United States President Donald Trump’s administration has reversed a decade-old policy that barred immigration officials from making arrests in sensitive locations, including schools, churches and hospitals.
As the move took effect Wednesday, many undocumented immigrants in the U.S. expressed concern about the impact on the few areas of life where they felt safe.
“I don’t sleep,” Iris Gonzalez told the Associated Press from Boston, Massachusetts, where her children have attended school for a decade.
Gonzalez, who came to the U.S. from Guatemala 14 years ago, wondered what would happen if she came into contact with immigration officials at a court hearing or while driving.
“What if they stop me?” he said.
He also questioned whether he should continue looking for work under the new administration. Still, she was adamant that her children would continue to attend school, where she hoped they would be safe.
“Education is important,” he told the news agency in Spanish.
‘Devastating Consequences’
Gonzalez’s story underscores the daily negotiations of those seeking to avoid potential immigration enforcement under Trump, whose political comeback is predicated on a pledge to end “mass deportations” and limit immigration to the United States. has been done
His first days in office have been defined by a number of executive orders and actions related to immigration enforcement. That includes declaring a national emergency at the U.S. border to increase staffing and resources, laying the groundwork for faster deportations, and suspending the CBP One application that thousands of refugees rely on for placement. had been
Trump has also tried to end so-called birthright citizenship. moved This has already been challenged in court by state authorities and rights groups.
And on Tuesday, the second day of Trump’s second term, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced He ended a policy to avoid immigration raids at “sensitive” locations.
The change largely affects two agencies: Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP), both of which had guidance to stop enforcement in places like medical centers.
There have been no reports of a major immigration crackdown in the U.S. since Trump took office, but the incoming president told reporters on Monday that it was only a matter of time.
“I don’t want to say when, but it’s going to happen. It has to happen, or we’re not going to leave a country,” he said.
Meanwhile, rights groups have spent the weeks since Trump’s Nov. 5 election victory conducting training with community groups on how best to respond to the impending crackdown.
Many condemned the Department of Homeland Security’s policy change as setting a dangerous precedent, noting that the “sensitive location” policy was designed to ensure that undocumented immigrants could enter the country. Residents can access basic services.
“These actions can have devastating consequences for immigrant families and their children, including U.S. citizen children, who are unable to access medical care, disaster relief, attend school, and carry out daily activities. can stop it from happening,” Olivia Golden, interim executive director. The Center for Law and Social Policy said in a statement.
“If an ICE presence near such locations becomes more common, it also increases the likelihood that children may witness a parent’s detention, arrest, or other encounters with ICE agents,” Golden said.
‘I can’t imagine why they would do that’
For its part, in announcing the policy change, the Department of Homeland Security claimed that “criminals” used sensitive locations to evade capture, without providing data to back up the claim.
“Criminals will no longer be able to hide in America’s schools and churches to avoid arrest,” the statement said.
“The Trump administration will not tie the hands of our brave law enforcement agencies, and instead trusts them to use common sense.”
In another sign that Trump is trying to roll back protections for undocumented communities, the Justice Department has also begun directing its federal prosecutors to investigate state or local officials who are involved in federal immigration enforcement. are in the way of an increase, according to a memo. The Associated Press on Wednesday.
The move is a clear salvo against so-called “conservatorship” jurisdictions, where local officials direct law enforcement agencies under their control not to coordinate with federal immigration agents.
The Justice Department memo also called on federal prosecutors to return to the practice of charging defendants with the most serious crime they can prove, limiting prosecutorial discretion in those cases.
Responding to the Trump administration’s shift in “sensitive” locations, Carmen, an immigrant from Mexico, was incredulous.
“Oh my god!” he told The Associated Press. “I can’t imagine why they would do that.”
Still, Carmen said she believes her local San Francisco Bay Area school system will notify her if it becomes unsafe for her to bring her four-year-old and six-year-old grandson to school.
“What has helped calm my nerves is knowing that the school is standing by us and has promised to notify us if it’s not safe at school,” said Carmen, who worked with Immigration. Agents asked not to use their last name for fear of being targeted.
