Immigrants and organizations in Massachusetts worried about deportations under Trump
SHARON - Some immigrant families in Massachusetts are worried they may be deported after President-elect Donald Trump takes office next month.
Zakira Mosawi and Sayed Sajjadi fled Afghanistan a month ago with their two children, 4-year-old Shirin and 7-year-old Sayed Jr, for their own safety and to seek a better life in Sharon.
"It was a very bad situation. The women can't live and can't do any jobs. The children are not very safe," Mosawi told WBZ-TV.
"Afghanistan is very dangerous under the control of the Taliban. The future of our children is very important for me. Future of the children is not good in Afghanistan," said Sajjadi.
They arrived in Sharon through the International Institute of New England, an organization that serves immigrants and refugees. They are here as part of a refugee resettlement program and currently have a special interest visa.
Trump deportation promise
But it's Trump's promise to "launch the largest deportation effort in American history" that has this family and the institute deeply concerned.
"Our mission has never been more critical, and it's going to be more critical in the coming four years," the institute's president, Jeff Thielman, told WBZ.
He said he's fielding a lot of calls from clients and staff who have a lot of fear and concerns.
"Know your rights"
"A real danger is they could be picked up in some sort of a crazy raid. That's logistically difficult to do. We're trying to tell them to just take a breath, to know your rights. We're doing all sorts of 'know your rights' conversations and education among our staff and among our clients and we hope that people are careful about whom they talk with in the coming weeks and months," Thielman said.
For now, Mosawi and Sajjadi are happy their kids are in a better place and hope their dreams of having a home in America will not be taken away.
"I worry about it but I am hopeful that he can't do it," Zakira said.
