Hillary Clinton Warns of Difficult Days Ahead for Immigrant Population

Former secretary of state and defeated 2016 Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton painted a bleak picture facing many immigrants during the next four years, predicting indiscriminate raids and detention even for arrivals with proper documentation.

Clinton, who was the featured speaker at Neighbors Link’s special luncheon and program in New Rochelle attended by more than 400 people last Tuesday, called “Immigrant Rights are Human Rights: Moving Forward Post Election,” warned that the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump will look to instill fear in communities that have a high immigrant population.

Trump has threatened to deport upwards of 11 million undocumented people and to clamp down on others arriving at the southern border.

“I don’t think anybody should be surprised or complacent in any way. They are going to aggressively try to deport people,” Clinton said. “For them, it is a political imperative, and it’s also theater, and so you just have to understand that we’re going to be seeing a lot of very disturbing images in communities across our country.”

She said she bases her alarm for the immigrant community on Trump’s actions during his first term, comments pre- and post-election and the people he has named as advisers and to cabinet-level positions and department heads.

“I do think it’s going to be difficult,” Clinton said. “The people that he has tapped to run things are very determined and extremely outspoken about their mission, whether it’s (policy advisor) Steven Miller or (incoming border czar Tom) Homan or any of the others. Their mission, as they understand it, is literally to round up and deport as many people as possible.”

Clinton explained what will make the Trump administration’s job difficult is to accurately target those for removal because there is no master list of illegals. As a result, there will be dragnets, perhaps onto farms, construction sites and other businesses, the potential for racial profiling, response to anonymous calls and other tactics so the new administration can show its following through on its campaign promises.

The former U.S. senator also expects industries that use a large amount of migrant labor to cut deals with the federal government that will allow them to continue to operate with minimal upheaval.

While the nation must have limits on immigration, it should be addressed through comprehensive immigration reform, she said. Clinton accused some Republicans of preventing bipartisan legislation that would have reformed the system under Presidents George W. Bush, Obama and Biden, the latter fueled by Trump’s calls against reform.

“These immigrants have contributed to our population and they’ve also contributed to our tax rolls and they pay Social Security and they pay into other taxes,” Clinton said.

Karin Anderson Ponzer, the director of legal services for Neighbors Link’s Community Law Practice, said just over one-quarter of New York State’s workforce is comprised of immigrants, contributing about $27 billion in sales tax in 2022. In the same year, non-citizens also contributed more than $25 billion to Social Security, she said

Neighbors Link Executive Director Carola Bracco, who for the last 20 years has led the Mount Kisco-based organization that helps integrate immigrants into American society, culture and workforce, said there is palpable fear in the immigrant community, regardless of whether or not they have documentation and are progressing through the multilayered system.

“There’s an exponential increase in fear we’re going to have to address, parents afraid to send their children to school, afraid to seek medical services, just for regular checkups, afraid to go out and fill prescriptions,” Bracco said. “We’re going to have time periods where people are going to be afraid to leave their house and go to their house of worship.”

While the Biden administration has deported about the same number of people – about 1.5 million – as during Trump’s first term, according to published reports as of last month, Bracco said if the incoming administration follows through, the action will be much more random. For example, people who have had significant ties to their community over an extended period of time were not targeted the past four years.

Most likely, there will be a narrowing, if not elimination, of a variety of programs such as Temporary Protective Status, which is open to people from designated countries where it is not safe for them to return home, and Special immigrant Protective Status, which can be invoked by undocumented people under 21 years old who have been abused, neglected or abandoned by a parent.

“I’m certain that people with pending applications will be swept up and it will take time for people to be able to pursue their case, and when you’re in detention that can be difficult.

Since the election last month, Neighbor Link’s Community Law Practice is gearing up for a sharp increase in calls for legal help. Ponzer said the notion by many Americans that there are essentially two types of people, those who are illegal and those who follow the rules, is an oversimplification.

Many households have members who are of multiple status, especially those who moved to the U.S. with a young child or had another child while in the United States. Ponzer said it will be important to have paperwork easily available to prove their status.

Her office has already started the work of educating people about what they need to have ready, including those who have been in the country more than two years, who have the right to appear and make their case in immigration court.

“The biggest concern is that there’s going to be a lot of harm done to good people, people that haven’t done anything wrong and people who we rely on and people who are the parents, the kids our kids play with, who go to our church, who we say high to at our kids’ soccer matches, at a store, at our doctor’s office,” Ponzer said. “It’s going to be real people that get hurt.”

Other elected officials also attended the event. Westchester County Executive George Latimer, who is set to resign from his office by the end of the month in order to represent the 16^th Congressional District, urged to continue fighting and advocating for the people and causes they believe in.

“There is more to be worried about when I see the names of who might lead HHS or who might lead the Department of Defense,” Latimer said. “But I remind myself, during dark days (be) strong and of good courage to not be afraid, find allies and find ways to push back on this.”