Local groups serving Latino and immigrant communities are being forced to rethink how they share information as Immigration and Customs Enforcement ramps up its presence in Charlotte.
Seminars about legal rights and immigration policy can sometimes be too risky, advocates say, drawing unwanted attention to undocumented attendees. So, organizations such as Camino are turning to a more discreet and familiar network: faith leaders.
“If we gather all of these people in one spot, does that put a target on their back? Does that give law enforcement or anyone a specific area to come to?” said Paola Garcia, communications director at Camino. “Churches are good places for resources that the government may not give to the Latino community due to documentation status. The church is a place where Latinos or any person can feel safe and they don’t ask those questions.”
