jhshyphen

Review: Pearl Street Treats offers ice cream delights to downtown Jeffersonville

by Cylie Ross

I’m doing my review over Pearl Street Treats, located in downtown Jeff. When I walked in it was very decorative, blue floors, pink walls, ice cream decor everywhere. This is a black- owned family business, all the workers are very nice and welcoming. I decided I was going to try some of the blue bell flavors that they had.

Pearl Street Treats at 301 Pearl Street in downtown Jeffersonville.

The first one was cookies and cream, classic flavor; this is always a safe flavor to go with. The vanilla flavor was kind of weak, but the cookie chunks brought it together. The next flavor I got was chocolate chip cookie dough. I had high hopes for that one because it’s my favorite ice cream flavor, and it was great. I love the cookie dough bites in it.

The next flavor I got was banana pudding. I didn’t know what to expect for this one because banana flavored things aren’t really for me, but it was immaculate. It was very creamy and it had chunks of vanilla wafers in it, and the banana flavor wasn’t like an artificial banana – it tasted like fresh bananas.

The last flavor that I got was strawberry cheesecake, and this one was amazing. It had chunks of cheesecake in it and also strawberry swirl. It tasted like actual cheesecake.

This is a really good ice cream shop, with cheap prices and good ice cream. I got four kids’ scoops that were only $1.99 a piece. They also have milkshakes, sundaes, ice cream nachos, floats and more. And it’s right next to the walking bridge, so it would be a great place to take your kids. Come and join us at Pearl Street Treats sometime.

5 Dec 2025 by jhshyphen

Review: ‘EX’ proves P1Harmony is ready for a broader stage

by Liddia Waterbury

P1Harmony’s EX hits with a bold pop attitude and unfiltered confidence, pushing their artistry into a more daring era.

P1Harmony’s debut album, Disharmony: Stand out, is edgy, masculine, has a superhero-like concept, and is heavily rap-oriented. Contrastingly, EX explores relatable emotions like self-doubt, empowerment and features strong synth-pop sounds. This album is designed to be catchy and features a more melodic vocal focus.

As P1Harmony’s first full English album, EX is filled with bright energy and excitement. The group shifts from its signature hip-hop edge into pop-rock anthems and electronic vibes, creating a fresh sound. This electronic feel coincides with the retro Game Boy theme of the album.

An all-English release from this K-pop group isn’t unexpected. The leader, Keeho, is Canadian, and Jiung and Jongseob already speak English fluently. Even members, such as Intak, Theo, and Soul, who are still developing their English skills, have demonstrated strong motivation to continue learning.

As well as being their first English release, EX is P1Harmony’s ninth mini album, featuring five songs. With this album, the group clearly aims to expand their global audience, connect with international listeners, and highlight their creative growth.

“EX”, being the first track in EX, is 2 minutes and 53 seconds long and is built around synth-pop and crisp digital sounds. This track blends “80s synth pop” with modern pop elements. It’s a catchy song with a clear message of independence, self-respect, and empowerment, with the lyric, “Every girl deserves to have her exploration, have a little fun without an explanation.” Even though the track has a clean production, it lacks depth or distinctiveness lyrically and melodically.

“EX” also has a Spanish version, which keeps the same upbeat, catchy sound. It doesn’t change the vibe of the original. Hearing it in Spanish makes it feel fresh and exciting. The members handle the language well, and it’s clear they are trying to connect with more fans around the world. It also shows P1Harmony’s creativity, exploring Latin-pop. The track is fun to listen to and a cool choice for Spanish-speaking listeners.

The second track in EX, “Dancing Queen,” is 3 minutes and 31 seconds long. The members deliver strongly with clear vocals, like “their voices soar.” This song is light-hearted, romantic, and is about being captivated by someone dancing. It also tells a simple love story. This shows with the lyrics, “Just keep on dancing queen, you’re so sweet. You put a spell on me.” It sets a fun tone and energy for the album. However, the lyrics are straightforward and kind of familiar.

