The Trump administration’s plan for mass deportations has many Nevada immigrants — both documented and undocumented — living in fear.
Nevada's unauthorized immigrant population is approximately 210,000 people, or 7% of the state's population—the highest proportion of immigrants to total population of any state—according to a 2016 Pew Research study.
While officials say they are targeting “criminals,” the administration has also stated that entering the country illegally is a crime. This has left many unsure of their rights, especially in routine situations like traffic stops.
Additionally, in response to the recently passed Laken Riley Act, The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department has expanded its policy for notifying Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) of people booked on certain crimes.
Previously, ICE was alerted only for foreign-born individuals charged with violent felonies, domestic violence, or DUIs. Now, that list includes burglary, theft, larceny, and assaulting an officer — some of which are misdemeanors.
LVMPD and the Henderson Police Department have both said they will not participate in enforcing immigration violations or detain anyone on the grounds they are an undocumented immigrant.
Even so, uncertainty and fear continue to grow in Nevada’s immigrant communities.
Giovanni Alonso, directing attorney of the Immigration Advocacy Project for Legal Aid of Southern Nevada, said his office has received many calls over the past few weeks.
“They're very afraid of what's going on,” Alonso said. “These individuals have families, children and spouses to think about. A lot of them are mixed families, where you have a U.S. citizen spouse, or have U.S. citizen children, but [they] don't necessarily know what's going to happen, and it could affect the entire family unit.”
Scams and misinformation have also been affecting the immigrant community.
“The most common scam we've heard [about] are random phone calls from people posing as ICE officials,” Alonso said.
“They know the person does not have legal status, and they call saying they need payment for a fine, or to avoid ICE showing up at their house.”
He also said “notario” fraud is a big problem. “Notarios are public notaries, but in Latin American countries, a notario is pretty synonymous with being an attorney,” Alonso explained. “These notarios will then put themselves out as being able to provide legal advice, and being able to represent them, when they do not have those qualifications. In certain cases, they take [people’s] money and offer nothing in return.”
He added that the Laken Riley law also puts undocumented immigrants at risk of being accused of a crime and potentially deported without being convicted of the crime.
“Many people's civil rights might be violated just because of racial profiling,” Alonso said.
Though undocumented immigrants tend to stay in the shadows, many still work in industries such as construction, janitorial services and hospitality.
According to a 2022 Pew Research study, undocumented immigrants make up nearly 10% of Nevada’s workforce.
Bliss Requa-Trautz, executive director of the Arriba Las Vegas Worker Center, a local nonprofit advocating for immigrant workers, said many workers fear ICE could show up at their workplace. However, she said, it can’t happen out of the blue.
“Southern Nevada is not in the U.S. Customs and Border Protection jurisdiction, which means [they] do not have jurisdiction to stop people in the street or at work. They need to bring a warrant,” Requa-Trautz said.
ICE raids have recently ramped up in cities including Chicago, Denver and Miami. It is unknown whether they will happen in Nevada.
Legal Aid immigration attorney Giovanni Alonso reminded people what their rights are in the event they are stopped by an ICE official.
“They have the right to remain silent. The only thing that is required of any individual is to identify themselves [and to] give date of birth and address,” he said.
“Questions about nationality, where you were born, who you're married to, anything beyond that, you do not have to answer.”
Importantly, Alonso noted, undocumented immigrants do not have the right to a court-appointed attorney if they do not already have one. He emphasized the importance of families arranging power of attorney and discussing how to cover legal expenses.
Guests: Giovanni Alonso, directing attorney, Immigration Advocacy Project at Legal Aid of Southern Nevada; Bliss Requa-Trautz, executive director, Arriba Las Vegas Worker Center
