Image: El Pueblo
El Pueblo, a North Carolina-based Latino immigrant rights organization, today released a Spanish-language emergency guide, “Familias Seguras. Guia de emergencia para inmigrantes” (“Safe Families. An Emergency Guide for Immigrants”). The guide aims to inform Latino immigrant families about their rights and prepare them for potential interactions with law enforcement and immigration officials, citing concerns about increased Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations under the Trump administration.
“Our emergency guide is a crucial tool to protect immigrant families across the state,” said Iliana Santillan, El Pueblo executive director. “This guide is a roadmap to power, a tool that can change lives, and a labor of love and compassion in response to rampant anti-immigrant rhetoric. This guide is more than just information; it is a shield, a source of protection, and a statement that we will not be silenced.”
Trump took office after making mass deportations of undocumented immigrants a central campaign promise. Since taking office, President Donald Trump has signed 21 executive orders aimed at overhauling the U.S. immigration system.
His administration also reversed a Biden-era policy that had prevented immigration officers from arresting migrants at sensitive locations such as schools and churches.
These actions have created a climate of fear and anxiety in many immigrant communities.
The emergency guide was created with the help of the North Carolina Justice Center and the ACLU of North Carolina, which provided legal information, according to a release.
“El Pueblo’s goal was to take the robust and comprehensive legal content available in English, translate it into Spanish, and edit it in a simple, culturally appropriate language for the Latine community, and with an attractive design, building on the success of our Spanish-language voter guides we created last year,” said Eloy Tupayachi, El Pueblo’s Content Strategy Manager and editor of the guide.
The guide includes information on interacting with police and immigration agents in various settings, as well as tips on preparing for the possible deportation of a family member, including guidance on the well-being of children, pets, and household finances. El Pueblo said the guide is intended to combat fear, uncertainty, and misinformation surrounding ICE operations.
“We’re grateful to have been part of the collaborative process of creating this guide in response to requests from immigrant communities across North Carolina calling for accurate and accessible information to protect ourselves and each other in these trying times,” said Jasmina Nogo, staff attorney with the NCJC’s Immigrant and Refugee Rights Project.
Sammy Salkin, policy analyst at ACLU-NC, added, “The ACLU of North Carolina is proud to have supported the development of this crucial guide alongside El Pueblo. Immigrant communities deserve to feel safe, and this guide provides essential guidance to help them understand and exercise their civil rights.”
The guide is currently available on El Pueblo’s website (elpueblo.org), and the organization plans to print physical copies for distribution in the coming weeks.