Similarly, “Night of My Life” has straightforward lyrical content. This song is the fourth track of this album, and it’s approximately 2 minutes and 12 seconds long. It arrives toward the end of the record, functioning as a kind of feel-good, carefree moment. The lyrics are quite simple, though there is variation to the members’ typical vocal roles. It’s about enjoying the night and letting go of tomorrow. The sound is light and energetic, evoking a crowd-friendly feel. Yet, the song sounds like a “less-inspired version” of what P1Harmony can do.

“Stupid Brain,” the third track in EX, is 4 minutes and 2 seconds long. It has a mellow, reflective sound and captures the frustration of being stuck in your own head. The feeling shows with the lyrics, “Just turn it off, Just for a day, cause I don’t wanna live a life, tryna hold on while it’s slipping away.” The vocals carry emotional weight, allowing listeners to feel the overthinking and unease. This track isn’t flashy, like the big singles, but you can return to it when you’re in a quieter, more meditative mood. So this track is more relaxed than exciting.

Over the five years of producing music with FNC Entertainment, P1Harmony reached a huge milestone. EX showcases the group’s intent to connect with a global audience and experiment with new genres, including pop-rock and Latin pop influences. EX also serves as a central theme for P1Harmony’s large-scale P1ustage H: Most Wanted world tour.

With the tour, this album was released in various formats, including mini-album versions, Vinyl versions, and member compact versions. The mini-album versions, In-Game and Game Lovers, are both available for $31.99 each at Target. The Vinyl version can be found at Target for $29.99 and Barnes & Noble for $31.99. The compact CDs have a version of each member and are $19.99 each. All of these items can also be found online on multiple websites.

EX proves that P1Harmony isn’t afraid to take risks and redefine their sound. Their mix of catchy pop energy and fearless lyrics shows how much they’ve grown as artists. Each track carries a sense of freedom and ambition that matches their bold new direction. With this album, P1Harmony steps confidently into a new chapter, ready to connect with fans around the world.

Album Review Chart

Album Title: EX

Artist: P1Harmony

Released: Sept. 26, 2025

Number of Songs: 5

My Grade: B

5 Dec 2025 by jhshyphen

Review: Atmospheric pop meets honest storytelling in MUNA’s debut

by Chloe Newton

MUNA’s debut album About U, released in 2017, is a neon-lit diary of heartbreak, self-discovery, and resilience. It doesn’t feel like just discovering an album; it feels like a moment in time, like standing on a city rooftop at midnight, overwhelmed by possibilities.

MUNA is an American indie-pop trio formed at the University of Southern California. The members Katie Gavin, Naomi McPherson, and Josette Maskin combine shimmering synth-pop production with deeply emotional lyrics, often exploring LGBTQ+ identity, trauma, and empowerment. Their music exists in a bittersweet space between crying on the floor and dancing through the pain.

The opening track, “So Special,” immediately sets the emotional tone with a questioning vulnerability — “Now I know I’m not so special,” a line that conveys a sense of genuineness and rawness, leaving listeners feeling seen.

“I Know a Place” rises like an anthem for belonging: the powerful and hopeful chorus “I know a place we can go/Where everyone’s gonna lay down their weapons” sounds like an offering of safety and strength. In early 2018, MUNA released some acoustic versions of their songs, including “I Know a Place.” The shift was not just musical – it was political and emotional. The United States was coming out of the second month of Donald Trump’s first term in office, a time when fears around LGBTQ+ rights, immigration, and civil liberties were heightened.

Many queer people and allies felt a renewed urgency to protect one another and speak out. In this acoustic version, it carries a sharp accusatory tone: “Even if our skin or our gods look different/I believe all human life is significant/I throw my arms open wide in resistance/He’s not my leader even if he’s my president.” The adjustment is powerful, and instead of focusing on harm already done, the new line turns toward collective resistance and resilience. This version also stripped away the glittery pop polish of the original. What remained was raw voice, raw emotion, and raw community, almost like a rally cry whispered directly into the listener’s ear. Releasing this version when they did made the song feel like a response to the moment one of MUNA’s first moments, where they leaned into visibility, encouraging their listeners to stay loud.

