Chicago Tonight: Latino Voices
Deputy Mayor Beatriz Ponce de León on Trump's Deportation Threats
Clip: 1/23/2025 | 10m 18sVideo has Closed Captions
How local officials are preparing immigrant communities amid deportation threats.
Amid President Donald Trump's mass deportation threats, Chicago's immigrant communities are fearing the worst. But city and state officials remain vigilant in their resistance against Trump's deportation plans.
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Chicago Tonight: Latino Voices is a local public television program presented by WTTW
Chicago Tonight: Latino Voices
Deputy Mayor Beatriz Ponce de León on Trump's Deportation Threats
Clip: 1/23/2025 | 10m 18sVideo has Closed Captions
Amid President Donald Trump's mass deportation threats, Chicago's immigrant communities are fearing the worst. But city and state officials remain vigilant in their resistance against Trump's deportation plans.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship>> Chicago's immigrant communities are preparing for the worst.
That's in response.
The Trump's administration's promises of mass deportations for undocumented immigrants but city and state officials are working with community groups to inform immigrants of their rights and reminding agencies of Chicago State Tree City status.
Joining us now with more is Beatrice Ball into the Chicago's deputy mayor of immigrant migrant and refugee rights.
Thank you for being with us again.
It has been a week so far.
Now they reports that anticipate ice rates have been put on hold.
>> What's the latest you're team is hearing?
Well, I want to stress that we're not getting official information.
And I know that there's a lot of information so ugly.
It circulating and community.
>> But we just know that we need to be prepared.
So the this incoming this new administration has made it clear that they are enforcing immigration laws that they will be not only in Chicago, but in different places.
And we have begun to see those interactions happening or hear reports of them.
So the our role is to serve and protect all of our residents for us.
This is both about upholding civil rights and human rights, but also about community safety.
And so we've decided that we are going to make sure that people have the information they need to make informed decisions for themselves and their families.
Putting that information out there.
>> Another question I want to ask, Trump signed a number of executive orders this week as we saw, including an order that will allow immigration arrest at locations like schools and churches which previously off limits for more than a decade.
How is the city preparing people for potential deportation raids?
I mean, you talked about putting that information out there.
>> Well, first, it is really tragic that they would take away the safety of the sacred places.
You think about churches, schools and hospitals were.
People should feel that they can be there and be safe.
So definitely disappointed that that has happened.
What we are doing is continuing to put guidance out in the city to our departments and our sister agencies about what they can do in the case of federal law enforcement, you know, coming to their locations.
This is guidance that is based on our city ordinance as well as on the Honor Trust act.
So they know if ice were to come to their door to ask for identification to ask for assigned to dish a warrant to call their legal counsel.
These are guidelines that we've shared and organization department is making it their own.
So they're tailoring it to the specific needs.
We're also encouraging people to share the know your rights information that our community partners, other partners as well as the city has been sharing so that people know as individuals what they need to do or what they can do to exercise their rights would just say that there has been a bigger push this time around to, you know, put out this information about knowing your rights than in the past.
>> I do want to compare, but I know that is a great moment in Chicago.
Other organizations like the on Coalition for Immigrant Refugee Rights, the Resurrection Project, National Immigrant Justice Center.
We have the United African Organization so many organizations that have been already doing the work of informing their communities.
And we're partnering that with them.
We're pushing out their information and the our Office of immigrant Migrant and Refugee Rights.
We've developed new resources that draw from those.
But that are branded with the city logo and we have a bloated them to our website as well as on our social media.
Specifically a brand new brochure called know your rights and resources which are really trying to promote and push out there.
Seeing a lot of interaction with that brochure.
People are sharing it and and certainly the bus ads that have CTA is partnering with us and talking about the bus ads today.
The city, as I mentioned, the city announced a your rights digital ad campaign.
Can you tell us more about this initiative?
>> You did mention that this was first of its kind.
Yes, it's the first time that we are promoting know your rights in such a widespread way.
>> And the signs that we developed our in 4 different languages so that we know that this is a multi golf city and we want everyone to have access to the information that campaign, whether it's a QR code or a URL people can follow that to come to the office of immigrant Migrant Refugee Rights Page where they will see not only the know your rights resource guide, but a variety of other resources.
Some of them are targeted to specific communities.
There's information there for for workplaces, for employers and just multilingual resources as well.
>> And I have to ask, how are you feeling about, you know, this change in and, you know, and new president in the office, you know how you feel?
How is your team feeling about this?
>> I think we are similar to many Chicagoans people are little bit afraid of uncertain of what's to come but also hopeful and connected to community and others so that we can make sure that, you know, whatever our roles are, whether it's working in city government or at a school or being a, you know, in the faith community or just working in some kind tip of corporate setting that we know we're all Chicagoans.
