Worst of the Worst

The TV laughed into the living room, a game show host shouting over a wheel of prizes. Lasagna steamed on paper plates balanced across their knees.

Evan leaned forward, voice quick with conviction.

“I’m serious. After graduation I’m applying to ICE. They’re out there taking down rapists and drug traffickers every day. Protecting us. That’s something real. That’s something worth doing.”

His dad’s fork froze halfway up. “Where’d you hear that?”

“Everywhere. They’ve got videos. Press releases. I saw this one, worst of the worst, pedophiles, murderers, all of them. Look, it’s not racist. I’ve got friends who are Mexican. I’m talking about illegals. The criminals.”

His mom set her plate on the coffee table. “You know Maria from church?”

Evan frowned. “Yeah.”

“She cleaned houses for years before she could get papers. Raised two kids on her own, worked nights, Sundays, didn’t complain. She was illegal before she had papers. You know that, right?”

“That’s different,” Evan said, heat rising in his voice. “She did it right. She earned it. I’m not talking about her. I’m talking about the ones sneaking across, the ones they show on TV. If we don’t stop them, we’ll lose everything.”

The wheel spun on TV, clacking through the letters.

His dad leaned back. “Seems like you’re taking their word for it. People with power don’t always tell the whole story.”

Evan’s face flushed. “Oh my god, Dad, so what, I’m brainwashed now? You think I can’t see it for myself? You think ICE is just lying to everyone? They’re the ones doing something. They’re the ones protecting us. And I’m not gonna sit here and feel guilty because you want to defend people who broke the law.”

The game show host shouted. Somebody won a car. The audience screamed.

Evan sat up straighter, jaw working through the bitter.

“I don’t care what you say,” he muttered. “It’s still the truth.”