by Summer D Clemenson | Feb 9, 2026 | ICE, Opinions, Poetry
“Our professionally trained medical staff
including licensed doctors and nurses
provide timely compassionate care
to all individuals in our custody”
said Emily Lawhead
spokesperson for
The Imperial Regional Detention Center Facility
in Calexico, California
at 1572 Gateway Road
~
Luis Beltran Yanez-Cruz
died on January 9, 2026 at 1:18 am
He had been arrested on 11/16/25
in Newark, New Jersey
Within days of his arrival
at The Imperial
he was vomiting
and had pain in his stomach and chest
After a week he was tired when walking
and short of breath
They gave him pills for the pain
~
His daughter was on the phone
with his friend
when she was told he had gone to the hospital
“They were worried because dad hadn’t come back”
While they spoke
a private line called to tell her he died
“I had hoped that my dad would get
out of that place
but not this way”
She never got to say goodbye
~
Yanez-Cruz was 68 years old
He loved his children
He loved watching his 6 grandchildren
open their Christmas gifts
He was a soccer fan
a painter and construction worker
He enjoyed when his daughter made baleadas
a traditional Honduran dish
He came from Honduras for a better life
He applied for protected status twice
and was denied
~
~
by Summer D Clemenson | Feb 6, 2026 | Opinions, Poetry, Politics
I praise God because He is good
even when no is right
and everyone is right
and the Epstein files are proving
what we already knew
~
I am not disagreeing with you
but I am including all sex abuse crimes
because Epstein Island is the one time that
Black Women were not included in sex abuse
although some might say it was not about sex
but about power and
the genitals just happened to be the way in
~
I’m not looking away and I am not ignoring what I see
I am just no longer shocked
I am just waiting
As someone who has been in need
and yet always forgotten
I am used to humanity
people do as people do unless they decide to change
~
And change must come from within
Change cannot be imposed
Change cannot be forced
Change cannot be man-made
or it wont last
That is why God honors free will
That is why God lets you choose
~
So while I wait
I will praise Him because even though
everyone is right
and everyone is wrong
God is always good
~
by Summer D Clemenson | Feb 3, 2026 | ICE, Opinions, Poetry, Politics
Victor Manuel Diaz
died in ICE custody
at Camp East Montana
on Digital Road in El Paso, Texas
They found in unconscious
and unresponsive on January 14, 2026
Diaz is the third human to
have died there
since they opened last year
~
Diaz was 36-years-old
he came to The United States
to earn money to build a house for his mom
He was arrested on January 6
in Minneapolis
His family in Nicaragua learned of
his detention
through his employer
~
“I don’t believe he took his life
He was not a criminal
He was looking for a better life”
said his brother
in response to ICE saying
it was suicide
No one knows why his body
was sent to Fort Bliss
instead of the local medical examiner
~
Diaz had his mother
two sons and siblings
back home
They say he was not depressed
What happened so that he can not go home?
~
by Summer D Clemenson | Feb 2, 2026 | ICE, Opinions, Poetry, Politics
They’re all wearing masks
They don’t identify themselves
They are driving around in
unmarked vehicles
with tinted windows
They change their license plates
all the time
~
In response we blow our whistles
~
There is no one who is safe right now
Rent is due at the end of the month
and income earners have been stolen
~
We live in a war zone
because of their lawlessness
There is need of those
who document what is happening
Deliver food and medicine
Take children to school
~
If you can help:
Disclaimer: Summer D Clemenson is not affiliated with any of these organizations. My goal is help you help others through art. Summer D Clemenson and Clemenson Enterprises, LLC does not keep track of the resource levels of the organizations listed here. Please be kind to the people that help you regardless of the limits of these organizations.
