ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) raids happening across Utah have spread online, causing anxiety among residents. These rumors have sparked a great deal of concern, especially within the immigrant community.
Carlos Trujillo, an immigration attorney, shared that his clients have been talking about these raids. In fact, one of his clients has been directly impacted. He explained, “We have heard directly from people that have been affected by it. So we do know for a fact that these raids are ongoing. And especially today, especially this morning, we know that in multiple places they have been spotted doing these raids.”
The growing tension comes after a memo released by Homeland Security on Thursday. The memo revealed that ICE agents now have the authority to deport migrants who are covered under temporary protections from the Biden Administration. This includes people who were previously allowed to stay in the country legally.
Trujillo explained that these protections applied to individuals who entered the U.S. legally through special programs, including those from countries such as Mexico, Cuba, and Venezuela. According to the attorney, “There is an estimate of 1.5 million people that came under these lawful programs.
If you encounter a person with Humanitarian Parole, you can detain them, you can strip them, and you can put them on under expedited removal, which means they don’t even get a hearing.”
The Humanitarian Parole Program, used for urgent cases, allows individuals to enter the country for reasons like receiving medical treatment, reuniting families, or escaping violence and persecution. Trujillo pointed out that some of these individuals had been living and working in the U.S. lawfully, and yet, under new rules, they can now be deported immediately without a hearing.
“If you came a year ago under this program, and you’ve been working lawfully, you’ve been doing everything that you were allowed to do under the law, you can now be grabbed and sent back right away,” said Trujillo.
In light of the ongoing raids and uncertainty, Trujillo gave two key pieces of advice for those affected. The first is to attend workshops where community organizations are providing information about people’s rights.
“There are many workshops happening in the community with many organizations trying to teach the rights that we still have. So number one is please, if you’re aware of these workshops, please attend. Please obtain the knowledge necessary to do things the right way,” he said.
His second piece of advice was to stay calm if confronted by authorities. “If you are a victim of a raid or a victim of being picked up, even if you’re legal, please collaborate with the authorities. There is no need to make it worse than it already is. Keep calm. Proceed with whatever instructions they give you. That is the best that we can do right now.”
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