A closer look at Donald Trump’s immigration policies

“They are afraid to go to work, to walk out of their homes, people are scared of being deported and separated from their children,” says Raul Razo, from La Hermandad Hank Lacayo Youth and Family Center in Santa Maria.

Razo is talking about the immigrant families across the country and here in Santa Maria that could possibly be separated after hearing the plans that President-elect Donald Trump promises to make about immigration policies.

“The sacrifice has already been made to come to this country it’s not that people want to come to this country it’s out of necessity,” says Razo.

During his campaign, Trump promised to deport all undocumented immigrants, but, during a ’60 Minutes’ interview this past weekend his focus shifted to first deporting illegal immigrants who have committed crimes.

“What we are going to do is get the people who are criminals and have criminal records, gang members, drug dealers we have a lot of these people, probably two million it could even be three million, we are getting them out of our country or going to incarcerated,” says Trump.

He adds once the border is secured, he will then make a decision about the rest of the undocumented immigrants in the country.

“People are not going to leave, we are here, people are here in the community to work and further their lives,” says Razo.

Razo says he’s worked with many undocumented families. In one case, a 5 year-old who didn’t want to go to school in fear that when he came back his parents wouldn’t be home.

“To think that they are going to be separated from their parents their loved ones, their brothers and sisters in the blink of an eye that’s something scary,” he says.

Trump says he still plans to build a wall agreeing with the Republican Congress to fence off some areas and put the wall up in other spots.

Razo says now it’s about fighting for comprehensive immigration reform.

“It’s definitely hitting home and it’s important to educate the community about their rights, the constitution and the involvement in local politics”