Hispanics gathered Tuesday night in Little Rock to learn about their rights in the wake of new executive orders from President Donald Trump that have heightened fear and uncertainty for immigrants across Arkansas, officials said.
The event, organized by Arkansas United Community Coalition, a nonprofit organization focused on empowering immigrants, drew more than 100 people to the Mexican Consulate to learn more about the new executive orders signed last week.
Mireya Reith, founder and executive director of the organizing group, said the White House policy directives have caused fear and panic within immigrant circles.
"There are ramifications at deeper levels that we've never seen before," she said.
Attendees at the Tuesday night event learned about their rights if stopped by law enforcement officials and what they should do if detained, said Michel Rangel, a field director with the nonprofit.
"We just knew that there needed to be a rapid response," she said.
An executive order signed by Trump last week established, in writing, his plans to construct a wall along the southern U.S. border with Mexico and outlined the administration's intent to hire 5,000 more Border Patrol agents.
The same order also made it federal policy to "detain individuals apprehended on suspicion of violating Federal or State law, including Federal immigration law, pending further proceedings regarding those violations."
According to Pew Research Center estimates, there were 11.1 million illegal aliens in the U.S. in 2014.
In a separate order, Trump signaled his intent to enlist local law enforcement agencies in enforcing federal immigration laws.
The order states that it's the administration's policy to "empower State and local law enforcement agencies across the country to perform the functions of an immigration officer in the interior of the United States to the maximum extent permitted by law."
It also directed the federal government to "engage" governors and local officials in preparing to enter into agreements that would have local law enforcement officers enforce federal immigration laws.
Guillermo Hernandez, an immigration attorney, said he told the crowd that while the executive order is in effect, it takes time before such orders are enforced at the local level.
Many immigrants have trouble understanding English and can have a difficult time understanding the meaning and effect of an executive order, he said.
"They are fearful," Hernandez said. "There's a lot of anxiety."
The Little Rock Police Department has in recent years made a point of reaching out to the Hispanic community, he said.
"They are not out to get immigrants just because they look different," he said.
Little Rock Police Chief Kenton Buckner has said in the past that the department will "never step away from treating everyone with dignity and respect" over the next four years.
Hernandez said even if Little Rock police have a mandate to enforce federal immigration laws, he is confident the Police Department will do so in a humane way.
Reith said the nonprofit organization saw a need for the event after their seven immigrant resource centers were overwhelmed with calls about Trump's actions.
"We want to make sure our community has as much information as possible," Reith said.
Many callers wondered what was going on, she said, and wanted to know the implications the federal policy directives would have on their friends and family.
An 18-year-old woman, who had a pending court case as an unaccompanied alien child, was detained Friday by federal immigration officials in Little Rock, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported.
Attorneys said that action by federal officials is rare and indicated a shift in immigration-law enforcement under the new orders signed by Trump. The teenager, who came to the U.S. from El Salvador, is being held at a detention center in Louisiana.
There also are concerns about what the directives will mean for young people under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which was put into place under President Barack Obama's administration, Reith said.
Besides orders at the federal level, Reith said the immigrant community faces "anti-immigrant" legislation at the state level.
Arkansas Senate Bill 14 would restrict state funds for cities that enact "sanctuary policies."
The legislation, filed by Sen. Gary Stubblefield, R-Branch, would punish cities that provide "lawful presence or status" to illegal aliens and prevent law enforcement officials from asking about a person's immigration status or citizenship, among other "sanctuary policies."
Stubblefield has said in the past that sanctuary cities violate federal immigration laws and create an environment where crime can occur by hindering attempts to deport aliens who are criminals.
A similar bill filed in the state House by Rep. Brandt Smith, R-Jonesboro, would prevent public higher-education institutions from receiving state funds if they enacted "sanctuary policies."
Metro on 02/01/2017