Raiding the Heartland: An American Story of Deportation and Resistance

by William D. Lopez

Chronicles the devastating impacts of immigration raids—and the enduring resistance of immigrant communities in the aftermath.

Across the United States, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) upends small towns and rural communities by staging dramatic raids and rounding up hundreds of people in a single day. These worksite raids fracture families, devastate local economies, and spread fear and trauma that lingers for years. Yet in the wake of these devastating raids, immigrant communities exhibit resistance, resilience, creativity, and an extraordinary determination to rebuild.

In this powerful follow-up to his best-seller Family and Community in the Aftermath of an Immigration Raid, William D. Lopez brings us into the heart of communities targeted by large-scale ICE enforcement under the Trump administration. These are places where immigrant workers, many of whom have lived in the United States for decades, are suddenly torn from their families and livelihoods. Based on extensive fieldwork, this book highlights the voices of those who have endured these the teachers left to comfort traumatized children, the faith leaders who opened their doors to families in crisis, the organizers who mobilized relief efforts overnight, and the workers and their families who fought for their right to remain.

As raids continue to increase across the country, this book is an urgent and deeply human portrait of what these raids leave behind—and the fierce, often unexpected ways communities come together across class, race, and immigration status in their aftermath.

Genres: Nonfiction

296 pages, Hardcover

Published September 23, 2025

Reviews

[Paul J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read. William Lopez’s craft as a writer, storyteller, and researcher are on full display in this book. I didn’t think a book about such a difficult topic could be such a page turner, but Lopez skillfully weaves characters, data, and personal narrative in a way that makes you want to keep reading. This book helps us understand the human costs, and resilience, that happen as a result of our country’s mass deportation policies. This is crucial reading for our current moment.

[Lauren Slagter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cried, I smiled, I learned a lot. This is an important, unflinching look at what worksite raids in the Midwest cost the immigrant families directly affected, their communities, and all Americans. The author layers engaging storytelling with rigorous research to shed light on a highly publicized, often misunderstood aspect of immigration enforcement.

[Janel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished my preordered copy! So well written. The author really takes you into the scenes he is describing. The reader will come away with both a sense of what is happening and also ideas on how to respond and fight. The public health aspect of these mass raids cannot be stressed enough. I highly recommend!