BOSTON — Fears are growing among the estimated hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants in Massachusetts weeks after President Donald Trump returned to office.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is now reportedly being pushed to increase the number of daily arrests from a few hundred to at least 1,200.
President Trump and administration officials have stated repeatedly that they would prioritize the detention and deportations of undocumented immigrants who have committed serious crimes.
Data shows ICE arrested more than 1,000 people on Sunday, but nearly half of those detained don’t appear to have serious criminal records.
The conflicting information is casting confusion throughout the immigrant population.
“I don’t know what to believe at this point,” said one man, who lives in the Boston area. “I have built my future here. I have my family here. I have a daughter who was born here.”
The father of a toddler, who didn’t want to use his name, immigrated to the U.S. from Venezuela ten years ago.
“Literally, immigrated from a country where opportunities are zero,” he told Boston 25 News. “For those who really come here to make a better future, a better life for their families, they should be able to stay.”
Boston 25 News spoke with another father of an 11-year-old daughter who was born in Massachusetts.
He was adamant about using his name to speak up for other undocumented immigrants who are now living in uncertainty.
“We’re not here to commit crimes,” said Clemente Sajquiy. “Perhaps we can inspire others to come out of the shadows and see there are other people who care about them.”
Sajquiy said he desperately immigrated to the U.S. from Guatemala in 2008 and didn’t realize the implications of illegally crossing the border.
“I was looking pretty much to survive, and I think there’s a lot of people like that,” he said. “There’s no way to seek citizenship.”
He’s now having difficult conversations with his daughter about his future in America.
“I have no choice. I have to bluntly present them to her because I could be deported tomorrow. I can be arrested tomorrow,” he added. “I am worried that people will get caught up in the system. Good people.”
Both men told Boston 25 News they’ve worked in Massachusetts for almost as long as they’ve been here and contribute to the economy.
Immigration experts estimate there are between 200,000 and 350,000 undocumented immigrants living in Massachusetts.
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