President-Elect Donald Trump’s Inauguration Day is just over a month away.
Trump is still promoting his plan for mass deportation once he assumes office.
The plan specifically focuses on undocumented immigrants.
Patricia Ice is not in favor of the proposed plan.
She works as an immigration attorney and holds the position of Legal Project Director at the Mississippi Immigrants Rights Alliance.
Ice expressed deep concern about the outrageous plans that he believed the person in question was intending to carry out. He emphasized his worry and stated that he firmly believed that the individual would attempt to execute these plans.
According to a recent report by the Mississippi State Auditor’s Office, there are currently around 22,000 undocumented immigrants residing in Mississippi.
Once in office, Trump has a strong intention to take swift and decisive action regarding mass deportation.
The price tag for this plan is almost $90 billion.
The President-elect is planning to employ law enforcement agencies and, if necessary, military troops to execute this strategy.
“There’s a lot of fear because we don’t know what is going to happen, so when you don’t know what is going to happen, you have a lot of ideas that are going through your head about how bad could this be,” Ice expressed.
Ice believes that if this plan is implemented, Mississippi will become a prime target for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). According to Ice, ICE is familiar with this area and is aware of the significant number of both documented and undocumented individuals residing here. They have a good understanding of the local population and know where many people can be found.
“I do speak to clients who already have pending petitions or applications and let them know that if they’re already in the system, it’s unlikely that they’ll be deported because they’re already going through that judicial process or waiting [for] a decision on a pending application or petition,” said Larissa Davis, who’s an immigration attorney with Chhabra, Gibbs & Trehan, PLLC.
Many immigrants are reaching out to her, expressing their worries about the proposed plan.
According to Davis, it is crucial for immigrants to be aware of their rights, including the fact that they should not permit law enforcement officials to enter their homes unless they possess a valid arrest or search warrant.
Davis also offers immigrants guidance and tips on how to safeguard themselves in the event that the proposed plan becomes a reality.
“Anyone who is here that might be eligible for a benefit, it’s really important to speak to an immigration attorney to see if they can apply for asylum,” Davis explained. “If they have a family petition or other type of I benefit they might be eligible for. I do also tell people who are having upcoming applications or a status that they can renew to do so now. The earlier the better.”
Volunteers and groups are actively organizing workshops to raise awareness among people about the necessary preparations in case the proposed plan is implemented.
Ice announced that they will be hosting their Civic Engagement Day on January 22, 2025, right outside the Mississippi State Capitol.