Amid the uncertainty surrounding how "mass deportation" promises will translate to realities, state officials and advocates are showing solidarity with their immigrant communities across the country.
"We will take care of you. That's our responsibility," Denver Public Schools board member Scott Esserman said, as Erica Breunlin of the Colorado Sun reports. He’s not alone, as Allison Sherry of CPR News reports.
In organizations are urging people to renew government documents as soon as possible, reports Andrea Y. Henderson of St. Louis Public Radio. In Wisconsin, advocates are discussing strategies for protecting immigrants who lack permanent legal status, reports Joe Schulz of Wisconsin Public Radio.
And in California, the state with the largest proportion of immigrants, advocates are urging local authorities to find "creative ways" to protect their local communities, reports Sam Levin of The Guardian.
Depending on the extent of deportations in practice, 1.5 million people who currently have humanitarian or other temporary protection also could be at risk, as Rafael Bernal of The Hill analyzes. Tim Padgett of WLRN in Florida zooms in.
David Plazas, a columnist at The Tennessean, writes, "Inflammatory posts against immigrants is effective political fodder, but sweeping measures based on this rhetoric will end up doing harm." He goes on to note the importance of immigrant workers in Tennessee.
Nationwide, inflation could increase because of labor shortages that would delay getting goods to consumers and slow customer service, reports Tim Smart of U.S. News. Construction and housing prices are another major concern, reports Andrea Riquier of USA Today.
Constructive immigration reforms are important, Ken Wingert of the National Association of Home Builders says: "We're in favor of getting more workers into the workforce overall to try to help ease this housing supply crunch that we're in."
Welcome to Monday’s edition of The Forum Daily. I’m Dan Gordon, the Forum’s strategic communications VP, and the great Forum Daily team also includes Jillian Clark, Soledad Gassó Parker, Camilla Luong, Ally Villarreal and Clara Villatoro. If you have a story to share from your own community, please send it to me at [email protected].
BALANCE — Emmanuel Olawale, an Ohio immigration lawyer, invites Americans to recognize the value of immigrants socially and economically in his op-ed for Cleveland.com.
LATIN AMERICA — The new Trump administration not only will focus on the border but also will seek negotiation with countries in Latin America to implement measures to slow migration, according to Trump advisor Carlos Trujillo, reports Carmen Sesin of NBC News. Trujillo said potential tactics include economic support, blockade options, and in some cases direct diplomacy agreements.
LONE STAR — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) is considering redirecting the budget the state has put into its anti-immigration program Operation Lone Star, reports Alejandro Serrano of The Texas Tribune. The state’s efforts have cost taxpayers nearly $11 billion since 2021. Abbott said he will keep border security measures in place until Trump implements his border and immigration policies, Serrano notes. For more on Operation Lone Star, see our resource.
BECOMING AMERICAN — Becoming a naturalized American citizen is a choice filled with pride and faith in the country, reports Antoinette Grajeda of the Arkansas Advocate. Immigrants share basic American values of democracy and the American dream [as our own Andrea Castaneda-Lauver also wrote recently]. "I’m proud to have made that choice to become an American ... I still think this is a good place to be and there’s a reason a lot of people really want to be here," said Cameron Murray, who recently naturalized.