~
by Summer D Clemenson | Feb 2, 2026 | ICE, Opinions, Poetry, Politics
The 5th person to die in ICE custody
this month
in the first 16 days of 2026
Herber Sanchez Dominguez
was only 34-years-old
He has a wife
and children
~
Dominguez was found unresponsive
at 2:05 am on January 14, 2026
at The Robert A Deyton Detention Facility
in Lovejoy, Georgia
on Hastings Bridge Road
~
We knew when he got here in 2023
he was captured
and released
with a notice to appear for an
immigration violation
~
On January 7, 2026
Dominguez was arrested
for driving without a license
Language barriers compound
the obstacles immigrants must overcome
~
Transparency
and access to care
could save lives
Just because Heber was born in Mexico
his mental health should have counted
~
I hear his cries
~
by Summer D Clemenson | Feb 1, 2026 | ICE, Opinions, Poetry, Politics
Parody La was a 46-year-old male
La was last seen in Upper Darby Philadelphia
He left to get groceries on January 6, 2026
He had been detained
for hours before his family
knew he was gone
~
La came here as a refugee
when he was 2-years-old
He’s never been to Cambodia
He’s really an American man
even though he lost his permanent residency
after some bad choices between 1992 and 2022
~
Experiencing drug withdrawal
La was placed under medical observation
at the ICE Detention Center on Philadelphia Street
His family questions the use of naloxone
when medical finding cite
anoxic brain injury
shock and multi-organ failure
He was not overdosing
~
Parody was a real person
People loved him
He has a daughter named Jasmine
He died on January 6, 2026
after 2 days in the hospital
one of 32
to have died in detention
Every Person Is Important
~
by Summer D Clemenson | Jan 31, 2026 | ICE, Opinions, Poetry, Politics
“Its gonna be hard to break me
because I have a strong spirit
and I grew up with a whole lot of love”
Keith Porter was shooting his gun in the air
celebrating New Years 2026 in Los Angeles
when an off-duty ICE agent shot him
adding to their record of making false and distorted claims
~
“I got two beautiful young girls
and I’m going to raise them
the way I’m supposed to”
Porter held multiple jobs
and was a student aid to kids
with special needs
His friend says its hard to hear people
sully his reputation
“He loved to make you smile”
~
“I pray I talk to God
I talk to family
Because at the end of the day
that’s all I really got
I feel rich”
He used to call his mother every day
to say I love you
~
by Summer D Clemenson | Jan 27, 2026 | ICE, Opinions, Poetry, Politics
Alex Pretti never touched
the gun in his holster
the one he was licensed to carry
the one our second amendment protects
He had no criminal record
~
Alex Pretti wasn’t a protester
he was a witness
He was an ICU nurse at the VA Hospital
He was helping a woman up
off the ground
~
10 shots were fired
in less than 5 seconds
3 shots in his back
He had additional wounds
in his chest and neck
~
Four or five ICE agents had him
on the ground
Even though it didn’t appear
he was trying to resist
Yet they felt the need
to shoot him
until and even after he was dead
~
Pretti is the 2nd United States citizen
shot by federal officers this month
The media called the woman a protester
but she was a neighbor
said the business owner
who knew both of them
~
by Summer D Clemenson | Jan 27, 2026 | ICE, Opinions, Poetry, Politics
“I’m fine Dude
I’m not mad at you”
Renee Good‘s last words
~
DHS Policy Says
ICE can shoot at a moving car
if it poses imminent threat of death
or serious bodily injury
to the officers or someone else
~
But why?
Can dead people control where
their car crashes?
~
20 years on the job
This ICE agent was an Iraq Vet
This was his second vehicle related incident
~
3 shots
One in her arm
One in her breast
One in her head
Maybe this agent needs to retire
~
Good was a mother and wife
She was a singer of songs and author of joy
And she will never pick up her son from school
again
~
by Summer D Clemenson | Jan 14, 2026 | Poetry
There are Energizer Bunnies
wearing skates made of razor blades
running down my back while they pound on drums
they wear around their necks
More of them are populated between my shoulders and fingertips
And also my knees and toes
And sometimes my feet burst into flames
~
There are Crash Test Dummies
working diligently in my hips
and a Sumo Wrestler
squeezing my head with his thighs
Fibromyalgia sucks
Sleep has been a test
I am not sure I passed
~
I turned on some piano music
To lull the sound of life outside of this room
I want to chase sleep for a bit longer
Every joint ricochets in consecutive order as I
slowly turn over and place my ear over Karen’s heart
A sound that grounds me
Makes me feel safe because I am home
~
Broken by the bullets of notifications
~
“Honey, why do my friends send me messages at 7 am?
They are smart people
They know I am not up yet?