Meanwhile, “Winterbreak” is icy, aching, and melodic; it captures the sting of someone who lingers in memory like cold air through a cracked window. The repeated confession “This is the love that we won’t get right” feels painfully honest to listeners.

The standout emotional knockout comes in “If U Love Me Now”, where the lyrics depict a painful struggle with depression and suicidal thoughts, when MUNA is questioning if they are “deserving” of love and expressing a desire for their partner to leave, as heard in the line “If you love me now/ You should just let me leave.” This gives the song intimacy and a heavy feeling, but ultimately a very hopeful and important message on the exploration of mental health within a relationship.

This album to me felt like peeling back the layers of some heavy emotions- the songs explore uncovering pieces of identity, vulnerability, and power. They move between quiet introspective thoughts to glittering liberation, a duality that makes the listening experience personal and immersive.

Some production elements blur together mid-album, creating moments where tracks sound sonically similar. However, the emotional clarity and lyrical depth keep the record grounded.

Available on streaming platforms; physical CD copies generally retail around $10-$15 USD depending on the store and edition.

This album discusses trauma, heartbreak, queer identity, and emotional vulnerability. The suggested sensitivity rating is PG-13 for emotional intensity and mature themes.

About U stands out with sincerity-an electrified love letter to survival, vulnerability, and chosen identity. A debut that does merely introduce MUNA, but invites listeners into a shimmering, earnest world of healing.

5 Dec 20255 Dec 2025 by jhshyphen

Review: Texas Roadhouse sets the stage with southern style

by Cherish Brown and Kaylin Bowman

“Legendary food, legendary service.”

This is the motto of a restaurant that most definitely blew us away with its Texas-themed atmosphere and incredibly delicious food. Texas Roadhouse! Texas Roadhouse is one of the great restaurants out there. Its first location opened in Clarksville, Indiana, in 1993 by Kent Taylor. The vision for Texas Roadhouse began with a dream sketched on a cocktail napkin, a dream that was soon turned into the reality that we are reviewing today.

The Texas Roadhouse we visited was 757 Lewis and Clark Parkway, Clarksville, IN. Let’s start with the looks. This restaurant is Texas-themed, and they definitely rose to the occasion. With country music in the background and an armadillo for a mascot, we’d say this is the most southern place we’ve been to.

When we got inside. It was quite busy. There were people in almost every booth. We walked through the sea of customers and got to the line to get our seats. Cherish gave them her number, and we waited for a text to let us know we could proceed to our seat. We waited and walked around the mall for about 45 minutes, and then we finally got the text. That was actually pretty good for the large number of people there.

When we got to our table, they started us off with our drinks and asked if we wanted any appetizers. When our waiter arrived, he was very energetic and full of joy to be serving his customers, and it was a pleasure to have him as our waiter. When our waiter first came to our table, he complimented Cherish’s hair and made us laugh a lot. We had a great time with him and the other waiters in the restaurant.

We both got our drinks, Cherish got a lemonade, and Kaylin got a Dr Pepper. They were both about 4 dollars. They offer many different drinks, including Coke products, lemonade, sweet tea, and water. Ages 21+ can hang out in the bar, where they have margaritas, cocktails, beer, wine, and their famous margarita “The Legend.”

They started us off with complimentary rolls and peanuts as soon as we arrived at our table. The rolls were nice and fresh and came with two types of butter, regular and cinnamon. When Cherish bit into the roll, it burned her mouth because the rolls were so hot, but overall, they were really amazing.

