President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown has sent waves of fear and anxiety through undocumented communities but local immigration experts say Durango offers them considerably more security than other cities in Colorado and the larger U.S.
Last week, the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Durango hosted an online information session for community members worried about the Trump administration’s escalating deportation efforts.
Three speakers discussed the state of immigration policy and the scope of it’s effects at local and national levels. They also informed attendees of ways they can effectively help protect those affected by the Trump administration’s crackdown.
About 40 people tuned in to the hourlong conversation that sought to provide answers to frequently asked questions. A representative for Unitarian Universalist Fellowship said Compañeros, a Durango-based nonprofit that advocates on behalf of immigrants, has been inundated with phone calls in the past few weeks from concerned residents.
Reports of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity in Durango have, for the most part, been false alarms, said Enrique Orozco, co-executive director of Compañeros.
Orozco said validating those reports has been one of Compañeros key priorities. Dispelling unsubstantiated rumors can alleviate some of the fear paralyzing undocumented communities, he said.
Compañeros operates a network of volunteers who receive texts when ICE activity is reported to the Colorado Rapid Response Network. The volunteers, called “confirmers,” then go to the location and question eyewitnesses, ICE agents, police or law enforcement to confirm the report.
La Plata County already has a robust volunteer network, Orozco said, but Compañeros is looking for volunteers in Montezuma and Archuleta counties.
Orozco expressed gratitude to be in a region where law enforcement and jail staff do not go out of their way to cooperate with immigration agencies.
“Compared to what's happening in Aurora and Denver, we're very fortunate at where we're at as a region,” he said.
Deportation efforts in Aurora have been operating at full force, and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, FBI and ICE are collaborating all along the Front Range, said Beatrice Garcia, an organizer for the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition.
Garcia said there has been a significant reduction in local oversight of federal agencies, making it difficult to determine what tactics they are using to conduct the large-scale deportation Trump has ordered.
She said as of now, ICE appears to be targeting restaurants and construction companies. As businesses close in fear of raids, undocumented workers have lost their jobs or taken significant pay cuts.
“People are definitely terrorized. … I want to use this word, ‘terrorized,’ because it feels like more than fear,” Garcia said.
The best way people can offer support right now is through embracing and welcoming immigrant communities that may be feeling ostracized, Garcia said.
She also emphasized the importance of local advocacy and encouraged people to volunteer as confirmers for Compañeros.
“Working locally is going to be a key for our communities to make changes,” Garcia said.
As undocumented communities struggle with the terror and uncertainty clouding their visions of the future, the Trump administration is struggling to fulfill its promise of rapid, large-scale deportation.
The government doesn’t have enough beds, enough ICE agents or enough money to carry through with some of its objectives, said Bob Shields, a former legislative liaison in Washington, D.C., at the immigration briefing.
“They need funding, and they need it rapidly,” he said.
Senate Republicans recently released a budget plan that includes increased funding for the federal immigration crackdown, which could increase the operation’s pace and efficiency.
Shields said the most effective way to “defang” the plan is through constituent advocacy in swing districts.
Durango is in Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District, represented by Rep. Jeff Hurd, R-Grand Junction. Hurd won by a narrow margin in November, making him vulnerable in future elections if he goes against the will of his constituents, Shields said.
Individuals opposed to Trump’s immigration polices should contact Hurd’s office, Shields said.
Shields is organizing a meeting between residents of District 3 and Hurd’s staffers to discuss the opposition to the immigration crackdown and the funding it would receive if the new budget resolution passes without any modifications. He is coordinating with Indivisible Durango to arrange the meeting.
“We may not be able to defeat the whole thing,” Shields said, “but if we can pull out some of the most troublesome aspects of it, that'll be a big win.”
jbowman@durangoherald.com
An earlier version of this story referred to Trumps anti-immigration efforts. The story has been updated to refer to Trump’s deportation efforts, which more precisely describes the concerns among immigration advocates in Southwest Colorado.