If I remember to turn my notifications off
I might not remember to turn them back on
And then I will miss them altogether”
~
She kisses my head
“They are just excited to talk to you”
~
by Summer D Clemenson | Jan 8, 2026 | Art, Opinions, Poetry
An armed attack against Greenland
is an armed attack against NATO
and we don’t want to attack NATO
because the United States is also
a member of NATO
and right now we are crazy
~
Proof being that ICE just shot
a 37-year-old single mother in the face
A United States citizen
who just didn’t want to be detained
without due process
for an unknowable amount of time
because she has a 6-year-old
But now her child is an orphan
And I don’t believe the words of Kristi Noem
~
Venezuela is still standing
however we are still stealing their oil tankers in the sea
Our Sex Offender and Chief is drooling over barrels of oil
that he is counting in his mind
while he is wondering when he will be impeached
And we are all laughing at the Food Pyramid
RFK Jr has turned upside down
~
Heck ya!
Things I never thought would happen
Are here
The Late Show
Is just trying to help us find a way to laugh
instead of cry
~
by Summer D Clemenson | Jan 3, 2026 | Poetry
I am so thankful
that I don’t have to know what to say to You
You already know
that I am scared
that we are scared
that they are scared
that we don’t know what to do
~
You always know what to do
~
I haven’t lived long enough
to know what to do
I am comfortable with the fact
That You have always been here
~
You always know what to do
~
There are people that are hurting
There are people that have lost their homes
There are people who have been lied to
There are people who don’t have enough
Some of us need medical care
All I can say is
Please help
~
You always know what to do
~
I want You to shine
I want You to win
I want us to feel safe
I want us to know we are loved
~
Please help
~
by Summer D Clemenson | Dec 24, 2025 | Poetry
~
Whether you believe Jesus is the reason
or you light candles on a Menorah
If you celebrate Enlightenment or Yule
You are preparing for Kwanzaa or you are an Zoroastrian
If you are a Muslim
or you just like the lights and presents
I wish you joy
~
Whatever your reason is to sing
or celebrate life
be thankful for your loved ones
Whatever reason you stop and
breathe in
the scent of your favorite food and drink
be merry
Know you are loved
You are valued
~
Wherever you call home
be there
No matter what gift
you give or get
make sure someone smiles or laughs
because you are there
Share your light
because yours is different from anyone else’s
You are special because
the breath in your lungs
is from your Creator
~
You are a gift
~
Read More:
~
by Summer D Clemenson | Oct 21, 2025 | Opinions, Poetry, Politics
~
I am made in my Creator’s image
I am white
I am female
I am a United States Citizen
I am just like you
~
Jesus turned over tables
where they sold offerings
for money
But He gave Himself on the cross
for free
~
You are just like me
I am black
I am queer
I am houseless & I can read
But the freedom of my Spirit
does not match my Constitution
~
Some say the government
should only provide the laws & foundation
That citizens must create
the opportunities they desire
But when taxes are so high we can’t dream
How do we free those that can’t breathe
~
We are the same
I am disabled
I am a veteran
I am a tree-hugging peace-lover
I can’t do this without You
~
Photo Credit: Aesthetic Aristocracy on Tumblr
~
by Summer D Clemenson | Sep 30, 2025 | Poetry, Politics
~
What if there was no left or right?
What if there was no black or white?
What if we saw the beauty
and truth that is everywhere
That you are light
that inside the truth is that
together we are all right?
~
What if instead of shaking each other down
or calling each other names
we saw how far we have come?
What if we celebrated
our victories
instead of recounting our shame?
What if we chose to be together
instead of divided by hate?
~
We don’t have to listen to the propaganda
We don’t have to bring guns to the fight
We could reach out for our neighbors
and hold hands instead of rancor
Love could be our connection
instead of a missed target
Choose light
~
by Summer D Clemenson | Sep 24, 2025 | Poetry, Politics
~
I am a woman
Many of my friends have been raped
All of my female friends have been
touched inappropriately
or made to feel uncomfortable
in the presence of a man or men
~
I was related to the man that touched me
My friends knew their rapists
But society can be uncomfortable
the rules are unfair
the expectations are hypocritical
No one is safe
~
Women and children are not safe
So many gone
So many go missing daily
Some return forever broken
Some never return
Yet we protect the guilty
Because we know too many
people in authority
are not innocent
~
by Summer D Clemenson | Sep 24, 2025 | Poetry, Politics, Queer Community
~
I hate the hatred God
How can they hate
someone they have never met
How can someone say they love You
but hate Your creation
The confusion makes me so tired
I hold onto You with white knuckles
~
It scares me so much
to look at my neighbors
and wonder if they hate me
because I have a wife
because I call her
my gingerbread cookie
or both
What if we adopt a child and
they’re born in the wrong body
I’ll have two parts of my heart
to be afraid for
~
I want to love my enemies
I pray for them like You told me
I fell like prey
I feel like it is a matter of time
before the ships surround me
My only strength is in You
so I will keep listening for You
even though my arms are so tired
~
PS: My 3 year old great-nephew took this picture with my phone. He is amazing!