When our food came to the table, it was nice and hot as well. Kaylin got the Chicken Critter dinner for $14.49, and Cherish got a kids’ mac-n-cheese for $5.99. According to Kaylin, the chicken was crispy, juicy, and flavorful, and Cherish’s mac-n-cheese was cheesy and rich, surprisingly good for a kids’ meal. We both had fries as one of our sides, and Kaylin had corn, too. The fries were so hot they burned our mouths, but they were nicely seasoned.

Overall, the food was really good, the rolls were amazing, and we enjoyed our stay there. When it was time to pay, we both paid half; Kaylin paid with a card, while Cherish paid the rest with cash. Everything was excellent. The staff was nice, the food was spectacular, and the atmosphere was amazing. The only complaint we had was that the floors were a little dirty. Other than that, we had a great time with Texas Roadhouse’s legendary food and legendary service.

Restaurant Report Card:

The Place: Texas Roadhouse

Address: 757 Lewis and Clark Parkway, Clarksville, IN

Phone: # 812-280-1103

Hours: Mon-Thu 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Fri-Sun 10:30 a.m.-10 p.m

Reservations: https://www.texasroadhouse.com/order/action/waitlist

Food: A+

Service: A++

Accessibility: A

Our Grade: A+

5 Dec 2025 by jhshyphen

Review: ‘The Perks of Being a Wallflower’ is a great, sad movie

by Gabriella Kraft

The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a very emotionally intelligent movie. You need that emotional intelligence to fully understand the movie and grasp what’s happening as the movie gets more intense.

This film is a single movie with no sequel. It follows Charlie, played by Logan Lerman, who is going through a lot as a freshman, suddenly being befriended by two outgoing seniors, played by Emma Watson and Ezra Miller, who begin teaching him what life is really about.

Director Stephen Chbosky has a habit of making emotionally intense movies; for example: Wonder, Nona, Dear Evan Hansen, Rent, and the live-action Beauty and the Beast. These are all very emotional, high-tension movies.

The film is set in a Pittsburgh suburb in Pennsylvania and cost $13 million. The musical score of the film goes perfectly with the movie; all the song choices fit very nicely. I liked how well they show Charlie’s anxiety, PTSD, and his slowly coming out of his shell and back into it. However, I disliked how they are seniors, and he’s a freshman; it feels like they are grooming him, especially in certain scenes.

It’s a very popular movie with a motion picture and sensitivity rating of PG-13. To showcase how popular it is, some reviews from Rotten Tomatoes say, “I think for the first film this guy who wrote the book and has adapted it for the screen has done a terrific job, and I really found these characters sympathetic.”

“The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a heavy, heavy book. It contains some of the hardest moments that teenagers face,” stated another critic. “I also think that there’s something so incredibly special about this book that every adult can understand.”

There were some bad reviews, but “some” as in 2 or 3. There are a rare few who don’t like this movie, and I think it’s because they don’t fully understand it. They may have watched it too young, or they simply think it’s too heavy a topic to be in a movie. Either way, it’s a great movie to watch if you need a good cry or if you just need a really good sad movie.

Some of my favorite quotes from the movie are “We accept the love we think we deserve”, “Things change. Friends leave. Life doesn’t stop for anybody”, “ And in that moment, I swear we were infinite”, and “I would die for you. But I won’t live for you” I feel like quotes really grasp what this movie is trying to convey and just how heartfelt it really is.

I watched this movie at a young age, when I couldn’t fully understand what was going on. But as I rewatch it when I’m older, I fully grasp what’s happening now. It’s such a good movie that I feel like everybody should watch it at least once in their life. It’s crazy what age can do to someone’s understanding of certain subjects.

Movie Review Chart

Movie Title: The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Starring: Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, and Ezra Miller

Director: Stephen Chbosky

Writers: Stephen Chbosky

Rated: PG-13

My Grade: A

5 Dec 2025 by jhshyphen

Moye debuts as interim coach at last night’s JHS-Borden basketball game

All photos by Magdalene Conrad and Malachi Conrad. To view photos, click on the gallery below.

