A wall graffiti of President Trump pointing agressively with an outstretched arm, while a crying Dora the Explorer runs away in the direction he is pointing.
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In an interview with NPQ, Paromita Shah shared resources that people can utilize to prepare for potential mass deportations under the Trump administration.

Shah is the cofounder and executive director of the Washington, DC-based Just Futures Law, an organization composed of movement lawyers who work directly with community-based organizations to provide resources and legal support to groups fighting for a future beyond deportation and criminalization.

Places previously safe from ICE raids—churches, schools, and hospitals—may no longer be safe.

As a young community organizer, I first met Shah in 2016 when we were involved in efforts advocating against the deportations of undocumented students. In the nearly 10 years since that first meeting, Shah says there have been some bright spots. For instance, several migrant detention centers across the country have been closed in recent years.

But for the most part, Shah admitted, things have changed for the worse.

She noted the treatment of people entering the southern border, how the Biden administration has virtually done away with asylum, and Biden’s overseeing “the highest level of deportations” in the past decade.

With President Trump declaring that he aims to execute the largest mass deportation of undocumented immigrants in American history, there is a looming fear, particularly because places previously safe from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids—churches, schools, and hospitals—may no longer be safe.

It will be an uphill battle. But as Shah noted, there are resources that undocumented immigrants and community groups can use to make themselves as equipped as possible to fight back, such as engaging in digital security practices.

“You should assume tech companies, law enforcement agencies, immigration enforcement can access anything that you message, post, search, look at, watch online if they want to.”

What Are Resources to Protect Against Deportation?

Over the past few months, Just Futures Law has joined other groups in raising awareness about how artificial intelligence (AI) has been aiding in widespread surveillance, particularly targeting undocumented people. The organization has compiled digital security resources on its website for people to educate and protect themselves.

In a November article written by Johana Bhuiyan, a senior tech reporter and editor for The Guardian, Hannah Lucal, a data and tech fellow for Just Futures Law, noted, “You should assume tech companies, law enforcement agencies, immigration enforcement can access anything that you message, post, search, look at, watch online if they want to.”

Just Futures Law and other organizations assert that people should protect their privacy by using encrypted messaging. As Bhuiyan noted, most experts recommend using apps like Signal because, unlike many other messaging apps, it is end-to-end encrypted and run by a nonprofit, which has fewer incentives to sell or share user data.

Additionally, advocates recommend that people auto-delete their data and turn off location settings.

Shah also shared the Emergency Preparedness resource compiled by the Immigrant Defense Project, which lays out an emergency plan for those at risk of deportation. The steps of the plan include:

  • Organizing Your Personal Documents: Everyone, but especially those who are undocumented, should keep their original identification and personal documents in a secure place. They should also make copies to store with a trusted individual in case they are detained. Important documents to secure include any immigration and criminal history documents and any application submitted to immigration, particularly those showing the A-number (alien number).
  • Meeting with a Lawyer: They should do this as soon as possible to see if there is any legal defense against deportation. Specifically, the Immigrant Defense Project offers a free legal helpline at 212-725-6422. They also provide help at [email protected].

They advise that a person hiring a lawyer should always have a signed contract and review it in their preferred language. They should ensure the client and attorney sign the contract and secure a copy.

  • Planning for Medical Needs: Anyone at risk of deportation should carry important medical information with them, as well as the contact information for doctors and the name and dosage of any medications they take. It is advised that they consider allowing someone they trust to access their medical information so they can have proper care if detained.
  • Planning for Childcare Needs: Parents facing deportation should identify someone who can take care of their children if they are detained. That person needs to have the school location and contact information and any medical conditions the child has.

Emergency documents for each child should also be kept in a safe place where the caretaker can access them. The parent should also consult with a lawyer to determine if they want to grant a loved one the ability to make legal decisions for their child.

  • Planning for Financial Needs: People at risk of deportation are encouraged to consult with an attorney about whether to grant a loved one power to access their finances if they are detained. If so, they would sign a special power of attorney form for financial matters, allowing the loved one to access their bank account, pick up their paycheck, pay bills, and use their money to pay bonds.

Resources for Supporting People Facing Bond Hearings

“Our sector is not going to take this lying down.”

The Immigrant Defense Project has also compiled a resource to assist people in supporting their loved ones who have been detained and are facing a bond hearing. If a person has been detained, it is critical that their loved ones gather documents about the person in detention, gather documents about family members, write letters of support, and attend the bond hearing.

At the bond hearing, the judge will either decide to deny the bond (which the person can appeal), release them on their own recognizance (which is rare), grant a bond that is too high to pay (which can be appealed) or grant a bond that the person or family can pay.

This process will not be easy, but there are resources to help those in need be prepared—including free and low-cost legal services that the Immigration Advocates Network has compiled.

There are lawyers who are willing and ready to fight. As Shah told NPQ, “Our sector is not going to take this lying down.”