Our President wants immigration raids to scare you. Don’t let it work.

You might have heard of President Trump’s tweet threatening immigration raids this week. He said that the US government “will begin the process of removing the millions of illegal aliens who have illicitly found their way into the United States. They will be removed as fast as they come in.”

What does this actually mean?

This sounds like immigration officers are going to start large-scale immigration raids. But, once you break down the facts, you’ll see that the truth is much less scary. As the New York Times reports,

“The effort will focus on more than 2,000 undocumented family members…”
Despite all the hype, this is really a very small number when you consider there are 10.5 million undocumented people in the U.S.

“who… had their cases expedited on a specialized docket and were served deportation orders…”
This means that people who already have a removal order are at risk for arrest. This is always true, not just during this operation. If you have a removal order, you should talk to an immigration attorney about filing a motion to reopen it. If you’re not sure whether you have an order, call the EOIR automated hotline, 1-800-898-7180, and enter your A-number (a nine digit number found on any immigration paperwork you might have). Press option 3 for decision information, and the computer will tell you whether you have an order.
Also note: This means ICE is looking for specific people. It’s not a random sweep where they arrest everyone they meet.

“…in at least 10 major cities, including Baltimore, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, and New Orleans.”
As of now, Boston doesn’t seem to be on the list, although ICE may add it at some point.

Also, the truth is that ICE doesn’t have the resources to arrest so many people. There are only about 6,000 deportation officers, and not enough space in detention facilities.

[SOURCES: The New York Times, and @matt_cam on Twitter]

Finally, even if you are undocumented, you are not alone. Immigration attorneys across the country are watching this very closely, and if we hear that large numbers of people are being arrested, we intend to be there for you.

So what can you do right now?

First, review the “Know Your Rights” information, found here.

Second, get in touch with an immigration attorney, if you haven’t already.

Third, stay strong, and know that you are not alone.