Immigration lawyers, law enforcement address fears in West African immigrant community

Pastor Harding Smith, who organized a meeting on immigration issues.
Pastor Harding Smith, who organized a meeting on immigration issues, introduces panelists. The meeting was held in Brooklyn Center, where many west African immigrants have settled. Feb. 25, 2017
Peter Cox | MPR News

Anxiety is high for some west African immigrants in the northwest suburbs of the Twin Cities over executive orders from President Trump.

A lack of clarity about the orders, combined with a variety of different immigration statuses for many, drove leaders, lawyers and police to hold an information session Saturday night in Brooklyn Center to answer questions.

"We know that in the absence of fact and information, that people fear the unknown more than anything," said Brooklyn Park Mayor Jeffrey Lunde. "I want to thank everyone in this room for being part of this community. You are important to us. There's nowhere in this country I would rather be at this moment."

Some asked whether police would make arrests and send people to immigration courts.

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"When I go to a house to take a burglary report, I don't ask if you've paid your taxes. That's a federal issue," said Brooklyn Center Police Chief Tim Gannon, adding the same goes for immigration documents. "We are not going to be asking for green cards or your status in the country."

Gannon said the only thing he's told his officers regarding the executive orders is to be aware that people are on edge and anxious.

"We're going to continue to serve you to the best of our abilities," he said. Another police leader stressed they don't want people to be afraid to call 911.

Still, immigration attorneys urged people whose status might be up in the air not to break the law, even minor violations, because getting into the court system could bring up immigration issues.

"If you don't have the right to drive in Minnesota, I recommend you not. You might be opening yourself up to going to immigration court," said Malinda Schmiechen, an immigration attorney. "The priorities in the new memos are very broad, and they say if you've even been charged with a crime, you could be susceptible to being in immigration court. If you've committed a crime and no charges happened you could go to immigration court."

Schmiechen said citizens should be fine. She said Green Card holders should be all right as well.

Those with other immigration statuses, she said, should be a bit more careful, carrying documentation with them at all times. She warned people to give a permanent resident or citizen power of attorney so they can help people retain assets and money.

"They can go to your bank and get your money if you get deported," she said. "That way you save the money you worked so hard for and that person could have power to take care of your children."

She stressed that much is unclear at this point, including whether immigration programs for West Africans that had, under President Obama, been extended, will be allowed to phase out this year and next, or be renewed.

Wayne Doe, the former executive director of the Organization of Liberians in Minnesota, said Liberians-- even those who have been here legally for 15 to 20 years-- are unsure of their future.

"Now they are feeling a high level of anxiety because they could be deported," he said. "And so that fear runs not only for them, but also for the community and their families all over. Even their children."

Doe said he hopes the meeting helped calm some fears, but he knows there are still many questions.

"These are law abiding people, who have homes in Minnesota, and now the fear has gone up," he said.