Immigrant rights groups in Southern California are preparing for more hardline immigration policies in the coming months as former President Donald Trump is set to move back into the White House for the second term.
But what’s different this time is that they know what to expect from the second Trump administration, the organizations said in a news conference in front of Los Angeles City Hall Thursday.
“We have been here before,” Masih Fouladi, the executive director of the California Immigration Policy Center said. “This time, we know what he will do because he’s told us. He ran one of the most hateful, xenophobic and anti-immigration platforms of all time in this country, and he promised mass deportation of our communities.”
Trump reiterated his immigration plans during a phone interview with NBC News’ Kristen Welker, saying American voters agreed with his policies.
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“When (American voters) got into the booth, they agreed with Trump. They didn't want murderers; they didn't want drug lords; they didn't want gang members,” Trump said. “They wanted people to come in legally.”
Loyola Law School professor Marissa Montes also said she expects more of what happened during the first Trump presidency, including deportations on a mass scale.
“In terms of deportation, he does have the authority to do it,” said Montes. “What I see happening is mostly raids either at workplaces or certain communities that have a high number of immigrants.”
The president-elect has also promised to end “Catch and Release,” which currently releases migrants into the United States to await their hearings, while reinstating the “Remain in Mexico” policy to require asylum seekers to wait in Mexico while their cases are processed.
The California Immigration Policy Center, for one, said it’s having planning meetings for more than a dozen scenarios under the Trump administration, involving some 500 people who will “prioritize the safety and socioeconomic security” of immigrants across the country.
The organization also said it’s pushing to set up infrastructure, so it can quickly respond to mass raids and deportations.
While the state of California and Los Angeles are sanctuaries for immigrants, it will likely do little to stop Trump from exercising his presidential power, Montes predicted.
And when 45% of Latinos voted for Trump this time around, there will be fewer objections, according to Los Angeles Times Columnist Gustavo Arellano.
“In their minds .. when Trump talks about deportation, he’s talking about them, he's not talking about us,” Arellano said.
While the immigrant advocates gathered in downtown Los Angeles Thursday said it’s “devastating” to learn many Latino Voters supported Trump, they said there’s still hope.
“When (Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas) sent buses here to Los Angeles, what did we do? We welcomed them. We welcomed them with dignity. We saw their humanity,” Angelica Salas, the executive director for the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights.(CHIRLA)
Another fear is that Trump may also end deportation protections for hundreds of thousands under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals and temporary protected status programs.
But Salsas and other immigration advocates said they will mobilize to fight against any discriminatory policies.
Groups including CHIRLA are hoping for more support in the coming year as they expect a surge in requests for help from immigrant communities, beginning on January 20.
“What I say to everybody in this country is to see us for who we are. What Trump presented to you was a caricature. It was a lie,” Salas said. “We are mothers and fathers. We're beautiful people. We're hard-working. We have visions. We're rooted in this country.”