~
by Summer D Clemenson | Sep 13, 2025 | Poetry
~
I am the kind of civilian that
has already been forgotten
Yet you already want me to forgive
the sins you have poured upon my head
What kind of murder
have you planned for me
That children will be found guilty of
~
Holy holy holy is
my Lord God Almighty
the one you forgot about
While you built your idols
taller and shinier than
the humble and honest
love required
~
What is more pure
innocent or more holy
These are our ministers
But they don’t pay enough
and empathy is for cowards
So when you say this word
You have no foundation to stand on
~
by Summer D Clemenson | Aug 21, 2025 | Poetry
Every Person is Important
I am not just saying this because
I am white
and I think you should hear me
Every Person is Important
I am saying this because I am right
whether my privilege affirms it
or your bias says otherwise
~
Every Person is Important
because the essence of them
the light inside them
is inspired by our Creator
His breath is in their lungs
And each life inspires another
To smile, to cry, to create, to grow
To dance, to love, to hate
~
When there was nothing
there was what was
that spoke the light and the dark
the sea and the land, the vegetation,
the birds, fish, animals, and we
to live together because
Every Person is Important
because without us there is
nothing
~
Before religion and politics
Every Person is Important
Before race and nationality
Every Person is Important
Before sex, gender or who you or I love
Every Person is Important
Before, or after war
Every Person is Important
~
Every Person is Important
~
by Summer D Clemenson | Aug 7, 2025 | Poetry
Sometimes I try to climb back into the embrace of
Our arms entwined and our heart to heart
Of the early days of marriage
While we healed each other from things we only felt but couldn’t talk about
The things we were created to comfort in each other
That no one else could
~
Before words like
Arthritis
Fibromyalgia
Held their own sharp blades
Their own power over my senses
When we could dance all night long
When I didn’t twitch from the day’s stress
When I could cuddle without pain
Before a part of me died to chronic-ness
~
We love out loud
Because the pain is a wall sometimes
I lie as close to you as my body allows
The outside of my thigh can feel your strength
My right arm holds you tight
I can feel your every breath
We have adjusted
And in imperfection as true love does
We listen and heal each other
As we were created to
~
~
by Summer D Clemenson | May 18, 2025 | Poetry
I missed you today
I have missed you lots of days
because you are going through
a quiet phase
You have much that overwhelms you
I understand
because I do too
~
The smell of depression
meets your guests before
they cross our threshold
But I don’t want to talk about it
and you refuse to
So we applaud any success
we can find
~
Melancholy is not my friend
but a regular companion
I don’t enjoy it
but I live in spite of it
I have learned to be careful
when talking about mine
But I wish we could talk about yours
~
I don’t know how to help you
I don’t know if there are
resources that will overcome the no’s
you have been told so many times
No matter what
I love you
I see you trying
~
You know where to find me
~
by Summer D Clemenson | Feb 18, 2025 | Poetry, Politics, Prayers & Thanksgiving
It is hard to think with my human mind
Sometimes my spirit is on fire
And I can’t imagine how to move
The direct path is hard to see
~
Those who live in the spirit
Cannot be judged
They cannot be understood
By those who live in the flesh
~
It is only God that knows
Where I am going
Where we are going
My arms are tired from holding them up
~
The champions that are fighting
Must see that someone is for them
So here I stand with my arms stretched out
I am a beacon of light
~
So many have left love behind
They seek human made things
For validation
For power
For life
But none of this will stand up to fire and brimstone
~
Only LOVE will survive the holy fire
So I stand here
Because the warriors are winning
Even if it doesn’t look like it
~
~
Please wait...
