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Trump threatens “mass deportation”. Here are local resources for immigrants

Umito November 14, 2024

Greater Cincinnati agencies and advocates that help immigrants aren’t sure who will be affected, or when, by “mass deportations” what President-elect Donald Trump promised.

For now, they offer this general advice to immigrants in the area: Prepare yourself.

Workplace searches, family separations and policy changes along the U.S.-Mexico border are just some of Trump’s new developments. “border tsar” Tom Homan, former actor Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, has been developed in recent days.

Trump spent his campaign stoking fears about immigrants and, after being elected, declared that mass deportations would begin on his first day in office. Polls showed that concerns over illegal immigration were a concern for voters, and Ohio and Kentucky overwhelmingly supported Trump.

It is unclear who will be targeted, as the new administration has not clarified all points of its immigration initiatives, such as whether immigrants will be able to maintain their current legal status as workers or asylum seekers. .

A list of resources for immigrants is provided at the end of this article.

Uncertainty leads to “hysteria” among some

The uncertainty has created “collective hysteria” among immigrants over whether their status in the country is legal or illegal, Therese Cruz, president and CEO of FIESTA NKY, told The Enquirer.

She said the small nonprofit, which connects the Hispanic community and immigrants to local resources, has already talked with area families about what it can do to prepare for immigration laws more strict.

“My heart hurts and I tell them, ‘I don’t know what you’re going through. I’m really sorry. I don’t know. But I really want to hear and I want to listen, and I want to be there.’ for you. How can I help you?’” she said.

Cincinnati Compassan agency that promotes the economic and social inclusion of migrants in the Cincinnati area, has already heard from other partners that there has been an increase in asylum applications, as well as requests to expedite applications already submitted, according to Executive Director Bryan Wright.

Wright stated that the Cincinnati Compass already faced similar pressures during Trump’s first term and prepares once again to protect vulnerable communities.

Yet Trump’s rhetoric on immigration on the campaign trail has sown fear among undocumented immigrants, mixed-status families and even some naturalized U.S. citizens.

“We have our hands in many different areas and everywhere there is fear, uncertainty and confusion,” Wright said.

The Enquirer asked Greater Cincinnati organizations how they were preparing — and what area immigrants could do to prepare — for changes to immigration laws and policies. Here’s what they said:

Create a plan – now

Under the last Trump administration, families were suddenly separated when parents were detained by ICE. And people didn’t have readily available legal documents or information to make the best arguments themselves.

To prepare for the worst-case scenario of a sudden deportation, Cruz said immigrants need to do two main things:

Prepare legal documents to grant someone custody of the children while immigration proceedings are pending.
Prepare the documents and place them in an easily accessible location. This includes any documents related to a person’s legal status in the country (permanent residence cards, naturalization papers, refugee travel documents, citizenship certificate), work authorization card, school records, or marriage license , For example.
Connect with immigration resource providers and speak to an attorney.

Opinions among immigration lawyers differ on likelihood of mass deportations

Based in Lexington Maxwell Street Legal Clinic could be an option for cash-strapped immigrants living in Kentucky. It has provided low-cost services to immigrants for over 20 years.

Abigail Rundell, deputy program director and clinic attorney, said she is preparing for Trump-era immigration law changes and talking with other immigrant resource providers.

“The tone is: Get ready,” she said.

Not only did Trump dramatically change his immigration practices during his last presidential term, but he failed to implement some projects he could focus on over the next four years.

For example, people who were brought to the United States illegally as children before 2008 were protected by the Deferred action for child arrivals, commonly known as DACA, which allows them to live and work in the United States.

“We started calling them all – come in and get a renewal now, even if you’re not about to expire, just because you can have the approval for the longest time possible,” Rundell said.

She said it would be unlikely that DACA would be rescinded, although it is possible that people would not be able to get their status renewed if the program ends.

Christopher Pogue, a Cincinnati-area immigration lawyer, said he was skeptical that mass deportations would come to fruition, but added that even the threat of such a move could be used to negotiate new laws entirely on immigration.

“Will there be mass deportations? Probably not,” Pogue said. “It’s much more likely that more money and infrastructure will be put into the (immigration) system.”

He said there is not enough funding or human resources currently available to implement the type of mass deportation policy that Trump has referenced.

Still, Pogue advised immigrants concerned about their future to seek legal advice.

The Cincinnati Compass and the Immigrant and Refugee Law Center prepare for the unknown

Cincinnati Compass already connects immigrants with community partners, such as local attorneys, the Immigrant and Refugee Law Center And Catholic Charitiesso they can take advantage of their resources and seek legal advice.

With the help of these community partners, Wright said the Cincinnati Compass plans to ensure immigrants receive accurate information so they know exactly what to do if they are affected by the administration’s new policies.

Cincinnati Compass is also already having conversations with local school districts and employers to prepare for possible ICE raids that could take place in the near future.

At this point, however, there are still a lot of unknowns about what will happen on “day one” of Trump’s second term, said Mayra Jackson, executive director of the Immigrant and Refugee Law Center. She said she’s already noticed a wave of panic in the community, adding that the number of phone calls the nonprofit received has “increased significantly” in recent days.

Like Cruz and Wright, Jackson said the main focus now is on preparing immigrants for worst-case scenarios.

“We’re just trying to talk to the community, get them ready, get their documentation ready,” she said. “We don’t know what’s going to happen on day one, but we still want these families to know their rights.”

The Immigrant and Refugee Law Center, along with other organizations, plan to hold in-person presentations for immigrants to educate them about their rights, Jackson said. The details of these presentations still need to be worked out.

What happened last time?

President Trump implemented 472 executive actions on immigration during his four-year presidency, according to a report from the » said the Migration Policy Institute.

This included the controversial closure of the US border to certain nationalities during the pandemic; a more than 50% increase in the number of charging documents issued to immigrants; and more migrant apprehensions along the country’s southern border in 2019 compared to the previous decade.

Under his leadership, the report said, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security also limited asylum at the border, disqualifying migrants who had not requested asylum in advance and forcing other migrants to wait in Mexico until they can be seen in immigration court.

As for the border wall he defended, only 52 miles of new primary border barriers were built where none had been built before. The 52 miles, other secondary fences and repairs to existing border barriers it cost the US government billions.

The border between the United States and Mexico stretches almost 2,000 miles.

Resources for local immigrants

Catholic Charities of Southwest Ohio: provides immigration legal services as part of its mission to “serve the community to, in turn, serve the vulnerable.” They also offer file management and assistance to immigrant families. Contact them at 513-241-7745. For Spanish services, contact Su Casa Hispanic Center at 513-761-1588.
Immigrant and Refugee Law Center: a nonprofit immigration law center that helps people who cannot afford a private attorney. Request a consultation here. They can also be called at 513-828-0577.
Cincinnati Compass: an agency that campaigns for social and economic inclusion; connects individuals and organizations to resources and each other to create opportunities; and promotes and celebrates the cultural and economic contributions of new Cincinnatians.
Kentucky Refugee Ministries: a refugee settlement service that helps immigrants with job placement, citizenship, language services, etc. Call the office at 859-815-8010.
FIESTA NKY: connects the Hispanic and immigrant community with resources for housing, job placement, education, culturally appropriate food, and immigration documentation assistance. He can be reached by email at [email protected] or by phone at 859-534-0672.
Maxwell Street Legal Clinic: an inexpensive option for Kentucky-based immigrants in need of legal services. Contact a clinic attorney at 859-233-3840.