Bay Area immigrant communities anxious about another Trump administration
SAN JOSE — President-elect Donald Trump's incoming border czar promised to slash funding to states that don't assist with mass deportations, and those promises have caused uncertainty and spurred action from Bay Area communities and organizations.
On a sunny afternoon in East San Jose, Evelin Castañeda walks hand-in-hand with her daughter, Katherine. The sound of laughter fills the air, but behind her warm smile lies a palpable tension.
"In terms of immigration, my biggest fear is the raids; You live with the fear that there could be raids," Evelin shared.
Her journey as an undocumented immigrant began 15 years ago when she fled violence and poverty in Honduras. Gang violence, political instability, and economic hardship have plagued the country for decades, forcing many, like Castañeda, to seek refuge in the United States.
"It was difficult because when I came in 2009, that same year, there was a coup in my country, and many of us emigrated because the situation was tough," she recalled.
She found refuge in San Jose, where she became an integral part of the community, working as a housekeeper and volunteering with local organizations. However, with the election of President Trump and his campaign promise to focus heavily on immigration enforcement, she and many like her are now preparing for a potential crackdown.
Organizations such as Amigos de Guadalupe are stepping up to offer critical support. Jeremy Barousse, the organization's director, emphasized the importance of empowering the community with resources.
"We have our Rapid Response Network, and we're bringing Know Your Rights information to our community as well as recruiting Rapid Responders, in case we see ICE activity in the community," Barousse explained.
Amigos de Guadalupe has become a beacon of hope for undocumented immigrants, providing legal aid, support groups, and critical information to those facing an uncertain future.
"We have seen a small trickle over the last week. People wanting to get more information around legal services and their individual cases," Barousse added.
In addition to community workshops, organizations are distributing flyers with hotlines for reporting ICE activity and educating families about their legal options.
The urgency is growing. Since the election, President-elect Trump has confirmed plans to declare a national emergency on immigration, potentially utilizing military resources to assist with mass deportations. His appointment of Tom Homan, the former acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, as "border czar" has added to the anxiety for many undocumented families.
"My husband and I have thought, since Trump's first term, about making a document to grant custody of our children to my brother-in-law, who is a permanent resident, to ensure that they can stay in this country," she shared.
For her and her family, the uncertainty is overwhelming.
"It gives you anxiety knowing that the future is uncertain for us," she said.
Despite these fears, she takes solace in knowing that organizations like Amigos de Guadalupe are standing by to support her and others like her. Their work offers a glimmer of hope in an otherwise challenging landscape.
In President Trump's first term, his administration deported about 1.5 million immigrants. The Biden administration is on pace to match those numbers, leaving families in a state of limbo as they navigate an uncertain future.