CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — Local immigration organizations said they’re fielding new questions and concerns after President Donald Trump issued a slew of executive orders on immigration.
Trump’s orders include declaring an emergency at the border with Mexico and ramping up deportation raids. The president even threw out rules that block raids from happening at schools and churches.
Christian Ceron, who helps lead the immigrant justice program for the Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy, said the callers they have heard from seem fearful and uncertain of what will come next.
“In general, those calls are more so you know, how will this impact me, how will these new policies, or prospective policies apply to me, or how they will impact me or my family or my family member who is undocumented.”
Lauren Rogers with International House in Charlotte said even people who have up-to-date documentation are taking extra steps.
“We are starting to hear reports of clients and students who are taking pictures of their documents on their phone that they’re carrying with them everywhere,” she said. “Even people who are naturalized citizens and who have children that were born here in the United States.”
While the Trump administration seems to be placing a priority on raids, Rogers argues more needs to be done to improve the system, noting that many people have been unable to maintain legal status even after entering the country legally.
“The immigration court here in Charlotte is backlogged over 140,000 cases. It is currently taking 55 months for people to be issued their green cards,” she added.
The status of birthright citizenship is also being discussed at length following an executive order that does away with the right. Legal advocates stressed that it is still being litigated in the courts. In fact, on Thursday, a federal judge in Washington state temporarily blocked the order, calling it unconstitutional.
