Immigration Advocates Busy As Threats Of California Raids Linger
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Immigration supporters are urging current DACA recipients to renew their DACA status, despite the uncertainty and fears of immigration raids.
Now community groups are working to prepare volunteers to be legal observers.
"They have human dignity, and I want to support that," said Jeannette Hogan with Unitarian Universal Church in Davis. "Even if our laws aren't just, I want to make sure they are appropriately applied."
She and about a dozen others took part in legal observer training.
"They're trained to document everything. take pictures, notes, and just really be moral observers of the situation," said Edwin Valdez, a rapid response coordinator with Sacramento ACT.
These meetings are a way for local groups to bolster their volunteer support in case of immigration sweeps.
"We're at least able to tell a family member, 'Hey this is what happens, but don't feel alone,'" said Valdez.
Valdez says fear of the unknown is sweeping through the undocumented immigrant community. Rumors of more ice raids and a back and forth in Washington concerning DACA, or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, are the main contributors.
"There's a sense of urgency in the community to submit DACA renewal applications," said Marcus Tang.
Tang is a lawyer with the California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation. He says their office received more than 100 phone calls on Thursday, 10 times the norm.
He and the other attorneys provide free legal assistance and guidance for people with questions about attaining legal status.
"We try to stick with what we know is true and verifiable and give that to the community," said Tang.
The flood of questions from many people is about what the future holds.
"What does that mean for me, what does that mean for my status? What do I do?" Said Valdez.
The answers are much more difficult in a time of uncertainty.