Immigrants in the Triad fear possible ICE raids, separation from families
![<i>WXII via CNN Newsource</i><br/>Denise Trejo](https://keyt.b-cdn.net/2025/01/wxxiimmigrantsTriadICEraids129.jpg)
Denise Trejo
By Serra Sowers
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WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina (WXII) — Large-scale immigration arrests are happening nationwide. Immigration and customs enforcement arrested 969 people on Monday alone.
The Trump administration says the focus is on undocumented immigrants who have committed serious crimes. But, the arrests and deportations are sparking fear in Hispanic communities, including here in the Triad.
El Hogar del Inmigrante, a nonprofit organization helping Latinos in Winston-Salem, is preparing for the worst.
“I’m feeling scared, I’m worried and very stressed because bills don’t stop coming and that includes the rent.” said one woman seeking advice from El Hogar. “I have to go out there and I have to make money, provide for my family, for my kids. I have no idea what’s going to happen but it’s all so scary because I know that I might be separated from my kids.”
They say they’re hard-working immigrants — some have lived here for nearly 30 years — and don’t want to leave the lives they’ve built.
“I’m really worried because wherever you go you hear the same thing,” said another woman. “The higher-ups want to do a lot of things to us and we’re not here to hurt anyone, we’re just here working and working. My biggest concern is I’ve been in this country for so many years, I honestly can’t imagine living anywhere else.”
The organization is sharing resources with immigrants as a preemptive measure they hope will calm their fears. Small red cards listing their right to remain silent and paperwork people can sign to be assigned an immigration lawyer in the case they are detained are just some of the measures they are taking to prepare.
Denise Trejo, who runs operations for El Hogar, says one of the biggest fears is among parents of children worried they might be detained and separated.
“The only thing that I can ask any agency is respect,” she said. “They have to understand that if they are going to detain someone, they are going to take away their life in a way. And if they are going to do that, they should do it with respect. Period.”
Trejo says they have received a lot of community support, and hope that they can help stem some of the fears the immigrant community has. A hotline has been set up in North Carolina to report ICE sightings or raids through Siembra, another nonprofit organization.
Connie Trejo, the director of El Hogar, has a message for federal agents and local authorities following nationwide deportations.
“Winston-Salem es un lugar tranquilo, no barberidades mas cibas, no van a ir a las iglesias, no van a ir a las escuelas, no van a ir los hospitales. Tus bebes han hacer Americanos. No tengan miedo,” Connie Trejo said. “Winston-Salem is a peaceful place. Don’t raid our cities, don’t go to the churches, don’t go to the schools, don’t go to the hospitals. Your babies are American. Don’t be scared.”
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