Community organization in Phoenix launch hotline to report any ICE raids taking place
PHOENIX (NBC, KYMA/KECY) - A community organization in Phoenix has launched a hotline to report and alert people of any ICE raids taking place in the area.
"These past two weeks, it's been very active. We've been getting a lot of calls text messages," said Melina Arellano, a youth organizer for Puente, a community organization that provides resources to the immigrant community.
Arellano says false reports of raids in the Valley have infused fear.
"There's a lot of uncertainty, right? Like, 'what is next?' 'What's gonna happen?'" Arellano expressed.
Puente launched a hotline to report and alert people of any ICE raids taking place in the Valley.
"People could call in, report if they see any ICE raidings in their communities, and really, to spread out the word so our community is safe," Arellano shared.
Just moments after being sworn in, President Donald Trump vowed to carry out the mass deportations he promised during the campaign.
"The worst part is that we don't know who they're going to detain. We are all at risk regardless if we are criminals or not," said one woman who has lived in the U.S. for nearly 30 years without documentation.
The woman says she's changed up her routine this week: "I wanted to go to the store, but no...I'm not going to go out anymore because I don't want to go out anymore."
"It's like, 'What options do we have?' or 'What are we going to do?' or 'How is that going to impact everyone?" said Karen Mireles, a Valley resident.
Mireles says even though she's a citizen, she fears raids and threat of deportation: "Me as a parent, 'Do I feel safe taking my kid to school?' 'Do I feel safe that they're going to protect our children?'"
For now, no one knows if raids will happen in the Valley, but Puente says they'll be ready if it happens: "We are going to take care of each other."
Arellano says if they are alerted of raids, one of their members will show up to be witnesses and offer any help they can.
