This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
As fear of deportation grows, so does the need for education, immigrant supporters said Thursday.
Days after a Department of Homeland Security memo laid out steps to comply with President Donald Trump's executive order on immigration and deportation, the points are "vague" enough to cause concern, attorney Marlene Gonzalez told the group of about 25 people at a Bennion Community Service Center event at the University of Utah. Originally, advocates and law-enforcement leaders were slated to debate immigration issues, but Sheriff Jim Winder had a scheduling conflict and the event turned into a panel. Those memos have sent a "chilling effect" through immigrant communities, said Comunidades Unidas Executive Director Luis Garza, because they classify everyone without legal residency documents as a possible priority for deportation.
"The majority of these people are American in every single way except by that paper," Garza said.
Fear disrupts everyday life for these people, he said.
Since Trump was elected, Garza added, parents have reported to Comunidades Unidas more cases of bullying at their children's schools.
Ze Min Xiao, director of the county's Office of New Americans and Refugees, said she's seen similar responses with other groups of immigrants — especially Muslims — after Trump signed the order to suspend refugee admissions and ban immigrants from seven Muslim-majority countries.
The order is on hold, pending judicial review. While rumors of mass detainment by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents circulate, Garza said his office is working to verify reports and alert the community in case of danger. He said Comunidades Unidas, a local immigrant-support organization, has been testing hashtags like #MigraWatchUT and #ICEOutUT, as well as advertising "Know Your Rights" legal seminars on its Facebook page. "We always try to mention in all our seminars the difference between a raid and a detention," Garza said. "A raid is when people get picked up anywhere; a detention is if they [officers] come after a specific person." Using the correct term can lessen fear, he said.
Panelists have reached out to Utah congressional delegates about these issues, they said, but haven't had much luck. Garza said his group had been denied meetings with delegates on every attempt. Gonzalez said Sen. Orrin Hatch is the only one who has met with her.
"He's a seasoned politician," she said of Hatch, R-Utah, "but the others won't listen." Xiao had a meeting scheduled with Republican Sen. Mike Lee's office Thursday afternoon, she said.
"Even though they won't meet with us, it doesn't mean we should stop trying," Garza said. He hopes the combination of human stories and data showing immigrants' economic contributions will help create positive change.
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