We're all humans and are connected in many, many ways.
We want to continue to make Chicago a welcoming city.
We want people to to know that they can be here.
Come here for opportunities to be part of their communities and do what we can to collectively.
We assure our fellow Chicagoans and you.
We talked a lot about the resources of pressures are out there.
What if any protections are in place in case someone is approached by immigration agents?
>> And what should they do if they are approach?
What is that?
Number one thing that you have been the office has been spreading about.
What is that thing that they should first do if they are approached by ICE agent, we would recommend that people have legal counsel.
So I know that expensive.
But there are nonprofit organizations that you can turn to.
>> To be connected to a lawyer.
So if you are concerned about your status and, you know, reached out to the Resurrection Project, National Immigrant Justice Center, ICE or to be connected to some legal support.
But if if someone is approach, they have the right to remain silent.
They do not have to answer questions.
I think that that's the know your rights information that we've been pushing out and we hope that can get out into community as much as possible so that people know what's up, something they can take.
>> And what about if someone has, you know, is aware of ice activity?
What should they do?
Have these have you seen any calls to your department of people calling asking no questions or seeing, you know, any ice activity in the neighborhood in different neighborhoods, >> Our office is not tracking that information, but if folks have any questions related to an immigration encounter, they can call 3, 1, 1, 3, 1, 1, We'll connect them to some of these resources we've been talking about.
And if people feel unsafe in a situation 9-1-1, is a number that can also be causing our.
This is a community safety effort as well.
So while police will intervene, they will ensure that there is safety in any of these.
They will be there to support the citizens of Chicago and make sure that it's a safe interaction.
State situation would also find interesting is social media, the power of social media, how people have been taking to TikTok Facebook and Instagram to warn people.
>> Of possible.
I sightings are just kind of describe what the neighborhoods are looking looking like.
I think I mentioned to you that we've seen the little village has been no pretty quiet in the last couple of days.
You know, how important are these sites too?
You know, getting the word out about potential rates.
>> I think that they're the rolls again of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant Refugee Rights, Ice or the Resurrection Project in particular.
They are doing some of collecting of that information.
Also, we do have to be careful about what's being shared because sometimes people are unsure right in and there's a lot of sightings being reported.
But I think through those to organizations, in particular individuals are concerned or see something they want to report.
They can connect with them to share that.
And hopefully there are people who are validating that information surprise with just the support on social media.
>> I'm really encouraged by and I'm not surprised even during the new arrivals mission this last year and a half or so, although at times there was a position so much support from Chicago for our immigrant refugee communities.
So I think that this is just another iteration.
And also Chicago has always been a city that fights for workers rights for women's rights, LGBTQ rights and for immigrant rights.
And this is just another example of the character of the city of Chicago.
People coming together, you would say and people coming together to support one another.
And a joint press conference today.
Mayor Johnson, Governor Pritzker defended Chicago's role as a welcoming city.
>> And inland and Illinois role the same tree city.
How are the city and state working together to help ease deportation fears in immigrant communities, or very aligned around our sanctuary status both city and state.
As you saw mayor and governor both talking about informing people of their rights making sure that our departments and agencies and law enforcement comply with the welcoming city ordinance and this and the owner Trust Act.
>> And certainly as as continues, I think that we're looking at all the tools at our disposal to be able to stand up for what Chicago wants to remain as a sanctuary city.
And WhatsApp message.
Deputy the U now that message to scale back the fear, what to do if someone is aware of ice activity, you know, what do you want to say to someone who is, you know, worried at time?
Want to say that it's reasonable to be worried.
People are Many folks don't really understand that what it means to be separated from your family, what it means a possibly never see a loved one again or for many years.
And so we recognize that.
And at the same time, I encourage people to connect with others for that support.
There's so many organizations in Chicago where place that has a strong social services has a strong network of churches, of community groups of legal services in support of immigrant communities.
And the best thing is to be able to connect to some of those organizations for that support and get the information that you need to make the best decisions for yourself and your family.
That's going vary by by family.
And it's a tough
Judge Blocks Trump's Executive Order on Birthright Citizenship
Video has Closed Captions
Clip: 1/23/2025 | 9m 26s | The order limits citizenship to the children of parents who are citizens or permanent residents. (9m 26s)
Mexico Launches App to Help Those Facing Deportation in US
Video has Closed Captions
Clip: 1/23/2025 | 1m 29s | The emergency alert app is called Consul-App Contigo. (1m 29s)
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Chicago Tonight: Latino Voices is a local public television program presented by WTTW