Sophomore MaKenna Taylor shoots over her defender. Photo by Malachi Conrad.

3 Dec 2025 by jhshyphen

Food Pantry provides support to students, families

by Areli Hernandez

Due to SNAP benefits being delayed in November following the government shut down, the JHS Food Pantry provides resources for students and families in need.

Special Education teacher Michelle Houchin, who has been assisting the food pantry, has noticed the impact on students over the years.

“We started this around three years ago on a small basis. People would come if they needed something quick for breakfast who were unable to get breakfast in the morning or at home. It really ramped up within the past year because we noticed so many students were going without food,” Houchin said.

To assist students, Houchin along with staff members, work together to provide items for the pantry.

“Teachers donate stuff all the time and then I usually keep it filled up. The counselors and I, if we see or hear of a student needing food, one of us will make an arrangement to pull a kid and let them pick some things that they need,” Houchin said.

To ensure privacy, staff members take measures that allow students to feel comfortable when visiting the pantry.

“We pull them when we know there’s not going to be other people in here and then we just have them leave the food in their 7th period teachers class or trusted person. That way they can swing back and leave school with no questions from other students.”

Furthermore, counselors have created a Google form that was sent to all students as a way to communicate about basic necessities.

“We know there are students with needs that may not be comfortable coming up and saying something. The Google form that we sent out is more anonymous,” she said.

Houchin is moved by the impact of the food pantry and hopes for students to feel welcomed. She also encourages many to contribute to the pantry later during the season.

“We will always need supplies, we will always need donations, and that it is open for any student that needs help. We don’t want any students to be hungry and not be able to focus.”

Being able to contribute to the food pantry has been an accomplishment for Houchin and looks forward to helping more students.

“This makes me feel good. It’s my small part to help people be better,” she said.

Other Resources:

Students MUST be escorted by an adviser (all visits are done privately)

Food Pantry: mhouchin@gccschools.com

Connor’s Closet: ssoper@gccschools.com

Blessing Closet: mdensford@gccschools.com

Additional reporting by Tyler Conley.

All three cabinets of the food pantry showcasing food and snacks on Nov 19 in the JHS food pantry. Photo by Areli Hernandez.

1 Dec 2025 by jhshyphen

‘Stranger Things’ final season creates nostalgia

by Kori Washington

From fan theories to TikTok countdown clocks, the excitement for Stranger Things season 5 is everywhere. As this Wednesday’s Netflix release gets closer, fans around the world share their predictions and thoughts about the show and its final season.

Stranger Things premiered in 2016, and over the course of nine years, the show has become one of the top shows of all time.

Stranger Things is set in 1980s Indiana, and the story begins when four boys are playing Dungeons & Dragons in Mike’s basement. Once the game is over, they all go home. However, the next day, they discovered that Will never made it home safely and is now missing. This is when the story hits its climax, and the whole first season is about three boys, his family, and a newfound friend trying to solve the mystery of Will’s disappearance.

The following seasons continue with many conspiracies, twists, turns, and deep emotions. Still, throughout the seasons, viewers watch everyone grow up, fix or make new relationships, or change themselves for the better.

Throughout all of this, they all still find time to try and save Hawkins, and their journeys has intrigued fans for over nine years.

For English teacher Allison Clary, Stranger Things brought back nostalgic memories.

“It looked like an interesting show and I really loved that it was set in the 1980s, which was when I was a teenager,” she said.

Science teacher Melissa Brewer agreed. “I like the nostalgia aspect of it. I like the 80s throwback stuff, because I’m from the 80s.”

Social media also played a role in why people started watching the show.

“I saw it on TikTok, and I thought it looked cool, and then that’s when I got really interested in the show,” said freshman Jerome Sanders.

But social media and nostalgia aren’t the only qualities that make Stranger Things stand out from other sci-fi shows.

“They’ve also really brought us into the lives of all those characters. So I feel like they’re all my friends,” said Clary

“It’s emotional to watch because you get so emotionally attached to the characters,” said Sanders.

