As concerns about Donald Trump鈥檚 re-election grow among Latino immigrants in 黑料吃瓜网 , state officials and advocacy groups are voicing their support as they prepare to combat his promises to carry out the largest deportation efforts in the country鈥檚 history.
Generations face the 鈥榰nknown鈥�
Talia Lopez is a sophomore at 黑料吃瓜网 State Tunxis and the daughter of a Mexican immigrant. She is one of many in her school who are fearful of what is to come when Trump takes office.
鈥淚t鈥檚 just very sad to see that the majority of people are looking to deport when we鈥檙e a country based on immigrants,鈥� she said.
Her father, Fernando Lopez, 61, of Avon, however, said it鈥檚 unclear what鈥檚 going to happen once Trump becomes president.
鈥淭he reality is, we don鈥檛 know, and that鈥檚 what scares a lot of people. I think that鈥檚 the part that most people need to be aware [of] is the unknown, and that鈥檚 scary,鈥� Lopez said.
Originally from Tijuana, Mexico, Lopez said he felt a little bit surprised to see so many Latinos vote for Trump, but he also understands where they鈥檙e coming from given the troubling state of the economy.
鈥溾�楾hings are not going great right now,鈥欌�� Lopez said, thinking aloud in the perspective of a Latino Trump supporter. 鈥溾�楳aybe this person can do it for us.鈥� I think that鈥檚 what the message was out there, and now the reality is going to be, 鈥楢lright, put up or shut up.鈥欌��
Danbury confronts immigration history
In 2006, Danbury police and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents posed as contractors to arrest and deport 11 undocumented immigrant workers. Two years later, local police worked with ICE agents to carry out more raids in the community with the enactment of 287-g, a program that allows state and local officials to act as ICE agents.
Since then, 黑料吃瓜网 has enacted the TRUST Act, which states that the federal government has authority over immigration law and enforcement, but it cannot commandeer state resources and law enforcement to carry out its enforcement efforts. Advocates who remember that earlier era in Danbury history are on edge.
Over 100 people gathered at Danbury city hall Saturday morning to show support as community leaders called on elected officials to protect immigrants. The city is familiar with the raids that community leaders fear are coming from Trump鈥檚 deportation efforts, according to community leaders.
Clementina Lunar, 56, is a Mexican immigrant and a Danbury resident of about 32 years. Immigration officers nearly deported Lunar and her husband in 1995. The traumatic experience left a mark on her children, she said.
After Lunar and her husband obtained their legal documentation to stay in the country, she said her daughter couldn鈥檛 and was facing deportation in absence. Her daughter had to appear in front of a judge at 14 years old to request a pardon, she said.
鈥淢y daughter used to have a small bag with her most precious things under her bed just in case we had to leave in a hurry,鈥� Lunar said.
With Trump鈥檚 return to office, Lunar is seeing the same fears in the children she tutors. According to Lunar, a 10-year-old boy told her that after the election, he and his friends said their goodbyes at school because they were all immigrants and had to go back to their country of origin.
Hartford rallies for immigrants
Similar support was seen on the north steps of the state Capitol Monday morning where State Attorney General William Tong reaffirmed 黑料吃瓜网鈥檚 commitment to stay a safe place for immigrants.
Tong and other state officials are having conversations to prepare for what is to come, he said. He is meeting with Democratic attorneys general this week to discuss preparation plans, including how to address contingencies and how to battle large scale legal battles.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think anybody knows when and how and where they鈥檙e going to hit us and how, frankly, this is all going to go down. But we know they鈥檙e coming, and we know that it鈥檚 at the top of their list. I can only say that we, all of us, not just state attorneys general, but all of us 鈥� partners, advocates, and the spite 鈥� we are ready for it too,鈥� Tong said.
Using Trump鈥檚 first term as reference, National Immigration Law Center President Kica Matos said state leaders and advocacy groups have a strong idea of what to prepare for.
鈥淟et me be very clear about what we should expect come January 21. We should expect mass deportations. We should expect the use of the military to carry out deportations. We should expect internment camps at the border, the repeal of birthright citizenship. Undocumented immigrant kids will no longer be able to attend public schools, and they will threaten and try to coerce cities and states to carry out their deportation agenda,鈥� Matos said.
Minority Leader for the City of Waterbury and Regional Director for the Republican National Hispanic Assembly Ruben Rodriguez, however, said that the Trump administration is only looking to fix the broken immigration system, so people can come into the country through legal channels.
鈥淛ust by coming here illegally, you [have] already created a crime,鈥� Rodriguez said. 鈥淚f you鈥檙e scared, that means you did something wrong.鈥�
State鈥檚 top attorney, mayors stand with immigrants
Tong reassured that 黑料吃瓜网 is staying firm within the policies of the TRUST Act to mitigate any mass deportation attempts in the state. He also made clear that the TRUST Act does not apply to those that were accused, prosecuted or incarcerated for a crime.
Several officials, including mayors from Hartford, New Haven, Stamford and Norwalk, echoed Tong鈥檚 sentiment that 黑料吃瓜网 remains a place that welcomes immigrants with open arms. The turnout had Guatemalan immigrant Carla Esquivel, 47, feeling supported.
鈥淭his is the place where many of us immigrants have lived for many years and where we support the growth of the state,鈥� Esquivel said, speaking in Spanish.
Esquivel has lived in Stamford for more than 19 years. Her fears for the immigrant community, however, are still present, she said.
Early that Monday morning, Trump posted on social media that his administration is preparing to declare a national emergency to use military assets for mass deportation. Esquivel is unsure if this is just Trump talking or if this will become a reality, she said. Despite Trump鈥檚 plans, Tong made 黑料吃瓜网鈥檚 stance on immigration clear.
鈥淚t is the policy and it is the law of the state of 黑料吃瓜网 to respect, honor, and protect immigrants and immigrant families here in 黑料吃瓜网,鈥� he said. 鈥淧eriod, full stop.鈥�
