Trump immigration policies roil Bay Area migrants worried about deportation
Trump policy roils Bay Area migrants worried about prosecution, deportation
There was widespread condemnation of a new Trump administration policy that requires migrants who are in the U.S. illegally to provide personal information to a national registry, or face fines and possible permanent deportation.
SAN JOSE, Calif. - There are renewed concerns in some migrant communities that a federal judge's ruling could make it easier to track those in the country illegally.
This comes after the Trump administration introduced a new policy requiring migrants in the country illegally to register with the federal government.
"When we talk about non-citizen registration, that has only occurred three times in our history," said Huy Tran, executive director of Services, Immigrant Rights & Education Network (SIREN).
He said the first time was the Japanese American internment during World War II and the last was shortly after 9/11. The fourth time has arrived with a new policy by the Trump administration.
All migrants in the country illegally must register with the government and carry identification at all times, or face fines and the possibility of permanent deportation.
Featured
What to do if ICE shows up in California: Immigration resource guide
Immigrant rights advocates say don't speak to ICE agents and ask for an attorney. They also say that ICE needs a warrant signed by a judge to enter your home.
"We must know who is in our country for the safety and security of our homeland and for all American citizens," said White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt during a briefing Friday.
U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden ruled Thursday that enforcement could proceed because the plaintiffs who had sued to stop implementation did not have the proper legal standing.
"They didn't have a right to actually sue on behalf of the people who might be affected by the new rule that the administration has promulgated," said Brad Joondeph, a professor at Santa Clara University School of Law.
Some immigrant rights advocates said the ruling had sent a chill in some communities, where some people who are undocumented worried complying with the law could mean being victimized by the law.
"This is only going to end badly. And it's only going to disrupt the lives of millions of families who are here to do nothing more than to provide for their families and to take care of themselves," said Tran.
The timeframe for compliance with the new policy is murky, with those affected perhaps having 30 days to register.
Featured
Social Security reclassifies thousands of living immigrants as dead; cancels numbers
The move will make it much harder for those affected to use banks or other basic services where Social Security numbers are required.
"The Trump administration will continue to enforce our nation's immigration laws. We will not pick and choose which laws to enforce," said Leavitt.
Some experts believe even with McFadden's ruling, there is still a legal road ahead that can lead to relief.
"This is just one district court in the District of Columbia. Other affected people or groups could file suit in other district courts in the United States. This decision is also appealable," said Joondeph.
He and others said this issue is likely headed to the Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia and then maybe the Supreme Court.
For now, advocates advised those impacted not to register with the government and instead contact an immigration attorney.
Jesse Gary is a reporter based in the station's South Bay bureau. Follow him on the Instagram platform, @jessegontv and on Facebook, @JesseKTVU.
The Source: Interviews with Brad Joondeph of Santa Clara University School of Law and Huy Tran of Services, Immigrant Rights & Education Network (SIREN)