As the final season approaches fans share the same mix of excitement and sadness.

“I feel sad because because weŕe not going to see out favorite characters again, but I have been hearing they release a trailer of an animated series, and I’m excited,” said Sanders.

“I’m super sad and very bittersweet. I have loved a lot of series, but this one is just unique,” said Clary.

After nearly a decade with these characters, saying goodbye feels upsetting. Even the show’s characters capture that feeling, like when Eleven said, “Friends don’t lie.” That line sums up the loyalty and connection that made Stranger Things so meaningful to fans.

The first four episodes of Season 5 of Stranger Things premiere on Netflix on Wednesday evening. The remaining episodes premiere on Netflix on Dec. 25, with the series finale on Dec. 31.

24 Nov 202524 Nov 2025 by jhshyphen

JHS competes in scrimmage at Charlestown

All photos by Magdalene Conrad and Malachi Conrad.

Senior Zion Mitchell completes the tip-off off starting the game with possession. The teams played four different scrimmages on Friday night. Photo by Malachi Conrad.

24 Nov 2025 by jhshyphen

Column: Recent government shutdown harmed students and families

by Tyler Conley

In the United States, a government shutdown occurs when Congress cannot reach a deal to pass a funding bill before the deadline. After the deadline, the government shuts down, and some federal employees are laid off, while others work without pay.

This may not seem detrimental to students and families, but the 2025 Government Shutdown, the longest ever at 43 days, put a hold on many necessities.

The Trump Administration planned for mass firings, despite the illegality in doing so, mainly for governmental positions; the firings were planned to be permanent even after the shutdown ends. Over 900,000 federal employees were laid off, and another 2 million worked for 43 days without pay. The Trump Administration stated their goal was to downsize the government and cut costs, but what isn’t taken into consideration is that many families lost their only income.

The government also funds food programs, such as SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), commonly known as food stamps. These programs are protected by contingency plans, but those become strained in later stages of a government shutdown, and even afterwards. Benefits do not come back immediately.

On Oct. 24, Brooke Rollins, The U.S Secretary of Agriculture, claimed in a memo circulated through the Department of Agriculture, that the contingency funds for SNAP are for natural disasters and not for government shutdowns. This put over 42 million Americans at risk of losing their benefits during the shutdown.

National school lunch and breakfast programs will suffer a similar fate, as they are on contingency plans as well. This will affect anyone who needs government assistance for food, and will leave many families hungry through any shutdown.

“A shutdown is more than just a disagreement on funding. It’s an emergency that needs proper attention and action taken.”

In addition to SNAP losing funding, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children will also be in trouble, even with the attempts from the Trump Administration to keep it afloat. This will put over 7 million pregnant women and new mothers in danger of not being able to feed their infants and buy necessities for their families.

The longer a shutdown lasts, the more programs that the nation relies on will fall. The Trump administration did the bare minimum to keep funds for necessary programs, and flat out refused to work with Democrats to fix this issue. They also didn’t tap into contingency funds to help keep food aid for millions of families.

A shutdown is more than just a disagreement on funding. It’s an emergency that needs proper attention and action taken. Some people live off the programs that were and still are currently at stake, and as President, Trump needed to address the issue before it’s too late.

The Trump Administration came to an agreement to pay active military personnel, but still did not find a way to feed people who cannot eat. The priorities of the Trump Administration do not align with the problems that we as people are facing.

I personally have family members who work in government who are struggling financially because they had to work without pay. Making people work normal hours and maintain the same level of integrity even while receiving nothing in return is disrespectful.

Even after the government shutdown has ended, the aftermath still lingers. SNAP funding is slowly making a return, but not in a timely fashion. Funding is still going to suffer long-term and families will still experience issues at the end of the year.

Republicans claimed that the shutdown is due to democrats wanting to protest against republicans instead of making a compromise with them. This is simply just false. Now that an agreement has been reached to end the shutdown, it’s very clear that the democrats were being as cooperative as possible without hurting the needs of families.

