Editor’s Note: This article is a direct translation of the El Eco article of the same name. You can find the Spanish version here.
President Donald Trump’s government has the goal of inciting fear among immigrants. At the same time inciting hatred towards this group, creating narratives that describe immigrants as criminals. The immigration policies that are being reinforced are not new, but the way they are being applied is part of the fear that exists among the immigrant community.
Therefore, it is very important that people who are in United States territory know what rights they have and how to act in the case of facing an agent from Immigration and Customs Enforcement. It is also important to spread this information in order to protect the immigrant community, which is of great importance to the United States.
According to Associate Professor of Sociology Cynthia Duarte, only 3% of the American population is undocumented. This shows that the topic is being exaggerated for political purposes.
“So, what is very different nowadays is that we have social media, we have the internet. So, many latinos are educating themselves. The majority of people with cell phones have social media and they read the newspaper or the news on their phone,” Nancy Hernandez, communication professor, said. “So, we need to continue creating content.”
Hernández said that part of the issue accentuates in the information that the population receives, which can contain false or exaggerated data that could be misinterpreted. Hernández said that is why she tells this to her students and emphasizes the importance of the media in these circumstances.
“It is very difficult for a person that believes in the president, who is a fan of the president, it is very difficult to change that opinion in the individual’s head, because this individual believes that this person [the president] so they are going to believe everything that they say. So it is very different,” Hernández said.
Hernández said that it is important to know what the main source of information is for what it is read online, since wwe live in an era of misinformation where, according to Hernández, it is the leader of the nation who is partially responsible for this.
“The people who do not know a Latino or a Mexican, right, are going to believe everything that they read in the newspapers, everything that the hear on the radio, everything that they see on television, right, they are going to believe everything that it the reality and that Mexicans or Latinos are criminals,” Hernández said.
Duarte said the narrative suggesting that there is a migration problem is racist and misleading. Duarte also said that the Trump administration is aggressively using existing laws to push a native agenda.
Hernández said that it is sad to see how the president is inculcating a toxic narrative and how society is receiving this information.
“Being a daughter, first generation North American, of immigrant parents from El Salvador it is– I think that it is very important and the truth is that it is very sad,” Hernandez said.
Duarte said that the American economy actively recruits undocumented workers, contradicting the fear-based narrative. Duarte also said that immigrant workers make a huge contribution to the economy of the United States.
Duarte said she believes that instead of demonizing immigrants, the reforms should focus on labor laws, worker protections, and visa programs that recognize the economic demand for immigrant labor. Duarte said not having these reforms confirms that the current rhetoric does not address existing structural problems.
Hernández Hernandez said the president and many of his supporters have not thought about the consequences of deporting immigrant workers. Hernandez also said that even though they do not have the necessary documents to be here legally, they contribute to the country’s economy.
“Everyone is talking about Latinos, especially Mexicans. And it is sad. The saddest part of all, I think, is how the families, right, the parents go to work and they don’t know if they are going to make it home to their kids,” Hernández said.
Hernández said she finds the reality that mixed-status families are experiencing very sad, in which parents are afraid of not returning home with their children.
Duarte said that previously, police agents would avoid spaces such as schools and hospitals, due to the possible trauma they might leave. Nowadays, there are attempts to enter these spaces, removing the safeguards they could have. This is what causes fear to a lot of families in the community.
Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Success Matthew Ward said that under Assembly Bill 21, which is a California state law, the university is required to have a protocol to assist ICE agents. At the same time, the university wants to protect students, faculty and staff.
According to Ward, ICE agents do not have access to certain areas of the university, such as the residency halls or classrooms, without a warrant signed by a federal judge.
Duarte said that thanks to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, the university protects the privacy of its students therefore ICE agents cannot demand student’s details without a warrant.
Ward said has created measures and plans in case ICE agents come to the university. Ward also said that some faculty are trained in how to react to the circumstance of ICE agents being on campus, referring them to the appropriate personnel.
According to Ward, Campus Safety officers are the ones in charge to talk to the ICE agents, along with checking that they have the right documentation. Ward said that Cal Lutheran continues to evaluate to make their resources available to the people who may need it, maintaining a balance between keeping the community informed and acting under a low profile.
“It is a very sad moment right now and well we have to keep going and we have to keep fighting, right? Because this situation can’t continue like this. But we cannot stay quiet, especially the people that can say something,” Hernández said.
Hernández said that the people who are documented but have family members that are in a different situation are the same people who are protesting, because they are safe to do so.
“What is happening is that there are a lot of protests, there are manifestations and we have to continue doing these things for a change, because– and continue educating ourselves, because that is what is going to help many to get over the fear,” Hernández said.
Cal Lutheran will be organizing a Know Your Rights talk, in which students, teachers, workers and family members will be able to learn what rights they have when they encounter an ICE agent, said Ward.
It is very important for the immigrant community to stay informed and to know their rights. But it is equally important for the non-immigrant community to keep themselves informed as well, researching where the informatic is coming from and how accurate it is.
