Memphis, tenn. (AP) – When President Donald Trump created a task force to combat the crime in Memphis, his command included the apply of the National Guard and various federal authorities, among other things to enforce the federal immigration law in the city of Tennessee.
One of the departments contained in the Memphis Safe Task Force is the home protection authority that monitors immigration and customs authorities. This feared that some Latinos fear that the boost will be used to address them in houses, schools, and where she will address as part of Trump’s plan for mass liability and deportations by immigrants across the country.
Sandra Pita, mother of six years, the US citizen Mexican descent, said she and other Hispanic people in Memphis fear that her friends and relatives, even those who are legally in the United States, could be involved in the procedure.
“My concern as Latina is that you will address people with brown skin color, black skin color, even my children who are citizens, and the children of other mothers who were born here in Memphis,” said Pita, who was born in California.
Mixed reactions to the presence of the National Guard
The opponents of the mission call it an unnecessary step and a federal occupation of a city that instead needs more funds to tackle poverty and other crime drivers. Followers say it is a welcome infusion of law enforcement officers who, despite the recent improvements in crime statistics, still need support in combating violent actions such as carjackings and murders.
“This is not an occupation. It is an investment,” said Senator of Tennessee, Senator Taylor, a Republican who supports the mission, during a recent GOP rally.
Bill Lee, the Republican governor of Tennessee, said publicly that he would not expect more than 150 members of the National Guard to be sent to Memphis. Lee has not yet signed any executive order for the provision of members. An unknown number of officials from other agencies, from the federal immigration authorities to drug authorities, would also be involved.
Mayor Paul Young, a democrat, said that he did not ask for the effort and does not believe that it is the way to reduce crime. In his weekly newsletter, which was published on Friday, he said that he spoke to civil servants in Washington, who said that the National Guard in this city served as “eyes and ears on the street, more like a vast neighborhood clock than the front line police officer who worked to illustrate the city and to fix the homelessness, what would support memphis and well.
Nevertheless, data from the federal company in Washington show that more than 40% of the matters in months -long operation are related to immigration, as an Associated Press analysis showed.
It is unclear when National Guard will arrive troops, although the officials said this could happen within a week.
The governor’s consent to the national guard stands in a pointed contrast to democratic leaders in states such as California and Illinois, which argue that similar missions undermine the local authority and ignite tensions. The president has also proposed that he could send soldiers to New Orleans, another majority black town, which Democrats led in a Republican state.
Local groups are preparing for the enforcement of immigration
According to the census data, around 10% of the population of Memphis are Hispan. Since Trump took office in January, the community groups of Memphis’ Latinos have to do about their rights and what to do when they are addressed by agents who question their immigration status.
These organizations have distributed petite red cards with instructions in English and Spanish, such as:
Other groups are working on informing residents on social media about real-time criminal prosecution activities that could include immigration operations.
Mauricio Calvo, CEO of Latino Memphis, said he realizes that crime is an significant topic in Memphis, but he does not support the apply of the National Guard. Calvo said he was surprised that many Latinos, with whom he approved the assignment, spoke, and he fears that some people will not understand the effects.
“I don’t think they understand the potential consequences for racial profiles and actual deportations,” said Calvo.
Calvo pointed out that a former prison in the rural city of Mason, east of Memphis, was transformed into an ice -foundation facility with hundreds of beds.
“I fear that this could quickly penetrate a large number of prison terms for immigrants or people who look or sound like immigrants,” he said.
Casey Bryant, a lawyer who works with Latino immigrants, said she was concerned that some national guards and law enforcement officers could not be familiar with immigration law.
“It could cause a lot of chaos and confusion and has the potential to rob people in the immigration context and probably also in the criminal context,” said Bryant.
Immigrants should be ready for possible influences with the law enforcement agencies, including preparations for their families if they are detained, and to contact a lawyer who could support them, said Bryant.
“Everyone tries to prepare for how to live with this kind of presence,” she said.