Republicans planned on cutting funding for certain programs, including health care. They say the subsidies for the Affordable Care Act should not be tied to the immediate funding bill, and should be discussed later. However, Democrats were not being uncooperative as a power play. This was a move to try and save millions of families and give them the life they deserve.

21 Nov 2025 by jhshyphen

Column: Immigration policies hurt people contributing to our nation

by Dana Romero Regalado

It’s Nov. 5, 2024, and to many, that day was a countdown to tragedies for many immigrant families.

I come from an immigrant family, like many children in America. Many come to America because it’s known as “The Land Of The Free.” They leave everything they know behind, everyone they love, their homes, and their culture for a better future for themselves or their children.

“I kept thinking: this is for my baby. This is for my family. I want to help them live a smoother life,” stated a Filipino woman in a 2025 Reuters report.

“Aliens,” that’s what they’re called. Living human people, no green skin, just people who look different and have a different shade than the “American Ideal.” However, these “aliens” have significantly contributed to the U.S. through science, business, and culture, supported by studies on their economic and educational impact.

For example, immigrants are highly represented in STEM fields, with 86.5% holding at least a bachelor’s degree in 2019, compared to 67.3% of U.S.-born STEM workers. Data also shows that immigrant-founded companies, such as Google, and 40% of Fortune 500 companies, were founded by immigrants, highlighting their entrepreneurial drive.

“The high-skilled immigrants we have in the U.S. are incredibly productive and innovative, and they’re disproportionately contributing to innovation in our society,” said Larry Diamond, a professor of economics at Stanford Graduate School of Business and senior fellow at the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research (SIEPR).

Being born as a Gen Z has helped me see how cruel the world is if you don’t fit the “ideal” image in America. I remember being terrified that I would go to school like any other day and come to find out that my mother was taken away — a hardworking woman who has her own business, hardworking employees by her side, and most importantly, a woman who would do anything for her two kids.

To many children, that has become a reality. In 2018, it was estimated that 4.4 million U.S. citizen children were living with at least one undocumented parent. A significant number of these citizen children have been separated from a parent due to detention or deportation. A 2025 American Immigration Council report highlighted that nearly half a million U.S. citizens under 18 had at least one parent deported between 2011 and 2013.

“Government, please show some heart, let my parent be free with everybody else, please…” she said through sobs. “…My dad didn’t do nothing. He’s not a criminal,” stated 11-year-old Magdalena Gomez Gregorio, who tearfully begged for her father’s release.

Many say that politics shouldn’t be part of conversations, that they shouldn’t be talked about because it doesn’t affect “anyone.” That’s beyond the truth; it just doesn’t affect them. Politics isn’t just about what you believe is “right” or should be “done.” It directly affects people and their lives.

Politics has a huge impact on immigrants and their everyday lives. The laws and policies created by political leaders often decide whether immigrants feel accepted and safe, or isolated and unwanted. Immigration policies can determine who gets the chance to build a better life, reunite with family, or even stay in the country they now call home.

When political debates turn harsh or unfair, immigrants often become targets of discrimination and fear, even though most of them are just trying to work hard and create a future for themselves and their families.

The system is failing the people they swore to protect, holding people illegally, and for a sum of money. Even local law enforcement officials, including Clark County Sheriff Scottie Maples, are holding ICE detainees at the Clark County jail.

So yes, who you support or follow does matter to me because it affects a community that is close to my heart, and it directly reflects the person you are and your morals. If the roles were reversed, would you still believe in your morals? Would you still say or think that they deserve this if they were your family? Or if they were your kids?

“Our attitude towards immigration reflects our faith in the American ideal. We have always believed it possible for men and women who start at the bottom to rise as far as the talent and energy allow. Neither race nor place of birth should affect their chances.”

Senator Robert F. Kennedy

21 Nov 2025 by jhshyphen