Americans can’t have it both ways. We can’t demand the lifestyle that undocumented labor provides while simultaneously ignoring the violence being used to “remove” them.

To a point, I can see the appeal he had for some. They saw someone promising to be tough on crime. But his methods have been those of a bull running through a china shop, shattering everything we actually value.

Political Retribution and the Breaking Point

Let’s be abundantly clear: Attorney General Pam Bondi told Governor Tim Walz in a letter that ICE will remain in Minnesota until the state turns over its voting database. They are punishing “blue states” that did not vote for Trump in 2024.

I feel hopeless. I’m trying to “keep my head above water” so I don’t get consumed by anger. Six years ago, during the lockdowns and the murder of George Floyd, I thought we were at a breaking point. Now, I don’t know how we sustain this. I’m fairly certain things will get worse before they get better, because the matter of fact is: we American citizens are not angry enough yet.

A Note on My “North Star“: Yesterday, I officially published my 2026 Mission Statement Page. In a world that feels increasingly volatile, I’ve realized that having a clear set of principles is the only way to keep from being swept away. This blog post is a direct reflection of that mission—to look past the noise and name the “architecture” of what is happening around us. If you want to see the values that drive this space, you can read the full statement here.

Resources for Legal Assistance & Support

If you or someone you know has been detained or is facing harassment by federal agents, please reach out to these organizations for help:

• Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota (ILCM): Legal assistance for those in detention. Call 651-641-1011 or 1-800-223-1368.

• ACLU of Minnesota: Report constitutional rights violations via their online form at aclu-mn.org/ice-feds-form.

• The Advocates for Human Rights: Legal intake line: 612-341-9845.

• MIRAC (Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee): Community-based defense: miracmn@gmail.com.

• United Way 2-1-1: Referrals for emergency assistance. Dial 211.

Thanks for stopping by Rebuilding Rob. Be sure to like 👍, comment, and subscribe below. It’s greatly appreciated! Also, feel free to follow me on social media and check out my recent posts!

• Strong Enough to Sob
• The Architecture of Hypocrisy: Cheap Labor and Heavy Hands
• From Nottingham to the Mitten: What Happens When the World Discovers America’s ‘Third Coast’
• 50,000 views
• Beyond Inflation: The True Cost of Regret and the Art of Balance

AI art created with Google Gemini

The article “The Architecture of Hypocrisy: Cheap Labor and Heavy Hands” first appeared on Rebuilding Rob.