Organizations and lawyers in the area of ​​St. Louis who supports immigrants, asylum seekers and refugee families is urging them to renew all immigration documents as soon as possible to prepare for potential mass deportation.

The move comes after President-elect Donald Trump announced last week that he would begin deporting undocumented people on his first day in office. His “the biggest deportation” in the plan of the country’s history it could affect tens of thousands of people in the region of St. Louis.

It’s unclear how mass deportation will happen, but it’s clear that immigration enforcement will increase, said Jessica Mayo, an attorney and co-director of The MICA project.

“Last time under Trump, he said everybody is a priority, so it doesn’t matter if you have US citizenship, children or a spouse, if you come into contact with law enforcement or immigration and customs, they will detain you and start you through the immigration process,” she said. “We certainly expect that to happen (again).”

The immigrant and immigrant organization has worked on thousands of cases for asylum seekers, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients, humanitarian aid recipients, and clients seeking temporary protection status. Project MICA leaders are especially concerned about the future of DACA recipients living in the area, as advocates believe the program will be eviscerated in the next few months.

The MICA project works with approximately 80 DACA recipients. Roberto Munive, a representative of the MICA Project, said people are wondering if their work permits and driving licenses will still be valid. They called Munive with questions about what they would do if their permits are not renewed, and many fear what might happen to them if they are stopped by the police and do not have proper identification or can’t produce a work permit.

“These are all people who have lived here in the United States practically their entire lives, and to hear that there’s a possibility that the program could be terminated, it makes them very afraid,” Munive said. “Since they’ve lived here all their lives, they’ve spoken English, they’ve gone back to another country and they can’t speak that language is another concern as well.”

As Trump puts his administration in place, advocates are warning immigrants to start making plans to renew visas and file any immigration applications if the Trump administration follows through on its plans immediately after taking office.

“The main thing we’re recommending to people right now about this possibility is that if they have a work permit or green card, carry it with them and keep it safe – don’t leave it in the car or maybe they could be stolen Make sure you have copies for backup, if you don’t have them but you have another pending claim, keep proof of that pending claim.

“If you have U.S. citizen children or spouses, keep documentation of that relationship with you,” Mayo said.

Although Missouri is not a border state with the US, Javad Khazaeli, an attorney with Khazaeli-Wyrsch law, warns people with temporary protection status to update their documents because it’s easy for the government to find them.

“If Trump wipes out the temporary protected status program, it’s pretty easy to go get these people,” he said. “I’m pretty confident that he’s going to throw out the law and come up with something new, or he’s going to get the Republicans to pass some kind of super-fast-track system that has very few protections to protect people, and the bigger issue is whether it’s even needed . to get rid of people forever, they might just hold them back.”

Because there is a lot of uncertainty about immigration programs, Khazaeli said people should plan for the worst.

He suspects the new administration and Republican-controlled Congress could begin mass deportations without due process.

“St. Louis hasn’t had a large number of people with temporary protected status, but I think they’re going to start targeting cities like Chicago and New York, and we have a large amount of county facilities that can hold people,” Khazaeli said. I could absolutely see them taking people from other states and depositing them here in Missouri.”

Lawyers and immigration agencies are also advising people to contact legal aid services to understand their rights and to access English translation services in the area to help with any requests.

For people with mixed-status families, having someone in the household or another US citizen with power of attorney could be a lifesaver,” said Julie Fox, the company’s chief executive. Immigrant Home English Learning Program.

“Should something happen to the parents of the children who are legal citizens of the United States … who will take care of them?” she said.

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