Yaritza Méndez, community coordinator with Make the Road (center). (Photo by Mariela Lombard via El Diario)
On Jan. 20, while Donald Trump gleefully assumed the presidency of the United States in Washington D.C., Ecuador native Rocío A. felt a chill through her body. She immediately knew that the outlook for undocumented people was not good, although she admits that she did not imagine that the measures against immigrants would materialize so soon.
Today, she lives in fear, and says that even leaving her house stresses her because she feels that “la migra” – immigration agents – will take over New York any minute now, come to her house, and that they could even end up “taking her away.”
“This is a nightmare. We are terrified and in endless anguish because we have no idea what will happen. I live in a basement, and every time I hear a noise I feel that it could be someone coming for me,” said the single mother, who is even scared to pick her son up from school.
“My child told me that his friends in school have said to him that ‘la migra’ could carry out raids outside [the school] because other mothers have talked about it. That is why we agreed that it was best if I didn’t go pick him up but instead talk on the phone and meet on the way home,” said Rocío. She admitted that she did not know that officers from the New York City Police Department do not and will not perform immigration-related tasks, as Mayor de Blasio has said. He said that he would continue promoting New York as a “sanctuary city” for undocumented people.
“If I see cops anywhere, I take a different route. So many different things are said that you don’t know what is true anymore. That’s why I would rather stay home and not take risks,” said Rocío, adding that, although she has some hope that things may change, she feels that the worst is yet to come.
“If Trump is acting like this from the beginning, I don’t think we will be here in two years. This is going to get worse, and people are going to be more and more terrified,” said Rocío, who had to leave her job at a New Jersey factory two weeks ago because her bosses told her they could no longer employ undocumented people.
Fear of raids
Eduardo Montiel, a 28-year-old Mexican busboy working at a Manhattan restaurant, agrees with Rocío that fear is overcoming people.
“I really am an optimist and try to think that things are going to get better, but we cannot fool ourselves either: Trump wants us out and he will do everything he can to get it,” said the young man dolefully, adding that he fears that one day, a massive raid may take place in the heart of Queens.
“I don’t know why, but I feel that the time will come that we won’t even be able to move around on the 7 train because they will carry out a really ugly raid there,” he said. “I hope God helps us, but this is messed up.”
Seeking more help
This climate of fear prevailing in the community in the two weeks since Trump took power has led to a noticeable spike in calls and visits to the city’s pro-immigrant organizations by immigrants seeking advice and any help they can get.
Yaritza Méndez, outreach coordinator at Make the Road New York (MRNY), said that there is an increasing number of immigrants who say they feel scared about the way the Trump government has started to handle things.
“The fear is there, and it is not only among undocumented people anymore but among people with permanent residency who fear they may be affected. My opinion is that the only way to be protected is by becoming a citizen. He has attacked refugees and maybe people who have work visas, and that is why the attack is not against a single community,” said the activist.
“We don’t know what this man’s next step will be so instead of preparing strategies, we are forced to wait and see what he’s going to sign next in order to react. This makes it very hard for us and even harder for the community,” said the Dominican activist, adding that it is important for people to be prepared for anything.
“We cannot say that people should let fear take over, but things being what they are, it is important to stay informed and to have those tough conversations with their families to know what to do in an emergency situation, should anything happen. We need to keep a cool head,” she said, explaining that anyone needing information may find it at any Make the Road New York office and other organizations.
“Our advice is to continue staying informed through the organizations and to start creating an emergency plan in case anything happens so you don’t end up in limbo, including figuring out who will have custody of your children because, if anything happens, God forbid, if a mother is detained and she is the head of the household, they need to be prepared,” she added.
Thanu Yakupitiyage, from the New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC), was also extremely concerned about what is yet to come regarding the measures taken by Trump’s government, but she stressed that it is vital to continue fighting.
“The NYIC continues to stand firmly against these dangerous and anti-American measures promoted by President Trump,” said the activist. “We expect that things will get worse before they get better, including the possibility of new prohibitions on visas and restrictions in access to public services for immigrants. We will fiercely combat any new action of this type.”